Budget Lowcost Airlines in South America

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HOW TO FLY CHEAP IN SOUTH AMERICA: BUDGET

AIRLINES & AIRLINE PASSES
FEBRUARY 16, 2016
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L
ike ’em or loathe ’em, budget airlines have made international
travel more affordable than ever. In South America this is
especially valuable, as the continent is terribly slow (albeit
adventurous) to explore by bus.
One thing people often don’t know about South America is that despite
its overall cheapness, flights are surprisingly expensive here. Low-cost
carriers do exist, as do inter-country air passes, but don’t expect RyanAir
or AirAsia prices when flying from one country to the next.
Still, reasonable flights can be found if you know where to look for them.
Here’s how!
How to find cheap flights in
South America:
1. Identify the low-cost

airlines of your
destination(s)
Hopefully our list below of budget airlines by country will prove useful, as
knowing these and where to find them is important! In terms of flying
into South America, the major global airlines include LAN, TAME,
and Avianca. Some low-cost carriers that do international flights into
South America include Spirit Airlines (to/from U.S.), Viva Colombia
(to/from U.S.), Surinam Airways (flies to Europe), and Santa Barbara
Airlines (to/from U.S.).
2. Look for flights on a

broad search engine
Skyscanner is what we personally
use and recommend for wide-scale
searches on flights. Next, cross-
compare against a list like this
one, as budget airlines are
sometimes not included in major
search engine results. (That being
said, we’ve actually discovered
new budget airlines including
Chile’s SkyAirline by using search
engines first – it pays to check!).
Our other flight-booking hacks can
be found here.
3. Identify the cheapest

dates to fly
Work your itinerary around the cheapest flight dates, as these can vary
wildly even within a single month. In Skyscanner this can be done by
selecting “Entire month” under the date box, revealing the prices for
each day that month (this can also help you stumble on error fares).
4. Keep in the know-how of

airline sales
You can do this by following budget airlines of your
intended destination(s) on social media or e-newsletters, then plan
accordingly as sales arise.
5. Consider getting a South
America air pass
Airline passes are another way to snag affordable flights within South
America. The major downfall is that they are few and far between (we
cover these below), and air passes here are fairly specific in terms of
coverage. Take note also that South American air passes often
require you to fly into the continent or country on particular
airlines. Be sure to consider this when booking your inbound flight!
Basically, you should first consider if an air pass works out to be cheaper
for your itinerary. Often air passes in South America do not equate to
savings (but if you have several flights, it potentially can). Details on how
to determine the cost-effectiveness of this are explored at the final
part of this article.
Now, a final quick disclaimer before we get listing: airlines in South

America have a reputation for delays and cancellations. This
reputation that is sadly correct, and quite accurate, even for regular
airlines. The solution? Sit back, relax, and chill – you’re in South
America, amigo! And now, without further ado, here’s a list of budget
airlines in South America!
Budget airlines in
South America (by
country)
Argentina
Budget airlines in Argentina are basically nil.
If heading down to Patagonia, LADE has
great prices, but a limited schedule. This
small airline operated by the military, though
English is limited with booking (you may wish
to use a Spanish speaker such as your
accommodation reception to help you out).
Aerolineas Argentinas
LADE (this airline is operated by the military and does flights on limited
days per week, including to the Patagonia region)
Bolivia
Bolivia’s airlines aren’t advertised as low-
cost carriers per se, but prices here tend to
be some of the lowest on the continent. In
fact, particular routes are only serviced by
the lower-cost carriers. This is the case for
the 45-minute flight between La Paz and
Uyuni (where the salt flats are), which is only
accessible via Amaszonas and BOA. Here
are Bolivia’s low-cost airlines:
Aerocon
Amaszonas*
Boliviano de Aviación (BOA)
EcoJet
Transporte Aeréo Militar (TAM)
*A word of warning about Amaszonas from our own experience. Like

