Need help with Iguazu Falls plan...

I have checked this Forum as well as others for info, but was hoping that those in the know will tell me whether my plan works. Our inbound flight arrives in Buenos Aires in the am, was hoping to get a flight out of EZE airport to Iguazu late morning. Hoping to stay at the Sheraton for that night, with a late afternoon return flight on the following day. Figured that would give us the afternoon of Day 1 to explore the close park sites, and Day 2 to venture a little further. Was not planning on doing the Brazil side. Questions for the experts: Is there more than one day storage of luggage at the airport(do not want to cart all our cruise luggage around)? How much time should I give between arrival flight in Buenos Aires and departure to Iguazu? Does this sound like it would work? Thank you in advance for your expertise..

Do they have non stop flights to IGU from EZE? Most flights from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls depart from the domestic airport AEP.

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Agree with staying at the Sheraton, that is where we stayed when we visited. It is very convenient! We went on our own when disembarked our cruise in Buenos Aires.

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Kbwinn- would love to hear more details on your trip to the Falls on you own...planning the same for 2019. Thank you!

We did our own thing. Flew in and out of AEP. We booked directly with Aerolineas-we called their BA call center (not the 1 800 NA number). We accessed their flight times/days and then selected the most convenient cost effective flights for us. Our air was about $100 less pp by doing this instead of booking on the popular North American sites.

We flew up in the afternoon. Arranged our own accomodation at Jardin Iguazu. It was good. Next day we walked around the corner and took the bus to the park. 15-20 minute ride to the park. Came back at 5PM. Flew out the next morning. Our hotel arranged for airport transfers both ways. We considered the Sheraton. It was considerably more money than what we paid in town. We were glad that we chose Jardin because there was a good choice of restaurants in Iguazu.

We very much enjoyed staying in Iguazu. Hotel had a decent breakfast. We enjoyed some good food at two restaurants. The first night we ordered a steak. Just one. It was big enough for both of us.

We spent time in Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile. Iguazu was the highlight of our land travels. So glad we did it and it is quite straightforward to arrange on your own. If we did it, anyone can.

We did our own thing. Flew in and out of AEP. We booked directly with Aerolineas-we called their BA call center (not the 1 800 NA number). We accessed their flight times/days and then selected the most convenient cost effective flights for us. Our air was about $100 less pp by doing this instead of booking on the popular North American sites.

Forgetting the "popular North American sites", this implies Aerolineas BA is cheaper than the NA 800 number (Is that BA call center also a toll-free call?). If that is true I can sort of understand because the 800 number cost plus staffing that call centre (even if not in NA).

How long were you on that call to get various flight times / dates and costs. Personally I am more visual and would do better seeing the options dispalyed rather than speaking with a rep and writing down options and making that decision and commitment while on a phone call. To be honest I am soooo slow to make a decision it would I would feel pressure to decide while on that call and then 2nd guess myself. Probably not worth the $200 to us in the over all price.

But, assuming the BA number vs the NA 800 number is cheaper and so they undercut themselves is a bit of a surprise. Good to know. Maybe do the online research for a couple of flight options, then all both number to get the price would work for me.

Glad calling direct worked out will for you.

Yes, not a lot, but exist some flight to IGR (IGU is in Foz) from Ezeiza. But it is easier to take that flight from AEP it's close to the port.

 

Regarding your question Abgo:

 

Is there more than one day storage of luggage at the airport(do not want to cart all our cruise luggage around)?

 

 

I will check it today and tell you, i don't know that.

 

 

How much time should I give between arrival flight in Buenos Aires and departure to Iguazu?

 

 

You mean how much time you have to be in the airport prior to your flight? 1hr is okey.

 

 

Does this sound like it would work?

 

Yes! One Night trip to Iguazu is a product we sell very often. Staying in the Sheraton Iguazu is your best option, you save a lot of time taking taxi from the city to the park, and the hotel is very nice too. Taking two days will let you see every circuit in the park. Don't forget to do the excursion like Nautical Adventure or Great Adventure in the park, not very expensive and very nice.

Thank you for your help IguazuFallsDotcom, since the better flights are out of AEP, do not need to know about baggage storage at EZE. Will probably try to store bags at future hotel in Buenos Aires and then go onto to AEP. Thank you for your suggestions for the park also.

We dd see the options on the Aerolineas site. Got on the site, hit Argentin/English then out destination and times.

Up came a grid with flights and times. You cannot, our at least last fall you could not, buy these with a foreign credit card.

We called the Aerolineas 1-800 North American number. Asked the CSR if we could book these on the phone. She said not. You either have to be in BA OR you call directly to the Aerolineas call center in BA. She gave us the phone number, including country codes for the BA office. She told us that they speak English and that the max for each transaction is 5000 pesos. Hence if we were over that amount they would do two transactions (which they did).

