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"Connecting" Flights

Corydon, Indiana
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3,828 posts
220 reviews
332 helpful votes
"Connecting" Flights
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Considering something I’ve never done before.

My husband and I need to fly to South America open jaw into Santiago, Chile and back from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our home airport is Louisville, KY but we frequently drive to Cincinnati for better flight options. However, this time, Cincinnati also doesn’t provide decent choices and/or could cost $1800 p/p or more.

On Delta we have “companion flies free” benefit for domestic flights. If we can get to Miami, we can fly direct to and from for about half that.

My thought is to fly to Miami the evening before our international flight and stay at an airport hotel. I think the international flight will also leave in the evening the next day. The return flight might be a little closer as I believe we will end up leaving for Miami on a Saturday night and flying home on Sunday afternoon/evening. We don’t leave until mid-December so I can’t see what is actually available yet but this bears out for November flights.

It seems like an open invitation to Murphy but do you think I’ve left enough time between flights? Would you plain not do this at all?

For what it’s worth, we are essentially doing the same thing once we arrive in Santiago. Arrive Santiago, spend the night and then fly to Puerto Natales. I don’t think it would even be possible at all to book a ticket straight through Louisville, KY > Puerto Natales.

Thank you.

Edinburgh, United...
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18,178 posts
13 reviews
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1. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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I think that sounds like a pretty low-risk itinerary. You may be able to get travel insurance that will help you out should you miss a flight along the way.

San Diego
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for San Diego
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2. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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The only thing that would screw up this itinerary (or any other) would be snow in December.

There is nothing you can do about that . Coming in a day before is certainly a good plan. I'd make sure to have travel insurance just in case since it is a complicated itinerary.

Corydon, Indiana
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3,828 posts
220 reviews
332 helpful votes
3. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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Ok thank you. We do have travel insurance.

Phoenix, Arizona
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4. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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We do similar, often, though usually with one carrier.

As we hate flights, which leave at zero-dark-thirty, we fly in during the evening, then a reasonable flight the next day - overnighting near the airport.

Pretty easy, long Connections, and, other than weather affecting something, it has worked perfectly for us.

Travel insurance is usually a very good plan too.

As you are seeing, most legacy carriers release flights, routes and seats, about 330 days out.

Best of luck, and fly safely.

Hunt

San Francisco...
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137 reviews
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5. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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we did something similar this past year and that to through Miami. We went there the night before and enjoyed our time staying in South Beach not at a boring airport hotel and then took our flight the next day after having lunch in Little Havana (yes you can all now humm that song from ....) On the way back we stayed for a week but you don't have to

Oregon
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26 reviews
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6. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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My only thought is that it might be too early to book for December. Not only might the prices be higher now, but there's a greater chance if a schedule change this far out.

Corydon, Indiana
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3,828 posts
220 reviews
332 helpful votes
7. Re: "Connecting" Flights
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Thanks everyone for your confirmations.

Yes, it is too early too book now as our return flights will be January 12 and 13, 2019.

I don't know who our international carrier will be. I just know that I don't want Aerolineas Argentinas. We have no choice but to use them for a domestic flight and they make me nervous.

This is the first time we have bought travel insurance. I hope I don't have to use it.

8. Re: "Connecting" Flights

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