nks267

We're looking to fly into Lima, peru and then make our way down to Brazil next christmas. We had thought we could fly from Canada to Lima on points and then purchase a Varig air pass, but were just informed that you cannot buy a VARIG airpass with a ticket purchased with points!

We were also told that to purchase tickets for travel within these countries, is very expensive. So now our dilemma is do we just buy the ticket to Lima and then the airpass? We had enough points to fly Business class which is why I'm dissapointed that we cant buy the air pass...

Are there any other airpasses that we could get that dont take into account our international ticket?

globetrekker

Can you buy an upgradeable coach ticket and then upgrade to business with points? That might work. You can use your points to fly business and you are still purchasing a ticket from the airline.

mrwunrfl

The Brazil Air Pass is only good for travel in Brazil and Mercosur Air Pass excludes Peru. The stuff I read at varig.com says that the BAP can be used with an award ticket.

Are you using Air Canada miles (i.e. would it be a Star Alliance award)? If so, then you can fly AC to Lima and then take Varig to GRU. Stopover for free on your award in Sao Paulo, then continue on AC back home. It IS valid routing for a *Alliance award. During your stopover use a Brazil Air Pass to get around Brazil or just buy a couple of tickets.

Are they (whoever they are) telling you that your arrival into Brazil has to be from outside South America?

mrwunrfl

Assuming that you are travelling from Toronto, then you could take AC 81 nonstop to Lima and then RG 8937 from Lima to Sao Paulo (GRU) and AC 91 back to YYZ. All on the award.

nks267

Thanks! We were told that the air pass has to be purchased "at the time the international tickets are purchased" I did use the argument that if we were to fly into Lima and purchase our tickets to Sao Paolo from there, it should count as an international flight...they didnt have an answer for that and said they would get back to us..I like that option of flying to Sao Paolo via Lima on points...will investigate that...do you have any idea about how much a flight from Sao Paolo to Rio would cost? Just trying to get an idea of what flights cost in Brazil..we were told its pretty expensive..

mrwunrfl

There are two airports in Sao Paulo. GRU is the international airport ang CGH is the domestic airport. Some flights go to Rio and other domestic places from GRU. There are two airports in Rio: GIG is international and SDU is domestic. You would arrive at GRU and could fly to either Rio airport. You can search for fares using RIO to get both GIG and SDU fares (use SAO for both Sao Paulo airports).

It's $US100 or less one way GRU to RIO and $160 round-trip according to travelocity which finds flights on TAM and Varig. There are a couple of low cost carriers in Brazil.

Gol airlines is a low cost/price domestic carrier in Brazil. Their webpage:
http://www.voegol.com.br/english/
A one-way GRU-GIG ticket on GOL for tomorrow costs R$ 179.
A round trip has different fare options (like jetblue.com) depending on the flight. Here are examples:
outbound Dec. 1 for R$ 67 or R$ 179
return Dec. 5 for R$ 78, R$179, or R$ 222. (so, lowest roundtrip is R$145 or $US53 or $CAN 63).

Here is info on the Varig pass:
http://www.varigbrasil.com/english/a_brazilair.html
Under Eligibility, see that it says:
Arrival on Award ticket do qualify.


Here are conditions for the TAM Airlines Brazil Air Pass.
ELIGIBILITY:

Valid only for foreign passenger and/or Brazilian citizens who reside outside Brazil in conjunction with international tickets originating outside Brazil.

mrwunrfl

There are two airports in Sao Paulo. GRU is the international airport ang CGH is the domestic airport. Some flights go to Rio and other domestic places from GRU. There are two airports in Rio: GIG is international and SDU is domestic. You would arrive at GRU and could fly to either Rio airport. You can search for fares using RIO to get both GIG and SDU fares (use SAO for both Sao Paulo airports).

It's $US100 or less one way GRU to RIO and $160 round-trip according to travelocity which finds flights on TAM and Varig. There are a couple of low cost carriers in Brazil.

Gol airlines is a low cost/price domestic carrier in Brazil. Their webpage:
http://www.voegol.com.br/english/
A one-way GRU-GIG ticket on GOL for tomorrow costs R$ 179.
A round trip has different fare options (like jetblue.com) depending on the flight. Here are examples:
outbound Dec. 1 for R$ 67 or R$ 179
return Dec. 5 for R$ 78, R$179, or R$ 222. (so, lowest roundtrip is R$145 or $US53 or $CAN 63).

Here is info on the Varig pass:
http://www.varigbrasil.com/english/a_brazilair.html
Under Eligibility, see that it says:
Arrival on Award ticket do qualify.


Here are conditions for the TAM Airlines Brazil Air Pass.
ELIGIBILITY:

Valid only for foreign passenger and/or Brazilian citizens who reside outside Brazil in conjunction with international tickets originating outside Brazil.

mrwunrfl

And the Brazilian budget carrier VASP also offers an airpass:
http://www.vasp.com.br/br/brazil_airpass.php

The Elegibilidade requirements say that it is available to foreigners or Brazilians living outside of Brazil who have an international ticket to Brazil. The ticket can't be a tourism industry discount.

mrwunrfl

um, there is an english version of the page:
http://www.vasp.com.br/en/brazil_airpass_en.php