Best Miles to South America Showdown

Here we go with another comparison to see what the best mileage program is for flights to South America. With all the Amex transfer options and SPG transfers, it’s a bit overwhelming.

But here we have a “showdown” to compare 5 of the best priced options to find a winner. Last time I said that you’ll be surprised about who the best option is, but the best remains the best. Even if it’s also remained little-known.

We’ll start out with all nerdy comparison details, but if you want, you can skip right down to the “Showdown” as it has all the info you need.

Best Price in Miles

Prices are listed like so; economy/business/first. When there is no first class booking option, I’ll just do economy/business.  Best prices in my opinion, will be bolded.

Hopefully it’s not confusing, but I’m breaking it down into two sections. Northern South America and Southern South America. The confusing part is basically that Southern South America is usually Chile and Argentina. However, on a few award charts it may include Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Northern South America is usually at least everything above Peru and Brazil and most often times includes Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. You just have to check on the award chart if you’re interested in such areas. Obviously it doesn’t matter with distance based programs.

Tickets to Southern South America (Chile & Argentina)

Popular airlines to collect miles in:

• United = 60k/100k/135k
• US Airways = 60k/100k/125k
  
• American Airlines = 40k – 60k/100k/125k
  
• Delta = 60k-130k/125k-325k
• Air Canada = 60k/95k/135k
• British Airways* = 45k-70k/90k-140k
  
• Alaska = 40k-60k/100k/125k
• Lufthansa = 60k/105k/170k
  

Other Amex & SPG transfers

• Air Berlin = 70k/140k
  
• ANA* = 43k-65k/68k-85k
  
• Asia Miles* = 60k/85k
• Alitalia = 50k/70k
  
• JAL* = 40k-50k/65k-85k

“*” = means that it is a distance based airline. The further you fly, and the more connections, usually the price is higher.

Northern South America

Popular airlines to collect miles in:

• United = 40k/70k/90k
• US Airways = ~~~~~~
  
• American Airlines = 30k-35k/60k/80k
  
• Delta = 45k-100k/90k-180k
• Air Canada = 50k/75k/105k
• British Airways* = 20k-70k/40k-140k
  
• Alaska = 30k-35k/60k/80k
• Lufthansa = ~~~~~~
  

Other Amex & SPG transfers

• Air Berlin = ~~~~~~
  
• ANA* = 22k-43k/43k-68k
  
• Asia Miles* = 35k-60k/70k-80k
• Alitalia = 35k/60k
  
• JAL* = 25k-40k/45k-65k

“*” = means that it is a distance based airline. The further you fly, and the more connections, usually the price is higher.

“~~~~~~” = award chart just has one region for Northern and Southern South America, thus the price is the same as above.

 

Here are the gems I see standing out on a South America trip:

Distance Based Programs

The odd distance based programs really shine in South America. Particularly ANA or JAL. Because: 1) It really isn’t that far away, which favors distance based programs. 2) The downside usually tends to be fuel surcharges but there are basically no fuel surcharges within the Americas. and 3) the stopover rules are absurdly generous.

So if you can transfer from Amex or even SPG to something like ANA, you may save a ton and get to see more. A serious win win.

Of course with distance based programs, it depends on where you live, how many connections and where you’re going. So a trip from Miami to Bogota will be basically nothing and a trip from Seattle via New York to Buenos Aires will be a ton. You really just have to map it out using gcmap.com and checking that mileage with each airlines’ award chart.

You’ll find that things tend to be cheaper both in Economy and Business Class.

I’ve written a bit about this with: Ana stopovers and rules, Best Use of United Miles to South America, Best Use of Asia Miles, Hidden Gem Airlines, Alitalia’s Awards, and the Latin Hopper with United Miles

British Airways

Unlike the other distance based program British Airways prices out each segment instead of the entire trip. For instance a direct flight between Miami and Lima is for 12,500 each way. So a roundtrip to Peru from Miami would be 25,000 British Airways Avios instead of 40,000 with most others. It’s even less for a direct to Caracas. And again, you avoid all the fuel surcharges.

American Airlines off peak

If you’re heading to Southern South America between March 1 and 31, or between Aug 16 and Nov 30, the price is 20,000 miles each way. This is actually a pleasant time to visit many of the spots it’s just not as trafficked as a holiday break.

Plus, you could potentially enjoy a stopover in Cancun or Mexico City on the way out and/or back.

Even without off-peak pricing, AA tends to have fair prices to Northern South America. 35,000 miles in Economy and 60,000 in Business.

Same with Northern South America, a roundtrip is 30,000 AA miles.

Stopovers

Let’s quick go over the stopover rules again. All the information here is taken from The Completeish List of Airline Stopover Rules.

• United – 1 stopover and 2 open-jaws.
• US Airways – 1 stopover or 1 open-jaw.
• American – 1 stopover in the “North American gateway city” on oneway awards.
• Lufthansa – 2 stopovers and 2 open-jaws.
• Air Canada – 2 stopovers or 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw.
• Delta – 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw.
• Alaska – 1 stopover on oneway awards.
• Air Berlin – 1 stopover on a two region award, and 2 stopovers on a three region award on a one way
• Asia Miles – 4 stopovers on a roundtrip (they say 5 stopovers, but one is the destination).
• ANA – 3 Stopovers on a roundtrip (they say 4, but one is the destination).
• Alitalia – 1 stopover on roundtrips.
• JAL – 6 stopovers, or 5 stopovers and 1 open-jaw.

 

And now….

The Award Chart Showdown!

Now I just want to take and compare United to it’s distance based partner ANA. Then compare AA to it’s partners JAL and BA.

I’m just going to pick a city in the US to go to a popular city in South America.