many South American airlines, this one has its share of delays. We had a
flight cancelled (which we rebooked with another airline), and waited
nearly 5 months for a refund! That was after several phone calls, e-
mails, and Tweets begging for our money back. So, a friendly warning –
cancellations can happen (as they can with any airline), but Amaszonas
has particularly slowwwwww customer service….
Brazil
Budget airlines in Brazil are fairly unique in
that several of them offer airline passes
within the country. The catch is that you
typically have to fly into South America on
particular airlines. Prices start around $299
USD for roughly 4 flights, but check
individual airlines for specific costs and
requirements.
Azul Airlines (has 10 and 21-day airpass for $299 USD and $399 USD
respectively for flights around Brazil – only valid if you’ve flown in on Azul,
United, or TAP within Brazil)
Fly AllWays (domestic and international)
Gol (has 30-day airpass for $505 USD for four flights within Brazil. Only
valid if you’ve flown into Brazil with GOL, Air France, KLM, or Delta
Airlines)
TAM (has 30-day airpass for four flights within Brazil starting at $532
USD. Only valid if you fly to Brazil on TAM)
Chile
Budget airlines in Chile are limited but its
best one, Sky Airline, does a number of
affordable routes in this stretched-out
country. Discounted fares tend to book up
quickly during sales, so it’s advised to
monitor deals via stalking their site or social
media like Facebook.
AeroCardal (does flights to Robinson Crusoe Island)

Latin American Wings (LAW)
Sky Airline
Colombia
Colombia has a couple of budget airlines,
one of which also flies into the Caribbean
given its proximity. By South American
standards, flights within the country are
quite reasonable.
EasyFly
Fly AllWays (Cartagena & international to
Carribbean)
VivaColombia
Ecuador
Ecuador does not have any official budget
airlines. If flying to Galapagos, it’s advised to
book ahead for cheap flights. Guayaquil and
Quito are the two mainland airports to fly
from (we’ve got other cheap Galapagos tips
here).
Avianca Ecuador
LAN
TAME (also does flights around the Amazon)
Guyana
This lesser-visited South American country
has only national airlines and charter flights.
You may have better luck getting inbound
flights with an airline from a neighbouring
country.
Air Guyana (Charter flights)
TransGuyana Airways
Peru
Peru’s airlines are quite reasonably priced
by South American standards, and
neighbouring countries like Bolivia or
Ecuador can be flown to quite affordably.
Planning a trip to Machu Picchu? Check our
comprehensive cheap guide here.
Andes Air Corp (chartered flights)

LC Perú
Peruvian Air
Star Perú
Suriname
Another lesser-visited country on the list,
this teeny sun-soaked country has a couple
of reasonable airlines, including Surinam
Airways, which does cross-continental flights
to Europe.
BlueWing Airlines
Surinam Airways (includes flights to
Europe)
Uruguay
Not much is on offer in terms of low-cost
carries in Uruguay, but the following offer
charter and national flights within the
country:
Aeromás (charter flights)

ALAS
Venezuela
The greatest assortment of budget airlines
is found in Venezuala. Given its location,
several Venezuelan airlines also offer flights
to the Carribbean and the United States, a
major plus for those flying in from there.
Aeroandinas
Aeroexpresos Executives
Aeroparaguana
Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela
Albatros Airlines
Aserca Airlines
AviorAir
Conviasa (domestic & international)
Estelar
Fly AllWays (Caracas only & international to Carribbean)
LASER Airlines (flies to Caribbean as well)
Rutaca
Santa Barbara (SBA) Airlines (flies to USA)
Sundance Airlines
Venezolona
Find the
Cheapest Flight
Search and compare to find the
cheapest deals on flights and
tickets. FareCompare and Save
FareCompare.com
These are all of the budget and low-cost airlines (that we know of!) for
countries around South America. See one missing here? Let us know so
we can keep the info current for other travellers. Now, onto airline passes
in South America!
Airline passes
in South America
South American airline passes provide a set number of flights within the
continent or a single country for a flat rate. Here’s a quick overview of the
airpasses available. For details on each including how to book, read on
below!
Oneworld GOL South

Alliance America
South Pass
America Regions included: Argentina,
Pass Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Dominican

