The Incan ruins in Machu Picchu, the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia, the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall at Angel Falls, and the Colombian-beach town in Cartagena. These are a few things that come to mind when I think of northern South America. In this article, I’ll cover the best award redemptions to South America.

For US-based travelers, flying to South America is fairly easy. American, Delta, and United offer nonstop flights from the US. In addition, airlines like LATAM offer flights to a number of US destinations.

The Best Credit Cards to Use to Travel to South America

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When booking travel, it’s helpful to your put your spend on credit cards that have high earn rates in the travel category. That way you can earn points that can transferred to airline and hotel partners to book flights and hotels.

The personal credit cards to check out are the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige, American Express Gold (Learn More Here). The Reserve earns 3X on travel, the Prestige earns 5X on travel, and the Gold earns 4X on travel. If you need lounge access or want to earn 5X Amex points on flights, the American Express Platinum (Learn More Here) is your card.

The Chase Ink Business Preferred is my go-to business credit card to earn 3X points on travel. The American Express Business Platinum (Learn More Here) is another card to consider. It earns 5X on flights and is great for lounge access.

Best Award Redemptions to South America

For this best award redemptions to South America list, it’s important to note a couple of things. One, award pricing shown is for one-way flights. If you want to fly round-trip, simply double the number of miles shown for each loyalty program. Two, the bank transfer partners for each program are as follows:

• Amex – Avianca, British, Cathay, Etihad
• Capital One – Avianca, Cathay, Etihad
• Chase – British, United
• Citi – Avianca, Cathay, Etihad
• Marriott – All

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

The Mileage Plan award program gets a ton of love. And for good reason. It offers competitive award pricing and stopovers on one-way award flights. This means you can add additional destinations to your South American itinerary using Alaska Airlines miles.

What many be a downside for some travelers with Alaska Airlines is earning miles. Outside of flying, spending on Alaska Airlines and Marriott credit cards are the primary way to earn its miles.

With 30,000 Alaska Airlines miles, you can book a one-way business class American Airlines flight. Flying one-way American Airlines in economy with 20,000 Alaska Airlines isn’t a bad deal either. Keep in mind these award prices are to the northern South America region.

The Alaska booking process is as follows:

1. Search with British Airways
2. Confirm the availability on Alaska Airlines
3. Complete the booking online

American Airlines AAdvantage

The AAdvantage programs doesn’t have a ton of sweet spots left. Of the sweet spots still available, check out flying off-peak award prices on its own flights to South America and Europe.

A drawback with using the AAdvantage program is the award costs. As an example, you can book a one-way American flight from Miami to Bogotá with 22,000 British Airways Avios. The same flight will cost you 8,000 additional American miles.

With 30,000 American miles, you can book a one-way American Airlines/Oneworld business class flight to northern South America. With 17,5000 American miles, you can book a one-way off-peak economy flight on American. To book at these rates, you’ll need to fly to countries listed in the South America Region 1 region.

The AAdvantage booking process for American flights is as follows:

1. Search on the American Airlines site
2. Complete the booking online

For LATAM flights, the booking process is slightly different:

1. Search on the British Airways site
2. Call American: 800-882-8880
3. Provide the agent the flight info and complete the booking

Asiana Airlines Asiana Club

Asiana Club continues to fly under the radar as a loyalty program to use. When flying Star Alliance partner airline flights, the award rates don’t get any better than those offered by Asiana Airlines.

A shortcoming of the Asiana Club program is that its miles can be hard to earn. The primary way to earn its miles are by transferring Marriott points to Asiana or put your spend on its co-branded Bank of America credit cards.

With 27,500 Asiana miles, you can book a one-way Star Alliance business class flight to northern South America. Additionally, look into booking a one-way economy flight with 17,500 Asiana miles. For these award prices, you’ll want to make sure your flight is to a country in the South America 1 region.

The Asiana Club booking process takes a few extra steps:

1. Run a flexible award search on United
2. Call Asiana Airlines: 800-227-4262
3. Provide the agent the flight info and complete the booking

Avianca Lifemiles

Avianca Lifemiles is a program, like United’s Mileage Plus, that’s great to use if you’re trying to reduce your taxes and fees. Lifemiles does not pass on fuel surcharges. This means that you can fly airlines like Austrian and Lufthansa with minimal taxes and fees.

