Just by knowing which airline has a loophole in its fare rule
When it comes to planning a trip, most of us have tunnel vision: We want Point A to Point B and return.
But for travel to South America you might want to rethink that tunnel vision and get more for your money on a Business Class ticket by taking advantage of an obscure fare rule on LAN, a oneworld alliance member (same as American).
LAN is one of a few airlines that allows free unlimited stopovers en-route to a destination on its lowest Business Class fares. Meaning, if you have to make a connection in a hub city anyway, why not make it into a free side-trip?
[aside headline="LAN Stopover Fares" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]Lowest stopover fares on LAN are based on booking I class, all LAN fares allow a stopover, however, I is the lowest.[/aside]
Double the Opportunity:
Combine Free Stopover Fares with “Low-Fare Routes”
Now add a second level to this opportunity by finding low Business Class fare destinations in South America on LAN. At times, making a stopover in a low-priced destination can reduce the fare overall.
This strategy may be otherwise thought of as a “point beyond ticket” or “hidden city fare” (but legal) which can lower a fare by actually booking another, lower-priced destination (in addition to, and beyond your intended one) that results in a lower price. With the stopover, this can give you two destinations for the price of one.
RSA Example Deal 1:
Let’s take Miami-Santiago, a route on which the lowest Business Class fare starts at $4,239 r/t all in. But if you use an RSA fare, which in this case is Miami-Montevideo (Uruguay), the fare drops to $1,536, a savings of $2,703 (64%) and you still get to Santiago because LAN requires a connection there on many flights to South America.
Short recap of how Miami-Santiago became a lower fare and a free second destination: Step 1: Make your destination, in this case Santiago, your stopover. Step 2: Find a lower fare destination city in South America, in this case Montevideo.
Miami-Santiago-Miami fare (non-RSA fare):
Miami-Santiago-Montevideo-Miami fare (RSA fare):
Los Angeles-Santiago fare (non-RSA fare):
Los Angeles-Lima-Santiago-Buenos Aires fare (RSA fare):
RSA Example Deal 2:
Let’s take Los Angeles-Santiago, a route on which the lowest Business Class fare starts at $4,287 r/t all in. But if you use an RSA fare, which in this case could be Los Angeles-Buenos Aires, the fare drops to $3,039, a savings of $1,248 (29%) and you still get Santiago and one more city, Lima.
More Ways to Get Two or Even Three for the Price of One to South America
In the charts below are more Business Class fares for under $3,000 which deliver two or three South American countries for the price of one.
Decent fares from many other U.S. cities, and many other routings to South America are available.
More Sample Hidden Routings That Net Huge Savings on LAN with “Low-Fare Routes”
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More Sample Hidden Routings That Get You Three Cities for the Price of One on LAN
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