The national carrier for Argentina connects numerous destinations around the country and the South American continent with cities in North America and Europe. The carrier has an unusual dual-hub system with most international flights leaving from Ezeiza and then domestic and regional flights leaving from the city’s downtown airport.
The airline belongs to the SkyTeam alliance. While the airline has an expansive network, its onboard product, service and fleet would not be considered among the world’s best. It is not my first-choice airline, but I fly it when its schedule fits my needs. Here’s what you need to know about Aerolineas Argentinas.
Where does Aerolineas Argentinas fly?
The Argentine carrier flies from its two hub airports in Buenos Aires to cities across South America as well as Cancun, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Rome, Italy; Madrid, Spain; and Miami in the U.S.
Most impressive is the number of domestic cities it flies to with nearly 40 airports on its destination boards. This is especially important in a mountainous country like Argentina where driving can be especially inconvenient.
It competes with a low-cost carrier that has helped make it easier for people to travel around the country instead of having to take a bus or drive. This has helped to grow the travel demand within Argentina.
Dual hub system and focus cities
Ministro Pistarini International Airport is the airline’s main hub for long-haul and international flights. From here, the carrier operates its Airbus A330 planes to North America and Europe.
This is also where other international airlines, including American, Delta and United, fly and compete directly with the Argentine airline. Aeromexico also flies north to Mexico City, and all of the major European carriers fly to their respective hubs. The competition has grown while fares have dropped.
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery is the main domestic and short-haul airport for the airline. In fact, this is the airline’s headquarters. It is located in the city center of Buenos Aires making it very convenient for locals. However, this can be difficult for travelers making connections from long-haul flights to other domestic cities.
The airline does fly to domestic destinations from Ministro Pistarini, but these are not as frequent as the city airport. They are usually timed for connections with arriving long-haul flights.
Dividing its operations is simply a factor of Newbery being incredibly space-constrained. It is also within the city, which means there are already noise concerns and restrictions.
When booking a flight with a connection to a domestic city, I recommend trying to keep both flights at the same airport. If you do need to switch airports, be sure to allow plenty of time as traffic can be a factor. A bus connects the two airports, but it can be expensive and take as many as two hours.
Fleet
Aerolineas Argentinas relies on the Airbus A330 for its long-haul flights. It features 24 seats in Club Condor business class in a 2-2-2 layout that requires window seat passengers to climb over their neighbor if they want to reach the aisle.
Economy class is in a tight 2-4-2 configuration, but I recommend selecting seats in the last few rows of the plane. Since the fuselage narrows, the layout changes to 2-3-2 and provides more space.
Regional and domestic flights use either the Boeing 737-700 or larger 737-800 (including the Boeing 737 MAX8, which I have no qualms in flying with following the latest safety adjustments).
These do not have a traditional business class. There are two rows of spacious seats in a 2-2 configuration, but the airline calls this Club Economy (akin to a premium economy experience).
Inflight service
The airline has several inflight products, which are long-haul business class, short-haul business class (more like premium economy) and economy class.
Club Condor
Long-haul business class is much better, but still pales in comparison with the competition. The seats recline to lie flat, the onboard menus are decent with multiple courses and the flight attendants can vary between being forgetful and extra attentive.
Perhaps the best feature of Club Condor are the delicious Argentine wines that are on offer. The crew often has their favorites and can make suggestions on where to visit after you land.
Club Economy
While the seats are wide, plush and have extra legroom, the service is pretty disappointing. If the flight attendants get up at all to serve the cabin, it is nothing more than a small tray with a plastic-wrapped sandwich and cookie. Only soft drinks and water are offered.
If connecting from a long-haul flight in Club Condor to this experience, it can be pretty jarring. I find onboard service with this airline to be very disappointing for a country known for hospitality.
This cabin is not just on domestic flights, but also those to regional airports like Brazil and Chile. Advertisements mention “dedicated attention” from the crew, but after flying this cabin a half dozen times, I wholeheartedly disagree. The only reason to pay for this seat is having extra space.
Economy
The airline’s economy class is pretty standard with decent recline, average meal service, excellent Argentine wine and entertainment screens with a variety of programming. I appreciate that on long-haul flights, each seat has a USB port.
Fare types
Like many other airlines around the world, this airline differentiates its fare types by adding restrictions to its cheapest fares. Even its business class fares are not all created equally. It makes sense paying attention to your ticket type to make sure you will not be surprised by expensive add-ons later.
If you have SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus status with another alliance member, be sure that the number is attached to the reservation. In my experience, providing the number when booking the ticket does not mean it will appear on the actual reservation itself.
When checking in, be sure to check if it is attached. This is a great way to save money on checked bags, seat assignments and lounge access.
Promo and Base fares are intended to compete with low-fare airlines that also operate in the country. They are highly restrictive when it comes to changing or canceling the ticket. It also means you might have to pay extra for things like checked bags or choosing a seat.
Promo fares, for example, do not even permit a carry-on bag, and you could be forced to pay a high penalty at the boarding gate. It only includes a small backpack or purse. Base fares include a carry-on bag, but no checked bag. This is why having SkyTeam elite status can help you save significant cash.
It is possible to pay extra to add services on an a la carte basis. As always, it is worth comparing prices to book flights separately or together with any potential long-haul flight to see if you can save additional money this way.
Both Flybondi and JetSMART have begun competing with a low-cost model against the national carrier, which has led to these changes.
Other amenities
While onboard service may not be the best, the airline does have numerous amenities that make the travel experience pleasurable. This includes a Condor Lounge accessible to business class and SkyTeam Elite Plus members in Terminal C of Ministro Pistarini International Airport.
As a SkyTeam member, it also offers Sky Priority service to eligible passengers with elite status or traveling in business class. Priority check-in, boarding and luggage handling are all benefits of Sky Priority. This carrier was the first (and only) South American to join SkyTeam.
Loyalty Program
The carrier has its own loyalty program, and members earn Aerolíneas Plus Miles, but their value is not great. Instead, I recommend earning miles in a SkyTeam program like Flying Blue (from Air France or KLM) or Delta SkyMiles. This is the best way for you to maximize the value from spending money with this airline.
When it comes to redeeming miles, Delta.com is a great way to see what is available when using SkyMiles. I use my Delta miles often for flying Aerolineas Argentinas flights although I suggest comparing how much it costs in cash as domestic flights can be incredibly cheap.
Another tip involves having a local agency book your flights rather than using a website based in the United States. You can save a significant amount of money this way. If you have a VPN that you can set to Argentina, then you can do it yourself.
If you are flying in on one airline, but continuing on to another domestic city, I suggest checking the airfare for booking the domestic segment separately. You could save a lot of money this way, but it’s only a good idea if you are just traveling with a carry-on bag.
If checking a bag, you will need to allow sufficient time to collect and recheck it on the new reservation although many ticket counter agents can check it all the way through if you have the reservation details.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
