El Calafate Travel Forum

I'm spending 9 nights in Argentina. I'm hoping to get 3 days in El Calafate, but I'm finding the cost of flight to El Calafate prohibitive especially the 2x cost of flight for non-Argentina residents (~$550+). Is there any cheaper flights?

The following are previous posts:

*** Aerolineas has prices for residents and non-residents. It also has different fares for travellers arriving in Argentina via Aerolineas and for travellers arriving in Argentina via any other international airline. There is no way to get around it as they ask for your papers when you check in. Unless you live in Argentina and have the right ID you will have to pay the non-resident price. This is why the web site says something about country of origin. So you need to be careful when you get quotes that they are for non-residents and also be clear whether the quote is in dollars or pesos.

*** Aerolineas Argentinas is the main carrier for domestic flights in Argentina. It has different fares for travellers arriving in Argentina via Aerolineas and for travellers arriving in Argentina via any other international airline.

Round-trip flights from Buenos Aires for travellers arriving in Argentina via Aerolineas Argentinas taxes included:

Iguazu --- 354.00 US$.
Salta ------ 422.00 US$.
Ushuaia --- 374.00 US$.
Calafate --- 357.00 US$.
Mendoza -- 374.00 US$.
Bariloche -- 482.00 US$.

One-way flights:
Ushuaia-Calafate ---- 133.00 US$.
Calafate-Bariloche ---- 264.00 US$.
Buenos Aires-Rio Gallegos -- 122.00 US$.

Round-trip fares from Buenos Aires for travellers not arriving in Argentina via Aerolineas:

Iguazu ----- 458.00 US$.
Mendoza --- 486.00 US$.
Bariloche -- 625.00 US$.
Calafate --- 464.00 US$.
Ushuaia --- 486.00 US$.
Trelew ----- 422.00 US$.
Salta -------- 548.00 US$.

One-way fares:

Ushuaia-Calafate ---- 192.00 US$.
Calafate-Bariloche -- 343.00 US$.
Buenos Aires-Rio Gallegos -- 284.00 US$.

LAN Argentina return fares from Buenos Aires:

Iguazu ------- 238.00 US$.
Bariloche ---- 323.00 US$
Mendoza ----- 252.00 US$.
Comodoro Rivadavia --- 474.00 US$.
Cordoba ------- 184.00 US$.
Rio Gallegos -- 513.00 US$.
Calafate ------- 240.00 US$. (As of November-08-06)
Ushuaia -------- 252.00 US$. (As of November-08-06)
One-way Calafate-Ushuaia ----- 90.00 US$. (As of November-08-06)

There are no budget airlines for domestic flights in Argentina.

Jorge Daniel Barchi.
Buenos Aires.

As far as I know LAN does not fly (yet) to El Calafate.

Sorry see in the answer of 'EsterosdelIbera' LAN wlli also fly soon to El Calafate. By the way we had very good experiences with them last year.

these are great answers, but my 2 cents:

try to get an Argentine-based travel agents to help you with tickets. They probably have some tricks for cheaper fares.

Hi Ellen,

I don't think so this time. I have a friend in Apeldoorn, who is now in Argentina, and he has a friend in Arg. with a travel agency. But he cancelled his visit to Penionsula Valdes, because he couldn't get 'normal' fares with AA. He is now only flying with LAN to Iguazu and El Calafate.

Jaap

interesting, Jaap! of course, things change in a year! I just know that w/o a travel agent, I would have had a terrible time getting from Peninsuala Valdes to El Calafate, and a somewhat affordable price....but, I'm all for do-it-yourself travel, so good news indeed!

Well, I hope LAN flies to El Calafate, because I booked with them from BA to E.C! They were very reasonable price (I think $250 USD Round trip) but they only fly like 3 days a week.

See in the answer of 'EsterosdelIbera'
And if you have booked, it seems OK to me.

Thanks everybody for the great advise. I just checked with Lan airlines (they need to update their features on the website. When I initially checked on their website, it gave me an "origin-destination" type error. But it really meant to say try another day) and they are already booked up for the days I want to go or can go. Oh well another trip. :-)