Should I connect from Iguazu through either GRU or EZE?
 

Hi,

We're planning on spending two nights in Iguazu on the Argentina side at the Sheraton using cash and points (so it's fairly cheap). We will be flying into IGU from Sao Paolo, and then I guess crossing over by land to the Argentinean side on our first day.

Couple of questions: First, how practical is to see the Brazilian side on our first day in? The upside is we're there. The downside is we'll have our stuff and don't like to schlep. Is it better to go to the Argentina side and save Brazil for our second day?

Second, we can fly back to the U.S. out of either Sao Paolo (GRU) or Buenos Aires (EZE). If we fly out of EZE, we'll obviously have to do an airport change, since our flight from Iguazu will go to AEP. Notwithstanding that last point, I assume that it's easier to fly out of EZE since we'll be staying on the Argentina side, and if we want to fly to the U.S. out of GRU, we'll have to do another land transfer to the Brazilian side of Iguazu. Does that sound right? (Underlying this question is my confusion as to how big a deal it is to go between the two sides.)

Last question: If we're flying out of the Argentinean side, there is a LAN flight at 2 PM and an Aerolineas Argentina flight at 5 PM. I'd obviously prefer to have more time in Iguazu and less in the airport in EZE, but I keep hearing horror stories about AR's poor reliability (and LA's much better reliability) (with an airpass, the prices are basically the same). Given that I really can't afford to miss our connection to the U.S. (and then on to Asia), would you recommend leaving on the later and more convenient (but perhaps less reliable) AR flight, or the earlier (but less convenient) LA flight?

Thanks in advance...

About the last question: Definitely take the 2 PM LAN flight.

AR is that bad? Is it a matter of AR being delayed or AR not taking off at all? If I took the AR flight I would have about 4.5 hours between arriving in AEP and departing from EZE on my next flight. So, even an hour or so delay is fine. Not taking off, of course, would be another matter entirely. Thanks.

I must agree with avrooster!

We were scheduled on the 5 P.M. Aerolineas flight to AEP and it was delayed 3 hours and almost did not fly at all. BTW, flying out of EZE is a major hassle and will require more time that you think. With three hours at the airport to check in, we barely made our flight to the U.S., and then it was delayed another two hours on the tarmac before takeoff. It was major confusion all around.

Well, if I take LAN to AEP, I'll have about eight hours to make my flight, so hopefully that's enough. The alternative is flying TAM from Iguazu on the Brazilian side to Sao Paolo (where I'd have a similar time to make my flight). Is GRU much better? Thanks.

If your plane lands in Brazil early enough, you could do the falls there that first day--- its a short drive from the airport, and need to budget 2-3hrs (depending on how much you like to linger) to walk the main pathways. If you are renting a car, you could just keep your stuff in the trunk (the parking area seemed safe)-- otherwise I don't know that there would be a place to keep your stuff, so in that case you would be better off visiting another day.

Thanks. I think we'll be arriving around 2:30 PM, so I guess we will have time to visit the Brazil side of the falls that day. My current plan is to try and hire some sort of driver to take us to the falls, wait for us, and then take us across the border. That's the plan at least...