Members mvan1 Posted June 26, 2015 Members Posted June 26, 2015 I just got an e-mail advising me that American Airlines is selling tickets from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo for $574.00 - round trip - including all taxes. The taxes usually are around one hundred dollars, considering the Brazil exit tax. This means that the fare to the airline, round-trip, is only about $474. Can it be the fares to Brazil are cheap because the airlines got so many cancellations for Brazil and there are lots of empty seats? There has to be a reason for the fares to drop like they never before were. Here is a link to the latest fare discussed above - http://www.theflightdeal.com/2015/06/25/american-574-los-angeles-sao-paulo-brazil-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/?utm_source=The+Flight+Deal+Daily+DealsLetter&utm_campaign=495d0a17e0-The_Flight_Deal_Daily_Deals_Letter3_2_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eb7686b6a9-495d0a17e0-174829325 - lookin and TotallyOz 2 Quote
Guest tomcal Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 not quite as low as a month ago! I got my fare for Sept. r/t L.A. to Sao Paulo for $456.00 Quote
Members mvan1 Posted June 26, 2015 Author Members Posted June 26, 2015 not quite as low as a month ago! I got my fare for Sept. r/t L.A. to Sao Paulo for $456.00 Amazing. That price is more a gift than a charge for transportation, considering how far the flight is. You probably already know that if you bought your ticket with American Airlines, you can upgrade to business class for only $350 each direction plus 25,000 miles, each direction. Some business class fares to Brazil run more than $5,000 - $7,500. You have to wonder why the fares are so low. Quote
TotallyOz Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 Can you always upgrade on AA for those rates? Quote
Guest tomcal Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 Can you always upgrade on AA for those rates? Oz, usually as long as they are not sold out in Business class, which they hardly ever are! The flights I take are always the Boeing 777w which has 52 lay flat seats in Business, which increases the odds that there will be availability of milage upgrades to business. I have done it my last 15 trips or so, I tried to upgrade for the upcoming trip in Sept. but they haven't made them available yet, even thou all 52 are open as of today. Usually they make them available about a month before sometimes less depending on how many have been sold so far. Quote
Members axiom2001 Posted June 26, 2015 Members Posted June 26, 2015 Amazing. That price is more a gift than a charge for transportation, considering how far the flight is. You probably already know that if you bought your ticket with American Airlines, you can upgrade to business class for only $350 each direction plus 25,000 miles, each direction. Some business class fares to Brazil run more than $5,000 - $7,500. You have to wonder why the fares are so low. If one used a wholesaler or broker who specializes in business and first class reduced fares, the fares would range under $4000 via TAM and AA, etc. I wouldn't fly Copa. Quote
Members mvan1 Posted June 26, 2015 Author Members Posted June 26, 2015 Can you always upgrade on AA for those rates? Hi OZ, you asked about AA - Tomcal's answer is correct. If you were to use Delta or United, it is not that easy or thrifty as with AA. With Delta and United, unless you purchase a fare to Brazil that is middle range economy (generally around $1,500 - $1,800) you cannot upgrade to business class unless you first upgrade the lower fare ticket, then come up with lots of miles, plus a "change fee" to upgrade the initial ticket. With AA, any paid fare is eligible for "co-pay" plus miles. Of the three major air carriers (AA, UA and DL), unquestionably, AA has the most customer friendly fee and upgrade structure from economy to business class. JKane 1 Quote
paulsf Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 Or for us with AA ExPlat status, system wide upgrades are free. I've used all mine going to Bangkok this year, but living in So.Florida it's only an 8 hour flight and easy enough to do in coach with exit row seats. mvan1 1 Quote
Members mvan1 Posted June 26, 2015 Author Members Posted June 26, 2015 Or for us with AA ExPlat status, system wide upgrades are free. I've used all mine going to Bangkok this year, but living in So.Florida it's only an 8 hour flight and easy enough to do in coach with exit row seats. Thanks for mentioning the system-wide upgrades. I had forgotten about them. I already used all mine (8) before the end of May. As an incentive for readers who travel a lot and whose itineraries might blend well with AA, AA gives to any passenger, Executive Platinum Status, if the passenger flies at least 100,000 miles each year with AA and/or one of AA's "One World" partner airlines. With that status, there are a lot of perks, including eight system wide upgrades each year for use on any aircraft that is operated by AA. It is easy to determine the value of the upgrades. Each upgrade saves a passenger $350 + 25,000 miles when the passenger upgrades to the next level of service. The value is determined by comparing the cost to upgrade without a system-wide upgrade, $350 each way plus 25,000 miles. Quote
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted July 15, 2015 Posted July 15, 2015 At least from Phoenix, the low fares to Rio are still around. Even though I am not in the situation to travel anytime soon, I still get weekly alerts on the airfare, and as of yesterday, I received a notice of $603 RT from PHX to GIG. That is lower than I have ever paid, even back in 2008 on my first ever trip to paradise. Quote
Members tele5b Posted July 15, 2015 Members Posted July 15, 2015 true i will come from europe for 500 euros, what is less than i paid 5 years ago when i was last time in Brazil. lookin 1 Quote