Republic, Paraguay, Uruguay or
Venezuela
Regions included: Argentina,
Price: Starting at $629 USD for
Price: Starting at $629 USD for
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile,
4 flights (max $1,249 USD for 9
Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru,
flights)
Uruguay and Venezuela
Restrictions: Valid for Brazil
Price: Calculated based on
residents and non-residents of
zones (ranges from $150-$480
South America. Can only be used
USD per flight depending on
on GOL airline flights. Must be
distance)
booked outside of South America.
Restrictions: Minimum 3 flights
Only valid for those who have flight
including inbound flight to South
originating from outside South
America. Can only be used on
America to Argentina, Bolivia,
Oneworld Alliance Airlines. Must fly
Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic,
into South America on Oneworld
Paraguay, Uruguay or Venezuela.
alliance airline (listed here under
Must be used within 30 days.
“How to book”). Can be used up to
How to book: Online via the
12 months.
Airpass booking form (scroll down
Where to book: Via phone –
on page)
see detailed instructions below
Oneworld Alliance South

America Airpass Pricing &
Booking
The Oneworld South America pass is a bit more ambiguous in its pricing
structure and booking process than any other airline pass out there.
Pricing depends on the distance of the flight, which is categorized into
zones. Here is a list of the zoning and prices per zone as of 2016:
Zone 1 (up to 560 miles/901km) = $150 USD

Zone 2 (561-750 miles/902-1207km) = $168 USD
Zone 3 (751-1280 miles/1208-2060km) = $251 USD
Zone 4 (1281-1810 miles/2061-2912km) = $285 USD
Zone 5 (1811-2300 miles/2913-3701km) = $390 USD
Zone 6 (2301-3500 miles/3703-5632km) = $480 USD
To calculate the distance between your two destinations, use Oneworld’s

route calculator (take note, it gives distances in km by default so be
careful when comparing zone pricing if you’re looking at miles or kms!).
So, for a pricing example – if you were flying from Quito, Ecuador to
Lima, Peru (which is 828 miles), that flight would be Zone 3, or a flat rate
of $251 USD. As stated earlier above, all Oneworld Pass flights
must be booked via phone. According to the terms and conditions,
taxes are excluded from these prices and must be paid separately.
Booking
The Oneworld Alliance South America airpass can only be booked via
phone. This is troublesome as very few staff are familiar with it, often
causing major delays and confusion. To begin, you must call the
Oneworld airline that you would fly into South America on (e.g. American
Airlines from the USA, Qantas from Australia, etc. – see full list here of
airlines under “How to book“). Next, when ready to purchase, you must
choose your flight times and dates on the spot. You could look up flights
(write down flight #s) ahead of time and relay this when booking, but this
offers no guarantee of getting a certain flight.
Changes can be made to reservations, but this incurs a fee of $50 USD
per flight change per person. The terms and conditions state that you
only need to book your inbound flight to the continent to redeem the
pass. That means you do not need to book all of your flights in advance,
but airline staff advised us that we should do this if on a strict travel
schedule in case of fully-booked flights.
Country-Specific Air
Passes in South
America
At the moment, Brazil is the only country that offers air passes.
Fortunately, it has not just one air pass, but three! Azul, GOL, and TAM
each offer their own passes that work within Brazil. Here’s a quick
breakdown of each.
Azul Br GOL TAM

