South America is a well-liked vacation spot for North American travellers attributable to its vary of various nations, and relying on the place you’re travelling from and to, its relative proximity.
Regardless of not having to traverse an ocean to get there, it’s nonetheless far sufficient that you just’ll wish to be snug for the journey. Fortunately, there are a variety of choices to contemplate, together with many that may be booked at a major low cost utilizing factors.
Let’s check out an alphabetical checklist of the greatest airways for flying in enterprise class between North America and South America utilizing factors.
1. Air Canada
Air Canada maintains a modest route community to locations in South America. Presently, the airline operates flights to São Paulo, Lima, and Bogotá from each Toronto and Montreal, in addition to a flight to Santiago from Toronto.
Inside South America, you’ll discover a fifth freedom flight between São Paulo and Buenos Aires.
Air Canada usually gives its flagship enterprise class product, Signature Class, on these routes. The product is essentially comparable throughout the completely different three-cabin plane, so there’s no actual benefit to in search of one over the opposite.
Flights to this a part of the world are topic to the pricing of the “Between North America–South America” part on the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart. In concept, on the decrease finish of the dynamic spectrum, you may count on to pay between 50,000–60,000 factors for a one-way flight in enterprise class, relying on the full distance flown.
Direct flights from Toronto to Bogotá or Lima fall underneath 4,500 miles, whereas all different locations are over 4,501 miles.
In apply, as everyone knows, dynamic pricing with Air Canada flights is usually skewed a lot greater than that.
It’s possible you’ll, nevertheless, run into conditions through which enterprise class is cheaper than premium economic system, and marginally dearer than economic system.
The above flights present some values on the extra beneficial facet of the dynamic-pricing spectrum with Air Canada. Within the occasion that dynamic pricing is excessive, then so long as you’ve gotten Aeroplan Elite Standing and eUpgrades, you may guide a flight in economic system and improve to enterprise class to cut back the associated fee.
For instance, suppose you’d prefer to fly from Vancouver to Santiago through Toronto. A fast search pulls up the next outcomes.
Reserving into enterprise class would value 121,900 factors, which is twice the price of the decrease finish of the dynamic vary. Nonetheless, in the event you have been to guide in Financial system (Latitude) and apply 13 eUpgrades, you might fly in the identical cabin for simply 63,000 factors, so long as there’s eUpgrade availability on the flight.
In fact, not all people has eUpgrades. When you can’t get worth with Air Canada, then it might be greatest to contemplate looking for a flight with a companion airline or reserving with one other loyalty program.
2. American Airways
American Airways has the most important presence in South America out of all the most important North American airways. Naturally, the US airline must be some of the fashionable methods to fly all the way down to the continent in enterprise class.
From a Canadian perspective, redeeming miles for American Airways flights is usually a little difficult. Award house that will get displayed in American Airways AAdvantage doesn’t all the time get exhibited to different companions, resembling British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, or Alaska Mileage Plan.
Happily, many of those packages are switch companions with transferable factors currencies, or have co-branded bank cards for incomes factors instantly.
In Canada, RBC Avion transfers to AAdvantage at a 1:0.7 ratio, in addition to Avios and Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio. You can too switch HSBC Rewards to Avios at a 25:10 ratio and Asia Miles at a 25:8 ratio, or American Categorical Membership Rewards to Avios at a 1:1 ratio and to Asia Miles at a 1:0.75 ratio.
Within the US, except for co-branded American Airways and Alaska Airways bank cards for incomes factors, you may switch Amex US MR and Capital One miles to Avios and Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio, Citi ThankYou to Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio, and Chase Final Rewards to Avios at a 1:1 ratio.
On each side of the border, you may switch Marriott Bonvoy factors at a 3:1 ratio, with no bonus of 5,000 factors upon transferring 60,000 factors.
When it comes time to redeem, you’ll wish to take inventory of the factors you’ve gotten out there for the flights that you just want to take.
For instance, flights from Toronto to São Paulo through New York JFK worth out at 55,000 miles by means of AAdvantage on the low finish.
Whilst you may not all the time discover the identical award stock with Oneworld companion packages, the identical flights booked by means of Avios would value 92,250 Avios.
When you use Alaska miles, count on to pay at the very least 57,500 miles.
It goes to indicate that you just’ll wish to store round for one of the best worth in the event you plan on redeeming your factors for AA flights to South America. Doing so will be certain that you get one of the best worth to your flights with the factors you’ve gotten out there.
3. Azul Airways
A distinct segment possibility for redeeming Aeroplan factors is to fly with Brazil-based Azul Airways, which grew to become a brand new Aeroplan companion in 2020. The closest locations to Canada are in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, so that you’d must make your strategy to Florida previous to catching a flight to Brazil, which you might simply do by tacking on a connecting flight.
