Martin Grosz
02/26/2021 6:00 AM
Clarín.com
Services
Updated 02/26/2021 8:50 AM
Deciding on a trip at the last minute can be very expensive, especially if it is a long weekend "getaway".
It already happened in Carnival: those who remembered to look for a flight and hotel a few days before departure were surprised that, for example, there were only tickets of more than
$ 50 thousand or even $ 87 thousand
to various typical destinations.
That is already past.
But the antecedent counts because, between now and May,
another two XL holidays are approaching
with chances of producing a high tourist movement.
And those who wish to use them to tour the country today have the chance to do
a great favor to their pocket
if they do not allow more time to make reservations.
Is that, according to
Clarín
, these days it is still possible to get air tickets at accessible prices -or at least not astronomical- on some of the most popular routes (not in others).
For example, less than
$ 10,000 or $ 15,000
round trip.
And there are even attractive offers of
packages
in the agencies, possible to pay in 12 installments without interest.
These are all opportunities that, of course, will surely
be fading
soon, as the departure dates approach.
But what are those dates?
A review of the calendar: when are the next long weekends
The
first
to arrive will be Easter, in just over a month.
It is formed as a result of the holiday on Friday
, April 2
, which this year will be both Good Friday and the Day of the Veteran and the Fallen in the Malvinas War.
Along with Saturday April 3 and Sunday April 4, there will be
three
consecutive rest
days
.
And even
four
for those who can also take Holy Thursday, April 1.
If going on a trip on those dates is not possible, the next opportunity will not come on Labor Day, since May 1 falls on a Saturday.
Mar del Plata had bad weather on key days in February, but it is always an option all year round.
Photo Christian Heit
We will have to wait for the Day of the May Revolution, which is
Tuesday, May 25
.
As Monday 24 is also a holiday ("bridge" for tourism), both days join Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 to form an
extra long
weekend
of four days
.
This will take just under three months.
Then, then, the panorama of the prices that can be achieved today, destination by destination, to travel around the country from Buenos Aires in the next two long "weekends".
This is based on what more money can demand in this type of short-stay plans:
air tickets
.
Ticket prices for Holy Week
On Thursday, Aerolineas Argentinas, JetSmart and Flybondi reported the
lowest
current
prices available
for taking a
round trip
ticket
with departure on Holy Thursday (April 1) or Friday 2 from Aeroparque (which will have already reopened) and with return for Sunday 4.
One surprise was that on many routes, only the highest category tickets remain, at
prohibitive
prices
.
Another finding was that, for similar tickets (same date, same section), the values between airlines can vary greatly today.
PUERTO IGUAZÚ
.
In the flag line there are only tickets of the higher rate (
premium economy
) for those dates: they cost
$ 59,483 round trip
whether you
leave
on Thursday or if you do it on Friday from Buenos Aires.
In Flybondi the value is similar,
$ 48,859
, only with hand luggage included.
But at JetSmart it is still possible to get much cheaper tickets: from
$ 15,500
for those who travel with only a handbag, and from
$ 20,400
with the right to dispatch a suitcase.
To destinations such as Iguazú, for Easter only the most expensive fare tickets remain.
THE CALAFATE.
In Aerolineas Argentinas the cheapest ticket available is
$ 89,700
departing from Aeroparque on Thursday, April 1 and it can only go down to
$ 56,200
if the departure is on Good Friday afternoon.
At JetSmart, the only option is to return on
Monday
: that way, prices start at
$ 56,700
leaving on Thursday and
$ 33,600
on Friday, in both cases only with hand luggage.
Flybondi does not fly to this destination.
JUMP
.
In Aerolineas Argentinas there are tickets from
$ 55,200
leaving on Thursday from Aeroparque and from
$ 40,200
leaving on Friday, always returning on Easter Sunday.
In JetSmart there is only the option to return on Monday: thus there are tickets from
$ 42,500
leaving on Thursday and from
$ 21,500
leaving on Friday.
With Flybondi, you can only leave on Friday the 2nd and the minimum fee without
checking
luggage is
$ 36,100
with return on Sunday.
BARILOCHE
.
In Airlines, the flights to return to Buenos Aires on Sunday the 4th are already sold out: traveling
from Thursday to Monday
there are no longer tickets for less than
$ 49,000
, and from Friday to Monday they start at
$ 36,400
, always from Aeroparque.
With JetSmart, the return for Sunday is available: thus the rates are at least
$ 34,200
starting on Thursday and at least
$ 12,800
if leaving Aeroparque on Friday afternoon, in both cases without contemplated baggage clearance.
With Flybondi, at least
$ 50,000
is spent
flying from Thursday to Sunday and
$ 32,900
if the "getaway" starts on Good Friday, always as reported by
Clarín
.
This summer, in Bariloche, tourists could sunbathe in front of Lake Gutiérrez.
In April and May the temperatures hardly allow it.
Photo Marcelo Martinez
CORDOBA
.
Aerolineas Argentinas still has on its website tickets on offer from
$ 15,900
with departure on Thursday from Aeroparque, and from
$ 14,300
if it leaves on Good Friday.
JetSmart fares start at
$ 13,900
starting on Thursday and
$ 12,800
on Friday, always round trip ticket values.
In Flybondi there is only the option of traveling from Friday to Sunday, for at least
$ 8,160
for the ticket that only authorizes carrying a handbag.
MENDOZA
.
