Flight Prices Resident / Non Resident

[Xeneizes]

Hey all,

Did a search but didn't see anything too recent on this so...

I am a temporary resident here with a DNI, and my friend is coming to visit from the US. We are trying to book a flight to Salta. I can get the resident rate of ~1400 pesos...but the rates on the US site are 600 USD...needless to say a ton more.

Is there a way I can buy two tickets for us in person in pesos at the lower rate? What are the chances we'd be stopped if this ticket was the resident rate? (is there a difference with/without checking bags)

Any experience with this issue would be greatly appreciated!

 

[expatinowncountry]

Hey all,

Did a search but didn't see anything too recent on this so...

I am a temporary resident here with a DNI, and my friend is coming to visit from the US. We are trying to book a flight to Salta. I can get the resident rate of ~1400 pesos...but the rates on the US site are 600 USD...needless to say a ton more.

Is there a way I can buy two tickets for us in person in pesos at the lower rate? What are the chances we'd be stopped if this ticket was the resident rate? (is there a difference with/without checking bags)

Any experience with this issue would be greatly appreciated!

Last time we bought tickets, the price difference between resident and non resident was not of the magnitude you mentioned here. Still it is cheaper for residents.
When we first arrived my wife had her DNI "en tramite" and we used Aerolineas to go to Patagonia. Leaving from Buenos Aires they did not asked us anything. In the way back from Bariloche, we were asked for her DNI and she told them it was in "tramite". They tried that we pay for the ticket difference but my wife had the "comprobante" of her DNI so she was let go without paying extra.

One thing your friend should consider is that Aerolineas has lower price tickets for residents because residents pay taxes here that help cover for the several millions of USD Aerolineas loses every year. If your friend buys a resident ticket, he/she would be actually asking the Argentine taxpayer to pay for his/her difference.

 

[cbonanni]

If you can buy the tickets on line , print your boarding passes , do NOT check bags , go through security to the gate , you can probably board .

If you actually get past steps 1, 2 , 4 , they still may ask and you would have to pay the additional fare.


Think of it as another K subsidy for her minions . Like .20 cent bus fares. Or free trains.

 

[Slopey]

When my parents were visiting a couple of months ago, I bought tickets to Iguazu for all 3 of us on the same booking, entering my DNI and their Passport Numbers into the form. I got the resident rate in pesos (paying with an Argentine credit card). We checked in online, printed out boarding passes and went straight to the gate, where they only checked their passports for identity. They weren't asked about residency.
I don't know if that's standard procedure or we got lucky, but since it was the same experience on both the to and fro flights, I'd say its a chance worth taking. Worst case, you'll have to be prepared to pay the difference before you board.

 

[lucha54]

When my parents were visiting a couple of months ago, I bought tickets to Iguazu for all 3 of us on the same booking, entering my DNI and their Passport Numbers into the form. I got the resident rate in pesos (paying with an Argentine credit card). We checked in online, printed out boarding passes and went straight to the gate, where they only checked their passports for identity. They weren't asked about residency.
I don't know if that's standard procedure or we got lucky, but since it was the same experience on both the to and fro flights, I'd say its a chance worth taking. Worst case, you'll have to be prepared to pay the difference before you board.

I haven't tried it but I've heard this working for other people too, worth taking the risk as long as you get to the airport early enough to deal with paying the difference at another desk in case you get stopped.

 

[trennod]

I have a DNI and temporary residency and never had a problem buying the tickets for residents and showing my DNI para extranjeros. They have never told me otherwise, so I assume you should be fine.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Try LAN instead of AeroCámpora.

 

[Xeneizes]

Last time we bought tickets, the price difference between resident and non resident was not of the magnitude you mentioned here. Still it is cheaper for residents.
When we first arrived my wife had her DNI "en tramite" and we used Aerolineas to go to Patagonia. Leaving from Buenos Aires they did not asked us anything. In the way back from Bariloche, we were asked for her DNI and she told them it was in "tramite". They tried that we pay for the ticket difference but my wife had the "comprobante" of her DNI so she was let go without paying extra.

One thing your friend should consider is that Aerolineas has lower price tickets for residents because residents pay taxes here that help cover for the several millions of USD Aerolineas loses every year. If your friend buys a resident ticket, he/she would be actually asking the Argentine taxpayer to pay for his/her difference.

Appreciate the advice. What about the difference (you can check right now, this is as 7/28/13) of $1400 pesos versus ~$600 USD also for LAN when viewing on the argentina site or the US site. That's not a domestic carrier.

 

[EricM]

I have flown this way this several times without incident. For best luck I strongly recommend not checking bags (carryon only), and print your boarding pass in advance.

 

[amsam]

Thanks all, I was just going to post and ask about this. EricM, you were checking in at the gate with a passport?