EXCLUSIVE – THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR LOCAL & BUDGET AIRLINES IN SOUTH AMERICA
Backpacking South America is one of the most amazing experiences that any traveler can have throughout his life. Though a stunningly beautiful continent, it is challenging to navigate. The biggest expenses are related to travel costs, associated with flights and long-distance bus tickets through each country. But with the rise of budget airlines in South America, it is getting easier to travel across the continent.
As for the deal with most of the flight search engines such as Skyscanner & Kiwi, not all low-cost airlines are covered, so you will need to search for them by name. The reason behind that is that for the flight search engines to display the airlines, they require a commission for each ticket, but with the cheap prices of the tickets provided by the budget airlines, they don’t accept it.
This blog post is The Ultimate Guide For Budget & Local Airlines in South America, covering most of the countries’ local airlines that offer cheap flight tickets domestically and throughout South America.
You can find helpful designs and checklists for you to download to help you plan the perfect adventure.
Flight booking Tips that you need to know :How to get the cheapest flights ?
1- Book Early : To get the Cheapest Flight Tickets
Flight Seats tend to be cheaper when they’re first released so booking early can save you great amount of money
These are the most ideal time frames for finding cheap flights:
Domestic flights
- Peak: Three to six months in advance
- Off-peak: One to three months in advance
International flights
- Peak: Four to 10 months in advance
- Off-peak: Two to eight months in advance
2- Use Incognito Mode
Flight prices tend to increase when a particular route is repeatedly searched. This is often due to the cookies saved on your browser, which can lead to dynamic pricing. To avoid this, make sure you use Incognito Mode when booking your tickets. Incognito Mode prevents your browsing history and cookies from being stored, providing a more neutral and possibly lower price for your flight searches.
3- Mix & Match airlines
Mix and Match different airlines and routes till you find the cheapest option available. There are some websites that can do that but the most Popular one is Kiwi. and since it can be risky mixing different airlines if there is a connecting flight in case of one flight got delayed, Kiwi has a program that Guarantees your rights which covers schedule changes, flight delays, and cancellations. As long as you contact Kiwi.com as soon as you’re aware of the delay, they will provide you with an alternate connecting flight, or a full refund, at your discretion
4- Get Creative with the routes
Searching different routes for the same destinations can be have a great share in saving your money. Instead of booking directly to the final destination you want, you can try to have one or more stop in cities that are cheaper to fly to and enjoy extra places in your trip while saving your budget
Popular Budget Airlines that fly through South America
According to SkyTrax World Airlines Awards, these are the top 5 Budget Airlines in South America:
1- Jet SMART Airlines
is an Ultra Low- Cost carrier based in Santiago de Chile. (fares are relatively low, extra fees are reasonable)
Jet SMART offers wide range of flights to 8 International Destinations within Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru & Uruguay. with fares as low as 30 USD
it also flies domestically to 13 Destinations within Chile with tickets as low as 19 USD
Note : these prices were found at the time of the post, January 2024
2- SKY Airlines
A Santiago-based low cost carrier operating domestically to 16 Destinations within Chile with fares as low as 12 USD ( with taxes→ 20USD)
Sky Airlines also fly internationally to other countries in Latin America such as : Argentina, Brazil , Colombia , Dominican Republic, Uruguay & Peru
Note : these prices were found at the time of the post, January 2024
3- GOL
It is the most Popular Budget Airlines in Brazil, covering most of the popular places within Brazil with fares as low as 30 USD
GOL operates an extensive route network all over South America, offering great deals on airfare.
4- EasyFly
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5- Wingo
A Colombian low-cost airline owned by Copa . It flies to cities around the country, plus a number of International destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean
Fares for one-way flights between Bogotá and Cartagena are as low as 50 USD
Note : these prices were found at the time of the post, January 2024
Other Popular Airlines :
LATAM, Aerolineas Argentinas, and Avianca aren’t classified as budget airlines but it’s worth checking their fares out, as sometimes their prices can be competitive against these budget airlines.
Local & Budget Airlines in Each Country :
Here’s a breakdown for all the budget and local airlines in Each of South America Countries that are often not displayed in SkyScanner and the rest of flight search engines :
1- Argentina - Budget Airlines
Aerolineas Argentinas: (Domestic and International)
The airline flies to many destinations including Buenos Aires, Madrid, Santiago de Chile, Montevideo, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu, Jujuy, Mar del Plaza, Mendoza, Parana, Neuquen, Salta, Rosario, Salvador da Bahia and many others.
