Booking LATAM (Brazil) with Avios

[YC]

Hi, has anyone had success booking LATAM (brazil) with Avios? BA says they/partners do not fly this route (GIG-IGU). I can see flights on google flights and they are extortionately priced over Christmas/New Year.

[Jacob]

I was able to book LATAM flights late last year via Iberia (had to move my Avios from BAEC to Iberia though).

[meta]

You can book via BA, but you need to call. Also check cash prices on Brazil site or another South American LATAM site, it might be cheaper.

[meta]

Also don’t book via Iberia as any partner awards (apart from BA) are non-refundable.

[YC]

Thanks great tips. What is the best way to check for availability before calling up? AA seems to not like the route as well

[Jacob]

YC wrote:

Thanks great tips. What is the best way to check for availability before calling up? AA seems to not like the route as well

Try Delta

[meta]

LATAM flights are not available via AA as that partnership ended. They are available through most other OW airlines plus Delta. Delta is pretty reliable for searches, but they also sometimes have different availability. Iberia is also good to search, but website is not very user-friendly.

[Jacob]

Looks like to me Iberia pulled the plug. It doesn’t recognise the city pairs anymore (for which I booked/searched previously).

[meta]

Are you doing via app or desktop? It still works for me on desktop, but if there are no seats available, I just get no flights available. I said Iberia is not user-friendly as you need to pick exact date where there are flights available.

[Jacob]

Via the web version on a mobile 😂 I know Iberia is rubbish in general, but this worked before … Hmm, I can’t even submit the search as it’s saying that it can’t find the destination for the selected origin (both for OP’s pair and my BOG-LIM):

[meta]

I searched and could book LIM-BOG a month ago, but on a desktop only. Didn’t work on mobile site or in Chrome, so tried Edge and it worked.

[YC]

Having no joy at all (delta/iberia) looking for availability from GIG-IGU. I would have thought availability would have been decent. Even on random days closer to today, I can’t see any of the direct flight as available. Indirect flights are also rarely available. Is availability really tight on LATAM for partners?

[JDB]

Yes, LATAM reward availability is generally quite poor and very poor at peak periods, and this route from Rio to Iguazú doesn’t even currently operate daily flights so not many seats around. There are more flights from São Paulo (CGH/GRU) so better prospects. Not sure if there is any pattern as to when they release seats.

[YC]

Thanks – I must have had really good luck a few years ago when I got avios flights with LATAM in Peru/Ecuador pretty easily. Cash tickets are not much cheaper on brazil latam site too so will probably hold fire for now (£460 for a 2hr domestic flight seems crazy).

[JDB]

Yes, unfortunately it has all changed following Covid and LATAM’s bankruptcy – fewer aircraft/flights. If it is anything like Argentina recently, having cut back the flights, the ones that are operating are rammed so discounting has reduced, also assisted by LAN/LATAM closing its domestic operations there.

[Gin123]

meta wrote:

Also don’t book via Iberia as any partner awards (apart from BA) are non-refundable.

What would be the best way to book LATAM Avios flights which can be cancelled with Avios refunded?

[Iainm]

I’m also looking to use avios for a LATAM booking for later in the year. When I search on Iberia it doesn’t recognise the route (Buenos Aires to Rio).

Would a call to BA do the trick?

[meta]

Gin123 wrote:

meta wrote:

Also don’t book via Iberia as any partner awards (apart from BA) are non-refundable.

What would be the best way to book LATAM Avios flights which can be cancelled with Avios refunded?

BA or Qatar.

[krautboy]

We successfully booked LATAM flights using Avios points.

Here is what we did:

1. First confirm availability of Reward flights of Latam with Delta (option also available to book with AMEX MR points).
2. Call the BA Exec Club and you need to speak to an experienced agent, not all know that you can now use Avios for Latam again.
3. Let them know exactly the flights that you want, and they should book it for you using Avios points.

Just some side notes: When using Delta, you get drop off luggage of 23 kgs included. With BA, you dont get that included and we had to call again for us to get the LATAM booking reference so we can see our reservation on the Latam web page.

Delta seems to charge a flat fee of 10k MR points. Avios varies depending on length of flight and connections. Can be between 8k – 17k Avios from what we saw.

Hope this helps someone.

[Iainm]

krautboy wrote:

We successfully booked LATAM flights using Avios points.

Here is what we did:

1. First confirm availability of Reward flights of Latam with Delta (option also available to book with AMEX MR points).
2. Call the BA Exec Club and you need to speak to an experienced agent, not all know that you can now use Avios for Latam again.
3. Let them know exactly the flights that you want, and they should book it for you using Avios points.

Just some side notes: When using Delta, you get drop off luggage of 23 kgs included. With BA, you dont get that included and we had to call again for us to get the LATAM booking reference so we can see our reservation on the Latam web page.

Delta seems to charge a flat fee of 10k MR points. Avios varies depending on length of flight and connections. Can be between 8k – 17k Avios from what we saw.

Hope this helps someone.

Good info, thanks for that.

Can I ask a couple of questions?
How recent was this?

On the topic of baggage, once you had the LATAM booking reference were you able to log on and ensure you had the baggage included?

I’m looking to book Buenos Aires to Rio and Delta charge 12.5k each which I think is reasonable.
Another option I thought of if I don’t get bags via booking with BA is :

Getting a family member to move Amex points to Delta, then booking flights for me (Delta allow that), then I send the avios to the family member to make up (now that it’s only £15 to do so).

That’s a bit of a faff obviously so If I could book with BA and get baggage allowance that would be my preference.

Thanks again for the info

[krautboy]

We booked with BA just 2 days ago.

We managed to log into LATAM once we had the LATAM booking reference. We have not checked whether you can by the bag later on LATAM. Most likely you wont encounter an issue, worst case can always pay for the bag at the airport, but usually costs more.

The agent did mentioned no hold luggage is included in the price, which was fine with us and we didnt ask about what options exist with them.

[Iainm]

krautboy wrote:

We booked with BA just 2 days ago.

We managed to log into LATAM once we had the LATAM booking reference. We have not checked whether you can by the bag later on LATAM. Most likely you wont encounter an issue, worst case can always pay for the bag at the airport, but usually costs more.

The agent did mentioned no hold luggage is included in the price, which was fine with us and we didnt ask about what options exist with them.

That’s really helpful!
Thanks very much.

[Gin123]

meta wrote:

You can book via BA, but you need to call. Also check cash prices on Brazil site or another South American LATAM site, it might be cheaper.

When booking your LATAM flights on Iberia website, did it include hand carry and check in luggage?

[meta]

I booked via BA previously, not Iberia. I don’t book partner airlines via Iberia because they are non-refundable.

[Gin123]

meta wrote:

I booked via BA previously, not Iberia. I don’t book partner airlines via Iberia because they are non-refundable.

Apologies, I quoted the wrong message.