Word that flights to São Paulo arrive at Viracopos Airport, the least handy of town’s three airports. Which means that if São Paulo is your final vacation spot, chances are you’ll wish to think about flying with one other airline that arrives at Guarulhos or Congonhas nearer to town.
In any other case, Azul stays possibility for accessing a few of Brazil’s extra distant locations, that are served nicely by the airline.
When you handle to seek out availability on one in every of these routes, which seems to be fairly troublesome, you’ll be handled to lie-flat seats aboard its Airbus A330 plane.
These flights are underneath 4,500 miles in size, which means {that a} one-way flight in enterprise class would value you 50,000 Aeroplan factors on their very own, or 60,000 Aeroplan factors in the event you tack on a connection from Canada.
Preserve a watch out for married segments right here. When you seek for a direct flight from Florida to Brazil, chances are you’ll not discover what you’re in search of. Nonetheless, in the event you’re open to a single cease, you would possibly simply discover your excellent routing through one of many three long-haul hubs in Brazil.
4. Copa Airways
Copa Airways is a Panama-based airline with nice connectivity in North, Central, and South America. As a member of Star Alliance, you may reliably discover award house in enterprise class by means of many loyalty packages.
When you’d like so as to add a stopover in Panama en path to South America, then think about redeeming your Aeroplan factors on Copa Airways, whose total enterprise mannequin is principally constructed round performing as a hyperlink between Americas North and South.
The Panamanian flag provider operates from Panama Metropolis to Toronto and Montreal, in addition to a bunch of American hub cities.
Their protection by way of South American locations may be very complete, serving the most important hubs like São Paulo or Santiago with a number of flights per day, in addition to second-tier South American airports like Porto Alegre, Mendoza, and Santa Cruz.
Aeroplan redemptions with Copa will value you 50,000–60,000 Aeroplan factors, relying in your departure airport and your final vacation spot in South America.
In 2021, the airline started working its “Goals” enterprise class product on new Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane, which is its first lie-flat enterprise class product.
Yow will discover this flagship product from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Miami to Panama Metropolis. In South America, you will discover it on the extra main routes to Bogotá, Santiago, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte.
Award availability is sort of bountiful throughout the board, and also you shouldn’t have any issues discovering a number of seats to get to your vacation spot.
From Canada, you’ll be on a unique plane with out lie-flat seats, so your greatest wager is to stay to daytime flights as a lot as potential to keep away from an uncomfortable in a single day flight. Fortunately, many flights to Panama Metropolis depart within the morning anyway, which is nice.
When you’re not on the lie-flat product, you’ll both be on a Boeing 737 with a 2-2 enterprise class configuration. There aren’t too many lie-flat choices from North America to South America, so Copa Airways can function an amazing backup by way of community, availability, and an honest onboard product.
5. Delta Air Strains
Delta Air Strains flies to a handful of locations in South America from hubs in Atlanta and New York JFK.
On some long-haul routes, you will discover its flagship enterprise class product Delta One. Every time potential, you’ll wish to maintain a watch out for this, as you’ll get pleasure from the absolute best flying expertise with Delta.
The difficult half goes to be discovering enterprise class award availability at an inexpensive worth. That is particularly the case in the event you plan on redeeming by means of Delta SkyMiles, which is infamous for having sky-high award costs for enterprise class redemptions.
When you luck out and discover availability by means of SkyMiles, you then’ll have scored an amazing deal. Typically, flights in economic system are fairly priced, which is one thing to contemplate in the event you don’t have a big stockpile of SkyMiles.
In any other case, you’ll wish to take a look at different SkyTeam-member loyalty packages, resembling Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership or Air France/KLM Flying Blue.
Once more, Delta is understood for not releasing many award seats to companions, so that you’ll be fortunate to discover a whole lot.
6. LATAM
Whereas LATAM operates numerous routes between North America and South America, their three way partnership settlement with Delta leaves a lot to be desired by way of the worth in making companion bookings utilizing SkyMiles.
Nonetheless, it’s price contemplating, because the provider is predicated in South America and has good protection throughout the continent.
A greater possibility is to seek out LATAM enterprise class award availability utilizing Alaska Mileage Plan. Use the calendar search on the search engine to seek out award availability in enterprise class between North America and South America.
In comparison with earlier than, when award availability was troublesome to return by, it is best to now be capable of discover award flights at an inexpensive value. For instance, you may fly from Santiago to New York with LATAM in enterprise class for 45,000 miles plus minimal taxes and charges.
Whereas no information has been introduced on LATAM’s ongoing partnership since Alaska Airways joined Oneworld, it wouldn’t be shocking to see it will definitely get phased out as nicely, since Alaska and Delta have a little bit of a heated rivalry happening.