Aerolineas Argentinas has roundtrip tickets available at
$ 44,300
for those who depart on Thursday, April 1 and at least
$ 25,300
for those who start their trip on Friday, April 2 to the capital of Mendoza.
With JetSmart, there is only the option of returning on
Monday
: that way, the rates start at
$ 13,300
with departure on Thursday and at
$ 10,500
on Friday.
Flybondi, meanwhile, offers only to travel from Thursday to
Monday
paying at least
$ 44,800
.
MAR DEL PLATA
.
In Aerolineas Argentinas there are tickets from
$ 19,700
for those who depart from Aeroparque on Holy Thursday and from
$ 13,100
for those who do it a day later.
In this case, the
long-distance
bus
can be a good alternative, for
$ 5,260
round trip, while if you opt for the
train
that leaves Constitución, there are still cheap tickets to do the two sections for
$ 1,190
in total.
Ticket prices for the "XXL weekend" of May
The same survey was made this Thursday on the costs of getting roundtrip tickets that take full advantage of the May 25 holiday.
In this case, to depart from Aeroparque on Saturday the 22nd and return on the 25th. As there is more time, for this plan the availability of seats is generally somewhat wider than for Easter;
and prices, plus
reduced
.
But with a few exceptions, don't expect bargains.
PUERTO IGUAZÚ
.
The cheapest rates currently available departing from Aeroparque are
$ 45,800
per person round trip by Aerolineas Argentinas (in
premium economy
category
) and
$ 42,500
by JetSmart.
THE CALAFATE
.
The flag line only offers tickets for
$ 89,700
for this date
, of the superior category: the cheapest seats are already all sold out.
On this route, and at this time, for now there are no other airlines competing.
The Perito Moreno glacier, always imposing.
JUMP
.
In Aerolineas Argentinas you can get tickets from
$ 29,100
with a stopover (in Córdoba) and from
$ 41,800
to fly direct.
At JetSmart, for its part, there are direct options starting at
$ 36,700
for passengers who carry only hand luggage and from
$ 42,700
for those who check a suitcase.
BARILOCHE
.
In Aerolineas Argentinas today you only get roundtrip tickets from
$ 47,900
.
But in JetSmart there are still tickets of the most basic (for those who only carry hand luggage) for
$ 29,100
;
and in Flybondi, for
$ 16,760
.
CORDOBA
.
Even with high availability, it is possible to find roundtrip tickets from
$ 9,500
in Aerolineas Argentinas and from
$ 8,950
in JetSmart.
With Flybondi, you have to leave the day before (Friday the 21st in the morning) and in this way it is possible to buy tickets from
$ 8,150
.
MENDOZA
.
The cheapest roundtrip tickets available for the XXL May weekend do not fall below
$ 29,300
at Aerolineas Argentinas and
$ 27,600
at JetSmart.
In Flybondi, meanwhile, it is only possible to return on Monday morning, the remainder of a day's outing: that way you get tickets at much lower prices, from $ 11,540.
MAR DEL PLATA
.
To fly to La Feliz, Aerolineas Argentinas has on offer tickets of
$ 11 thousand
for those who only carry hand luggage and
$ 13,600
for those who need to bring a suitcase in the hold.
On long weekends, buses are usually a much cheaper alternative, but their trips last many more hours.
Photo Luciano Thieberge
Buying in a bundle, an opportunity to save
Beyond comparing prices on the websites of the different airlines, many times the trick to buying cheaper on dates of high demand is to do it through tourism agencies, which can sometimes offer cheaper prices for tickets.
Especially if they are purchased in a package
together with accommodation
, transfers at destination, excursions and other services.
It is also possible to find special promos and attractive
financing
options at the agencies
.
In Despegar, for example, they indicate that until Sunday, February 28, their customers can buy flights, accommodation and packages in
12 interest-free installments
that begin to be paid
90 days
after the purchase, as long as they are for domestic tourism.
"We noticed a
good demand
from Argentines for the next long weekends. The most chosen destinations are those that were a trend throughout the season.
Bariloche
and
Mendoza
are the most popular. Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Salta and Córdoba, "
Paula Cristi, Despegar's general manager for Argentina and Uruguay
, explained to
Clarín
.
To visit the Falls at Easter they offer packages with flight and 4 hotel nights from $ 33,000 per person.
Photo Télam
"Buenos Aires is the destination most chosen by people from Cordoba and Mendoza, and Bariloche is that of Buenos Aires and Rosario," explained Cristi, who declared herself "excited" by the imminent reopening of Aeroparque.
"With the return of operations there will be more options for travelers," he considered.
As for the
complete packages
-which come with direct flight, hotel and other services-, in the last days for Easter there were proposals of 4 nights at prices even lower than those of acquiring the tickets separately: to Iguazú, from
$ 33,000
per person;
to Ushuaia, from
$ 26,000
per passenger;
and Mendoza, from
$ 23,000
.
In the midst of a pandemic, before taking advantage of any opportunity it is essential to verify if the reservation is
flexible
: that is, if it admits cancellations and date changes without charges or fines.
This is critical when buying for
May
, given that by then the health scenario is even more uncertain and travel problems cannot be ruled out in the event of an eventual outbreak of Covid-19 cases.
MG
Look also
The 4 ways to bring bargains from abroad without traveling, taking advantage of the "ironed" dollar
Mortgage loans: how much do banks lend today and what salary do they require to access