It’s well known in the miles and points world that the Lifemiles site doesn’t show the same Star Alliance award availability that you’ll find on United. With that said, it’s important to confirm award availability on other Star Alliance websites first before transferring points to Avianca.

With 40,000 Lifemiles, you can book a one-way Star Alliance business class flight to northern South America. Or you can use 20,000 Lifemiles to book a one-way economy flight. To book a flight at these rates, you’ll want to confirm your destination is in the North of South America region.

The award rates mentioned get even better when you take advantage of a transfer bonus. In the past, we’ve seen Capital One and Citi offer a transfer bonus to Avianca.

Lifemiles has a booking process that’s relatively straightforward:

1. Run a flexible award search on United
2. Confirm award availability on lifemiles.com
3. Complete the booking online

British Airways Executive Club

US travelers are likely familiar with the value British Airways Avios can provide. For short haul American Airlines flights, it’s hard to beat the award pricing you’ll find on British Airways.

The Executive Club program is not one to use on medium to long haul flights. Essentially, the longer the distance of your flight, the more uncompetitive British Airways award pricing becomes.

With 22,000+ British Airways Avios, you can book a one-way business class Oneworld flight to northern South America. Not to be outdone, one-way economy flights will only set you back 11,000+ Avios.

You receive even more value by taking advantage of a transfer bonus. American Express regularly offers a transfer bonus to British Airways. This means the award rates above are even lower!

The Executive Club booking process is as follows:

1. Search for flights on British Airways
2. Complete the booking online

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is another Oneworld program that may make sense to use for flights to South America. It’s important to note that you’ll need to add 5,000 miles to the award prices shown in the Asia Miles Awards Chart if you’re flying 1 Oneworld partner like American.

The booking process is one of the drawbacks when using Asia Miles. American Airlines flights, among other airlines, can’t be searched on the Asia Miles website. This means that a phone call is required to book a flight.

With 30,000+ Asia Miles, you can book a one-way Oneworld business class flight to northern South America. Economy flights at 15,000 Asia Miles one-way should also be considered.

We’ve seen American Express transfer bonuses to Cathay Pacific in the past. This can add even more value to the American Express points that you transfer to Cathay Pacific.

Cathay Pacific adds a couple of additional steps in its booking process:

1. Search for American/LATAM flights on British Airways
2. Call Cathay Pacific: 866-892-2598
3. Confirm the award space over the phone and complete the booking

Etihad Airways Etihad Guest

The Etihad Guest program is one that you may have overlooked. Etihad is not a member of a major airline alliance. Instead, Etihad has individual airline partnerships, like one with American Airlines, that open up tons of value.

American Airlines partner flights require you to call Etihad to book. Some people will consider this a downside. However, I’ve found the Etihad agents to be competent and the booking process is easy.

With 30,000 Etihad Guest miles, you can book a one-way American Airlines business class flight to South America Zone 1. For those wanting to fly economy, 17,5000 Etihad Guest miles lands you a one-way flight.

In the past, we’ve seen American Express and Citi offer a transfer bonus to Etihad. If you can take advantage of a transfer bonus, the rates above are even better.

Etihad’s booking process is as follows:

1. Search for flights on British Airways
2. Call Etihad: 877-690-0767
3. Confirm availability and complete the booking over the phone

United Airlines Mileage Plus

The United Mileage Plus program is one many US travelers are familiar with. United miles are easy to earn so flights to South America will be within reach for many people.

A ominous downside with the United program is that United will no longer publish an award chart for flights on/after November 15, 2019. United is moving to dynamic pricing, like Delta, with the award price tied to the cash cost of the flight.

With 35,000 United miles, you can book a one-way business class flight to northern South America. Another option is book a one-way economy flight with 20,000 United miles. For these award rates, you’ll want to make sure your flight flies to a country in the northern South America region.

Marriott has offered a transfer bonus to United in the past. The transfer bonus means that fewer Marriott points will be required than those shown above.

It’s an easy booking process with United:

1. Search for flights on United
2. Complete the booking online

Conclusion on the Best Award Redemptions to South America:

Northern South America is a diverse place. One of the things that got me interested in visiting this part of the world was Kara and Nate’s vlogs from Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. How could you not want to visit after watching these?!?

What are your best award redemptions to South America? Which programs do you like to use? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.

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