1.) Denver to Buenos Aires

United vs ANA to Southern South America

United.com found the following results:

 

Okay… not as planned. But this shows how dire Star Alliance availability is. It downright sucks on many routes, like to South America and across the Pacific either to Asia or Australia. That’s 3 continents right there. So… anyways. 1 point for the OneWorld team.

On with the show…

For the 8th of April it spat out a connection in Houston. 60,000 United miles in economy with a roundtrip.

 

The route is about 11,800 flown miles. So with ANA it will price out to 60,000 miles as well.

United also showed Business Class availability for the same date:

 

It connects in Houston and Panama this time. Roundtrip in Business Class would run 100,000 United miles.

The same flight would be 90,000 miles with ANA.

Another thing is that there are 2,000 flyable miles left before the price with ANA would raise 5,000 in economy or 15,000 in Business Class. This means that you still have room for stopovers. You could have had one in Panama, but you could also have two others along the way.

American Airlines vs. JAL vs. Avios

Unfortunately AA.com isn’t up to date and it doesn’t show its South American partner LAN. And yet, its availability is still better than Star Alliance results shown on United.com.

But we’ll roll with that for now instead of going to expert flyer or Qantas for the more complete results. AA did find some economy options for April on AA itself, of course.

Pretty simple route that connects in Dallas. In off peak it’s 40,000 miles with AA. The majority of the year it’s 60,000 miles.

The flight is again about 11,800 flown miles. Which means that for JAL it prices out to 60,000 JAL miles. Another tie for the majority of the year, or a win for AA during off-peak.

For Business Class AA charges 100,000 AA miles and JAL would charge 90,000. A win for JAL.

Again, you have unused stopovers at LAN hubs like Lima and Santiago.

With Avios it would have been 59,000 in Economy and 118,000 in Business Class. Since Avios often have a transfer bonus from Amex and Amex points are easier to come by and have less good transfer options than Chase or SPG, I would consider 59,000 a bigger win than it appears for economy.

Winners for Denver to EZE

Economy:

• AA off-peak is 40,000 miles.
• Avios for 59,000 Avios.
• United, AA, ANA and JAL all are 60,000 miles roundtrip.

Business Class:

• ANA and JAL are 90,000 miles roundtrip.
• United and AA are 100,000 miles roundtrip.
• and British Airways would run 118,000 Avios.

Things to consider…
I must say, if you want stopovers at all, ANA and JAL allow multiple stopovers. So consider that when looking at these “ties”. 4 stopovers is huge. It’s the glory days of British Airways Miles relived… almost.

Lastly, consider that if you live further away than Denver (like Seattle), you’ll be paying more and will need to calculate using gcmap.com yourself. If you live even closer (like Miami), really truly investigate these programs if you’re interested in a South America trip.

2.) Cleveland to Cusco

United vs ANA to Northern South America

 

This trip would run 40,000 United miles roundtrip.

It would be about 8,400 miles flown total roundtrip, and would thus run you 43,000 ANA miles.

Pretty close to a tie. But consider two things: 1) ANA is a transfer partner of American Express. I would much rather burn Amex MR 43,000 points than 40,000 United or Chase UR points. Without a doubt. and 2) you would get a stopover at pretty much every connection. Not just a stop in Cusco but Lima (woohoo) and Bogota.

Anyways, officially, it’s a win for United over ANA. But I’m just saying consider the value of the trip and your miles.

Business Class

United would charge 70,000 for the same roundtrip in Business Class.

However, it would be 68,000 ANA miles.

Seeing as I was arguing that 43k ANA miles is a better deal than 40k United miles, 68k ANA miles is definitely a better deal than 70k United miles.

American Airlines vs. JAL vs. Avios

American runs a route from Clevaland to Miami to Lima Peru. Then LAN runs a flight from Lima to Cusco. CLE – MIA – LIM – CUZ.

Roundtrip it runs AA 30,000 miles in Off-Peak.

The rest of the year a roundtrip is for 35,000 AA miles.

Since the flight is about 8,100 flown miles, it would run about 50,000 miles.

With British Airways, it ends up running about 24,500 Avios for the same ticket. Roundtrip would be 49,000 Avios.

In Business Class:

The same trip would run 60,000 AA miles.

With JAL it would run 80,000 miles.

And with British Airways the price in business class would be about 98,000 Avios.

In either case AA looks to be a clear winner.

Winners for Cleveland to Cusco, Peru

Economy:

• American Airlines Off-Peak is 30,000 miles roundtrip.
• American Airlines is regularly 35,000 miles.
• United is 40,000 miles roundtrip.
• ANA is 43,000 miles.
• British Airways is 49,000 Avios.
• and JAL is 50,000 miles.

Business:

• American Airlines is 60,000 miles roundtrip.
• ANA is 68,000 miles.
• United is 70,000 miles.
• JAL is 80,000 miles.
• and British Airways is 98,000 Avios.

Things to consider…
Again, with ANA and JAL, you are allowed multiple stopovers, so you can see way more than options like AA. With British Airways, similarly, you can make every connection a stop since you pay for each segment.

And I’ll reemphasize that Amex has few options, so if ANA or Avios are close in price… I might opt for burning those easy to get miles. But to each his own. You really have to survey what you have and what you want to keep.

Also, in general, availability was a lot better to Peru.

Conclusion

Even if I say the same thing every week, it’s just true: ANA is vastly undervalued.

 

The above route is available for 43,000 ANA miles in economy or 68,000 in Business Class. The unique thing is that you could stop not only in Cusco but in Lima, Bogota and Panama City.

Yes, for no extra cost, you could see all four places.

And finally, AA off-peak is always a great deal. I love this about AA. So if you’re not itching to see more or don’t have the time rather… this may be a better option.