Travel Tips: How to Cut the High Cost of Flying to South America

There are a number of countries where a Philippine Passport holder can travel freely in South and Central America. The problem is, the flight cost from Manila is so expensive making it more difficult to reach for most Filipinos. So, how can you cut the high cost of flying to South America?

1. Watch out for Airline Promotions and Deals

I got lucky I was able to fly to Bogota, Colombia for only Php20,000 return via Turkish Airlines. Yes, it was that cheap. It’s about 1/4 of the actual plane fare for that route. From time to time, full service airlines also offer huge discounts for long haul flights. I remember Ethiopian Airlines also offered a great deal to fly from Manila to Sao Paulo, Brazil for only Php25,000 return. While this is probably the cheapest way to fly to South America from Manila, this doesn’t happen on a regular basis. So when you see a deal like this, don’t think much. Just book it! Make sure you follow the Escape Manila Facebook Page as we regularly announce airline promotions and deals.

2. Use multiple Booking Sites to compare prices

Don’t rely on one booking site, make use of multiple booking sites to make sure you get the cheapest fare. Some airlines do not show up in some booking sites so you might be missing a great deal. I usually use Kiwi, Skyscanner, BudgetAir, and Wego. Make sure you also consider the stopover as some airports require transit/airport visa even if you do not go out of the airport.

3. Check fares directly from the Airlines’ website

After checking out fares from booking sites, go to the airline’s website and see the fare difference. Most of the time it’s cheaper to book directly to the airline’s website. But, for cases with connecting flights especially with different airlines, it’s usually better to book through a booking site.

4. Check out multiple airports

If your itinerary is flexible, you can consider looking for flights to another airport close to your planned destination. Let’s say, you are planning to go to Cuzco, Peru to see the Machu Picchu, you may also check out Lima or even Bogota, Colombia or La Paz, Bolivia just to make sure you get the cheapest fare. I use Kiwi.com in checking multiple airports. You can search by country, by attractions or even by continent so it’s easy to see where to fly for a cheaper fare.

5. Cut trips

Sometimes, cutting trips may be a cheaper option. Consider flying to Dubai and fly from there to South America. I checked just now and it’s a little bit cheaper by around Php5,000. Just make sure you get insurance for possible flight delays or if you miss your onward flight.

6. Book in advance

It’s usually cheaper when you book a flight in advance, although not all the time. Try booking a flight at least 3-6 months from your intended departure.

So there you go, I hope that this article will help you reach your dream to go to the other side of the world, the cheapest way possible.

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