South America Flight Feedback

[Eager2Travel]

We are intrigued with a Buenos Aires to Santiago cruise next year but we are concerned about the flights. We will need to fly from California to South America.  We have heard some very negative feedback.  We know there are no direct flights.  We are on the senior side of the age range.  We would appreciate some feedback from anyone who has recently flown this route.  We have several times ten years back.

 

Thanks for any help.

[Lonedaddy]

You can easily connect at DFW from CA on American to Santiago and Buenos Aires   DFW is an easy airport to connect at and you can get assistance if needed.  They have a flagship lounge which is nice.  There are supposed to open a P/S service there as well which would make your connection even easier if it is worth it to you.

Edited May 15 by Lonedaddy

[Eager2Travel]

LoneDaddy  thank you so much for that information.  I had almost decided it might be too much for us to navigate.  That flight didnt show  up when I did a search.  I am going to check it out on the AA site.  You mentioned PS service.  I not sure I know what that is.

We greatly appreciate your help!

[DeepFreeze63]

LoneDaddy: We too thank you.

 

We are on 2/25 Splendor and have been agonizing about transfers in Columbia or Panama. We canceled a similar cruise before and Regent canceled once because of COVID. Have never been to Chile and hope to see Antarctica again (after 63 years) even though from afar this time.

[Lonedaddy]

16 hours ago, Eager2Travel said:

LoneDaddy  thank you so much for that information.  I had almost decided it might be too much for us to navigate.  That flight didnt show  up when I did a search.  I am going to check it out on the AA site.  You mentioned PS service.  I not sure I know what that is.

We greatly appreciate your help!

PS reimagines the airport experience (reserveps.com)   it is pricey and they are due to open in DFW late this year or early next.  You really don't need it in DFW espically if you have global entry.  

 

here is a review of the AA flagship lounge at DFW

 

American Flagship Lounge DFW Review I One Mile At A Time

 

and there is also a centurion club in terminal D.  

 

 

Edited May 16 by Lonedaddy

[Dobby36]

We did a Santiago to Buenos Aires cruise last year and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  Especially if you have business class, these flights are doable from CA.  We flew San Diego to Atlanta, then overnight on delta to Buenos Aires.  No complaints, arrived in the AM a bit groggy, but since there is minimal time difference, not much jet lag. On the way back we did American through DFW, as was suggested above.  The AA lounge in Santiago was under construction so they used an empty restaurant as a makeshift lounge. It was hot and crowded, but the self-serve bar helped make it tolerable 😉 

DFW arrival in the AM was aided by a nice shower in the Flagship AA lounge, and we were home feeling refreshed in northern CA by lunchtime. 

I’d share your hesitancy transferring in Panama City, Mexico City, etc a but otherwise: go for it! 

[Eager2Travel]

Thanks Dobby for the extra information.  We are seriously considering it.

[asnaleah]

Just a note of caution about the flight from Santiago to DFW - give yourself every bit of 3 hours prior to your flight. 

[edgee]

LATAM airlines flies NS from Santiago to LAX. They are a partner of Delta. Delta will sell you a ticket on Delta from California to Buenos Aires connecting through Atlanta then Nonstop back to CA on LATAM from Santiago.

Edited May 18 by edgee

[Lonedaddy]

1 hour ago, edgee said:

LATAM airlines flies NS from Santiago to LAX. They are a partner of Delta. Delta will sell you a ticket on Delta from California to Buenos Aires connecting through Atlanta then Nonstop back to CA on LATAM from Santiago.

The LATAM plane on that route is predominately the 787-8 with 2-2-2 config vs the newer 1-2-1.  

Given that it is an 11:55 pm flight if you are stuck in A or L you would have to climb over the person in C or J.  @Eager2Travel are you closer to LAX or SNA, SAN or one of the other southern CA airports where you can connect directly from DFW or ATL?

 

[edgee]

5 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

Given that it is an 11:55 pm flight if you are stuck in A or L you would have to climb over the person in C or J.  @Eager2Travel are you closer to LAX or SNA, SAN or one of the other southern CA airports where you can connect directly from DFW or ATL?

 

 

Good advice on the seating issue, but likely easily avoidable. 

[Eager2Travel]

All that additional advice is very helpful.  We would fly out of LAX.  Our routing would be LA to Santiago and the return would be Buenos Aires to LAX.  It was a pleasant surprise to find out there is a direct flight on the outbound even if the Latam seating is two across.  The return is a little more difficult,  Thank you Edgee, Asanaleah and Lonedaddy.

[DeepFreeze63]

On 5/16/2024 at 8:32 PM, Dobby36 said:

We did a Santiago to Buenos Aires cruise last year and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  Especially if you have business class, these flights are doable from CA.  We flew San Diego to Atlanta, then overnight on delta to Buenos Aires.  No complaints, arrived in the AM a bit groggy, but since there is minimal time difference, not much jet lag. On the way back we did American through DFW, as was suggested above.  The AA lounge in Santiago was under construction so they used an empty restaurant as a makeshift lounge. It was hot and crowded, but the self-serve bar helped make it tolerable 😉 

DFW arrival in the AM was aided by a nice shower in the Flagship AA lounge, and we were home feeling refreshed in northern CA by lunchtime. 

I’d share your hesitancy transferring in Panama City, Mexico City, etc a but otherwise: go for it! 

Thanks to all for advice. We got very acceptable AA flights and seats for our Santiago to BsAs cruise in 2/2025 AT $1400 p.p. less than Regent.  Only downside, we get AA credit (but no fee) if we cancel  rather than cash back.

[Eager2Travel]

I want to thank everyone for their helpful input.  In the end we booked a different cruise having done this area several times.  
 

However, because of the helpful advice, we got brave and booked our own air.  We moved to a Tokyo sailing.  Was able to find a refundable fare for not much more than the non refundable.  We saved several thousand dollars and still can cancel before final pay with little lost (we hope).  We are at the “don’t buy green bananas” stage of life so fingers are crossed.

 

 Congrats to you Deep Freeze on your success.  We never did end up together on another cruise.

[labonnevie]

Based on your experience and ours in April 2023, if you are flying from the west coast to Tokyo, you will do much better booking your own flights and taking the Regent air credit. We saved about $1200pp.