I was wondering if it is feasible to book flights out of Calafate and into Iguazu Falls the same day? Or would it be better to book Calafate to Trelew (stay a few days) and then book through to Iguazu from a closer location? Thanks!
Sally in Seattle

If you can find the proper schedules, it should be perfectly possible.

Have a great time in our country.

You can certainly do so if you can combine both flights (Calafate-Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires-Iguazú). You should consider there should be at least an hour or an hour an a half between flights, so you can have enough time to make the conenction.

sofi, "enough time to make the flights" is the issue! I have heard that the AA flights are notorious for being late (although improving), so didn't know if you could book through. Do you have to pick up your luggage and recheck and go back through security or would they handle it through to Iguazu?
Thanks!
Sally

to SnR

From either Calafate or Trelew (Peninsula) you ve got to make a conexion in Buenos Aires to go to Iguazu. Though the conexion is authorized by AR with only one hour, everybody knows that is risky, i guess it is the same story everywhere. What you must always do is to book with the same company when there is a conexion. The companies take care of the luggage and you can forget about it.

AR has not the best reputation but I find it better than LAN just because of the several flights the company has every day and the possibility to be placed in the following one.
LAN has 2 flights a day "sometimes" and to some destinations only. Therefore in case of delays it is impossible to be placed on another same day.

Staying in the Peninsula for a "few days" as you said has sense when the penguins arrive in September. At the moment the whales/sea lions are the only "stars".

regards / milla

Thanks for responding, milla, good to know that the airline will check the luggage through. I'm trying not to get too excited since the trip isn't until 2010 (doing the planning now to use FF miles), but need to know the basics so I can plan the itinerary.
Sally in Seattle

Hello,
In terms of price, its probably cheaper to go via BA... so you could take advantage of this and spend a few nights there inbetween! All 3 places are great and should NOT be missed, that's the way I would do it,

Have fun!

bsasexpert, why would it be cheaper to layover in BA? Wouldn't the airfares be the same whether you bought them for one day through or for different days? We are already planning on being in BA at the beginning and the end of our trip (and don't prefer cities anyway) so don't want to break it up by laying over in BA a third time. Thanks for your answer!
Sally in Seattle

I meant as a way of visiting BA... but since you've already got it in your plans then no, you're right there's no need to have a layover in BA, just make sure you leave plenty of time between flights! I would leave 3 hours at least... you also need to check where your flights are going to and from, it will most probably be Aeroparque but there are 2 airports in BA and they are about an hour away without traffic. The sooner you book them the cheaper you'll get them, usually Aerolineas Argentinas have the lowest fares.

ps if you arent that into big cities you could spend a day at Tigre, its an ecological reserve an hour's train ride from BA, where you can go horse riding, trekking, boating and it makes for a VERY peaceful day out!