In the long term, it’s very seemingly we’ll solely be capable of redeem Delta SkyMiles on LATAM flights, and the opaqueness of the SkyMiles program doesn’t make this a really engaging possibility. For now, redeeming Alaska miles on LATAM flights stays an inexpensive possibility.
Lastly, it’s potential to redeem Alaska miles to fly between mainland Chile and Easter Island with LATAM for 22,500 miles in economic system or 35,000 miles in enterprise class.
Easter Island is a notoriously troublesome location to entry, so whereas this will not be one of the best use of Alaska miles, it’s nonetheless good to have an possibility out there.
7. United
United operates main hubs in Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago, and San Francisco, and gives an honest community with direct flights to main airports in South America. It additionally flies plenty of routes from Houston to South America.
United gives a snug product on their newer Polaris seats and handy direct flights from many US gateway airports to Santiago, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Quito, and Bogotá.
When you select to redeem Aeroplan factors, flying with United to South America will value between 50,000–60,000 factors, relying in your origin and vacation spot. You might be able to add a connecting flight from a Canadian airport with out growing this value.
The difficult half is that United’s enterprise class availability patterns might be robust to foretell, as they aren’t as dependable about releasing a sure variety of seats at first of the schedule. You’ll have higher luck discovering award house nearer to the date of departure, and generally with a number of seats.
In any other case, you’ll seemingly wish to look to United MileagePlan for a redemption. This system doesn’t have a broadcast award chart, so the price of a redemption might range.
For instance, you would possibly be capable of discover a flight from Chicago to Sao Paulo for as few as 62,400 miles.
However that very same route would possibly worth out at 157,400 miles on a unique date.
To find out if your required flight with United has its newer (and vastly superior) Polaris enterprise class, take a look on ExpertFlyer for a 1-2-1 or a 1-1-1 configuration. You can too simply seek for flights on the United web site, which is able to present “United Polaris enterprise” clearly within the outcomes.
Previous to departure, you’ll additionally wish to make good use of United’s glorious Polaris lounges, positioned in Newark, Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
Word that United’s new-generation Polaris enterprise class seat hasn’t but been absolutely rolled-out throughout its fleet, but it surely’s nearing completion of the retrofit. There’s nonetheless an opportunity that you just’ll find yourself on United’s 2-4-2 enterprise class, through which case… nicely, at the very least it’s nonetheless a lie-flat seat.
Honourable Mentions
Absolutely, this isn’t an exhaustive checklist of how to get to South America. Listed here are a few honourable mentions for flying to or inside the continent to your consideration.
Fifth Freedom Flights
Various airways function fifth freedom routes inside South America. These routes might be an attention-grabbing strategy to check out an airline product far-off from its house base, and it will also be a dependable strategy to discover award house between two main cities.
For instance, there’s a fifth freedom flight in Swiss First Class from São Paulo to Buenos Aires that’s out there with United MileagePlus. In reality, it’s one of many solely methods to expertise this top-notch unique product.
Moreover, you’ll additionally discover that Turkish Airways, Ethiopian Airways, Air Canada, British Airways, and Qatar Airways function fifth freedom flights on this route.
You’ll be able to even get a style of Qatar Airways Qsuites, extensively thought of to be the world’s greatest enterprise class product, for simply 20,000 Avios on this route.
You probably have a visit deliberate to South America, you’ll want to think about a few of these attention-grabbing fifth freedom flights to spruce up your journey.
Aeromexico
Lastly, it’s price mentioning that Skyteam-member airline Aeromexico is one thing to contemplate for flights between North America and South America.
It operates plenty of flights between its hub in Mexico Metropolis and airports throughout each continents.
The draw back is that premium cabin flights are both extraordinarily troublesome to return by by means of loyalty packages of companion airways, or very costly with its personal Membership Premier program.
Within the absence of any of the above choices, you’ll want to think about Aeromexico, however don’t maintain your breath for deal on factors.
Conclusion
South America’s aviation scene is quite nascent in comparison with its friends in Europe and Asia, which signifies that there’s a restricted pool of choices so that you can redeem factors for flights down there in enterprise class. Amongst these choices, none are overly interesting by way of the posh issue.
As a substitute, trans-Americas flights are sometimes extra concerning the comfort of an in a single day journey on a lie-flat mattress than anything, and in that regard, United, Copa Airways, Air Canada flights booked with Aeroplan factors will most likely be your best choice.
American Airways flights will also be worthwhile in the event you occur to have entry to AAdvantage miles. Remember to think about your whole choices, and attempt to add in a enjoyable fifth freedom flight whilst you’re at it.