azil Brazil Brazil
Airpass Airpass Airpass
Regions Regions Regions
included: Travel included: Travel included: Travel
within Brazil only. within Brazil only. within Brazil only.
Includes destinations Includes destinations Includes destinations
like Rio de Janeiro, like Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro,
Iguassu, Salvador, Florianópolis, Iguassu Iguassu Falls, the
Fortaleza, Curitiba, Falls, Rio de Janeiro, Amazon, Salvador,
Natal, Fernando de Fernando de Fortaleza, São Paulo,
Noronha, Manaus,, Noronha, Natal, Belo Horizonte,
and more. Fortaleza, and more. Brasilia, and more.
Price: Starting at Price: Starting at Price: Starting at
$399 USD + fees for 4 $505 USD for 4 flights $532 USD + fees for
flights if you fly into (max $1,249 USD for 4 flights in Brazil if you
Brazil with Azul, 9 flights) fly into Brazil on TAM
United, or TAP. If you Restrictions: Can airlines. Additional
fly into Brazil on only be used on GOL, flights can be added
another airline, the Air France, KLM or for an extra cost.
price is $499+ USD Delta Airlines. Must fly Restrictions: Can
plus fees. into Brazil on one of only be used on GOL,
Restrictions: Can these airlines. Must Air France, KLM or
only be used on Azul be used within 30 Delta Airlines. Must fly
airlines when flying days. into Brazil on one of
around Brazil. Must How to book: these airlines. Must
use within 21 days. Online via the Airpass be used within 30
How to booking form (scroll days.
book: Online via the down on page) How to book:
Airpass booking form Online via the Airpass
(scroll down on page) booking form (scroll
down on page)
Should I buy a South

America air pass?
The short answer here is, it depends. Some passes offer better value
than others, but it really depends on your itinerary and the lump sum
cost of all your flights based on your searches. Here’s a few important
factors to consider when deciding if an air pass is cost-effective for your
trip:
Will the pass cover all the flights you need for your trip?
Does the pass require you to fly in on a particular airline (which could
be more expensive than say a low-cost carrier)?
What is the cost per flight with the pass, versus the cost per flight when
checking on a search engine like Skyscanner?
Most passes are quoted in USD. If your national currency is not USD,
this might make the ticket a lot pricier than paying in your own currency
given the current strength of the USD!
Flying cheap in South

America: The Thrifty
Gist
Follow budget airlines in your destination on social media &/or
newsletters to be aware of sales
Search broadly using tools like Skyscanner & cross-compare against
lists of budget airlines in your destination
Use air passes if you determine it to be more cost-effective than the
lump sum of all your flights
And that’s it! If you have a question or comment about budget airlines or
how to use airpasses in South America, drop us a line below. Happy
planning!
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COMMENTS
2 Comments
Add a comment...
Lucy Mazalon ·
Brussels, Belgium
Hi Jen,
Thanks for the great article. I'm panicking about my internal South America flights at the moment
keep going up and up...
Someone told me that it's normal to buy flights when you're there, and they're relatively cheap (c
advance - is this true?
It would be amazing if it is because I would hate to have such a rigid schedule!
Appreciate any feedback.
Thanks, ... See More

Like · Reply · 22 hrs
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JEN
Jen is a five-foot-short fireball with an itch for

adventure. Besides travel, her shameless vices
include wine-fuelled nights with good company,
road trips to remote places, and squealing at
adorable elderly dogs. (Also: COFFEE!).
 
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ABOUT FAQS W ORK W ITH US PRESS CONTACT      SEARCH

BUDGET TRAVEL DESTINATIONS WORK & TRAVEL GET INSPIRED  TRENDING

HOW TO FLY CHEAP IN SOUTH AMERICA: BUDGET

1. Identify the low-cost

2. Look for flights on a

3. Identify the cheapest

4. Keep in the know-how of

Now, a final quick disclaimer before we get listing: airlines in South

*A word of warning about Amaszonas from our own experience. Like

AeroCardal (does flights to Robinson Crusoe Island)

Andes Air Corp (chartered flights)

Aeromás (charter flights)

Oneworld GOL South

Pass Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Dominican

Oneworld Alliance South

Zone 1 (up to 560 miles/901km) = $150 USD

To calculate the distance between your two destinations, use Oneworld’s

Azul Br GOL TAM

Should I buy a South

Flying cheap in South

Like Like Page

Be the first of your friends

email address Subscribe

HOW TO SEE MACHU PICCHU ON HOW TO BUY MACHU PICCHU HOW

It would be amazing if it is because I would hate to have such a rigid schedule!

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks, ... See More

Load 1 more comment

Facebook Comments Plugin

Jen is a five-foot-short fireball with an itch for

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