Fly Bondi (Domestic and International)
Flies to Destinations Within Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay & Uruguay.
Jetsmart
LADE
A military operated airline that flies all around Argentina, with a strong focus on the Patagonian region.
Norwegian Air Argentina (Domestic and International)
Owned by Norwegian Air, offering cheap flights within Argentina.
2- Bolivia - Budget Airlines
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Amaszonas Línea Aérea (Domestic and International)
The airlines fly within their home countries, as well as to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru, primarily on a fleet of Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft
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Boliviano de Aviación (BOA) : (Domestic and International)
flies to more than 20 destinations across South America, North America, Central America and Europe.
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Ecojet
Flies to Destinations within Bolivia
3- BRAZIL - Budget Airlines
This massive country has a lot of high lux busses with journeys around 30 hours long, these buses come with a price , often being much more than a flight.
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GOL (Domestic and International)
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LATAM (Domestic and International)
The Famous Airlines Covering over 120 Destinations all over South America
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ASTA
Operates charter flights mainly to locations in the central-west region
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Avianca Airlines (Domestic and International)
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Azul Airlines
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VOEPASS Linhas Aéreas (Previously :Passaredo Linhas Aereas)
4- Chile - Budget Airlines
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JetSMART (Domestic and International)
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SKY Airlines (Domestic and International)
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LATAM (Domestic and International)
The Famous Airlines Covering over 120 Destinations all over South America
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AeroCardal
Does private/charter flights including to Robinson Crusoe Island
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Aervius DAP (Domestic and International)
Operates charter and scheduled flights in Patagonia, Antarctica, and more
5- COLOMBIA - Budget Airlines
- Wingo (Domestic and International)
Viva Air Colombia (Domestic and International)
Also serves to Argentina, Brazil , Chile , Costa Rica, Peru and other countries
EasyFly (Domestic and International)
Copa Airlines (Domestic and International)
The airline flies to over 80 destinations in 33 countries in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Avianca (Domestic and International)
LATAM (Domestic and International)
The Famous Airlines Covering over 120 Destinations all over South America
TAC Airline (flies to smaller domestic cities)
6- ECUADOR - Budget Airlines
“Ecuador does not have any official budget airlines.
- Avianca (Domestic and International)
- LATAM (Domestic and International)
7- GUYANA - Budget Airlines
This South American country has only national airlines and charter flights.
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Air Guyana (Charter flights)
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TransGuyana (Domestic and International)
Airways offers Domestic flights + International Destinations as (Paramaribo, Suriname)
8- PARAGUAY - Budget Airlines
- Paranair (Domestic and International)
- Serves between Asunion & Ciudad del Este domestically &
- Internationaly to : Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil, Uruguay
9- PERU - Budget Airlines
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Star Perú
Prices as low as 27 USD
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Viva Air
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LATAM (Domestic and International)
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JetSMART (Domestic and International)
10- SURINAME - Budget Airlines
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BlueWing Airlines: (Domestic and International)
Commercial flights domestically and available for your charter needs anywhere in Suriname or the Caribbean
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Surinam Airways (Domestic and International)
Does cross-continental flights to Europe
11- URUGUAY - Budget Airlines
- Aeromás (charter flights)
12- Venezuela - Budget Airlines
Venezuela boasts an extensive selection of Local Airlines (Budget Airlines). Due to its strategic location, numerous Venezuelan carriers provide cheap flights to both the Caribbean and the United States, which is a big advantage for travelers arriving from that region.
Conviasa (Domestic & International)
Avior Airlines (Avior Air) (Domestic & International)
Turpial Airlines (Domestic & International)
Rutaca Airlines (Fly Rutaca) (Domestic & International)
Aerolineas Estelar (Fly Estelar)(Domestic & International)
La Venezolana Airline (Domestic & International)
LASER Airlines (Domestic & International)
Albatros Airlines (Venezuelan charter airline)
AeroPostal (Aeropostal does not have an official website.)
Due to the lack of a website, multiple fake accounts have emerged. To ensure you receive accurate and reliable information, we provide you with the official and confirmed Aeropostal social media accounts:
- Instagram account: @aeropostalve
- Twitter account: @aeropostalve
By Having the right and updated information for getting cheap flight tickets in South America and with this Guide for almost all of the Budget and Local Airlines there, Backpacking this amazing continent is going to be more easier and more rewarding as an experience. Always Read Lost On A Road ‘s TRAVEL 101 to make your adventures cheaper and more enjoyable !
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