I called the BA office. I had the website on my screen at the same time. We had our flights selected however I wanted to see all options just in case the agent said the flight was full etc.. I called, asked for our preferred flights, and the agent processed the reservation and payment. Perhaps ten minutes total on the phone. Immediate email with flight details, etc. Two transactions-one per person. It was a very easy process. Cannot remember, but they may have asked for our passport numbers so if you do this you might want to have that documentation handy.

It does pay to shop. On that same trip we were going to book a flight from Santiago to Buenos Aires, then go to Uruguay.

The flight cost on KLM was about $200. each to BA. We found a discount carrier, Sky, that flew us from Santiago to Montevideo, Uruguay for $40. And it was a great flight.

We dd see the options on the Aerolineas site. Got on the site, hit Argentin/English then out destination and times.

 

Up came a grid with flights and times. You cannot, our at least last fall you could not, buy these with a foreign credit card.

 

We called the Aerolineas 1-800 North American number. Asked the CSR if we could book these on the phone. She said not. You either have to be in BA OR you call directly to the Aerolineas call center in BA. She gave us the phone number, including country codes for the BA office. She told us that they speak English and that the max for each transaction is 5000 pesos. Hence if we were over that amount they would do two transactions (which they did).

 

I called the BA office. I had the website on my screen at the same time. We had our flights selected however I wanted to see all options just in case the agent said the flight was full etc.. I called, asked for our preferred flights, and the agent processed the reservation and payment. Perhaps ten minutes total on the phone. Immediate email with flight details, etc. Two transactions-one per person. It was a very easy process. Cannot remember, but they may have asked for our passport numbers so if you do this you might want to have that documentation handy.

 

It does pay to shop. On that same trip we were going to book a flight from Santiago to Buenos Aires, then go to Uruguay.

The flight cost on KLM was about $200. each to BA. We found a discount carrier, Sky, that flew us from Santiago to Montevideo, Uruguay for $40. And it was a great flight.

Great information. Thank-you for the update, iancal

Another thing to keep in mind in Argentina.

IF you pay your hotel with a foreign credit card you will be exempt from the VAT. Something like 12 or 17 percent. SO, check you hotel bills. We had three stays in Argentina. Each time on the bill we could see the daily rate, then they backed out the VAT. Not so if you are paying cash. They do this in Chile and Uruguay. In the later, they even back it out of the price of restaurant meals. We did pre and post land travel in these countries and it saved us a fair bit.

We use xe.com for currency conversion.

We used Aerolineas for our trip to Iguazu Falls. I found the flights I wanted on their website, but as others have stated, you can not use a foreign credit card. I had a travel agent run the tickets for me which she could do with my credit card through her computer booking system.

We disembarked from our cruise in BA, took a prearranged (found on TA) car service to the domestic airport, AEP. It was maybe a 10 minute drive to the airport as the airport is close to the cruise ship terminal. We had booked a late morning flight. The car service stored our luggage for us until our return to BA.

Arrived IGU and took a taxi to the Sheraton inside the park. We spent two nights there. It is very convenient because you are inside the park before and after it opens to outside visitors. You can see the mist and hear the roar of the Falls from the grounds. We had dinner at the hotel the first night. You can also book the "Speedboat Ride Under the Falls" tour at the hotel. There is an activities desk in the lobby.

The next morning we did the speedboat tour under the Falls. Be prepared to get wet! We then walked around all the trails of the park on our own. After lunch we headed to the Brazil side of the Falls be taxi. Since our cruise had originated in Brazil, we already possessed a Brazilian visa, so it made the border crossing easier. We then took a helicopter tour of the Falls. All the helicopter tours are on the Brazil side. If you do not plan to take the helicopter tour, there is no need to go across.

In late afternoon, back on the Argentinian side we took a cab into the town of Iguazu Falls. We walked around the shopping/Market area then had dinner. Enjoyed the little town.

Next morning we took an early morning flight back to BA. Highly recommend a visit to the Falls, it was worth the trip and easy to do on your own.

Next

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Thanks for info kbwinn. Do you remember the name of the car service you used? Maybe we could use them to take us from EZE to AEP and keep our bags until our return to BA and hotel there.

We dd see the options on the Aerolineas site. Got on the site, hit Argentin/English then out destination and times.

 

Up came a grid with flights and times. You cannot, our at least last fall you could not, buy these with a foreign credit card.

 

We called the Aerolineas 1-800 North American number. Asked the CSR if we could book these on the phone. She said not. You either have to be in BA OR you call directly to the Aerolineas call center in BA. She gave us the phone number, including country codes for the BA office. She told us that they speak English and that the max for each transaction is 5000 pesos. Hence if we were over that amount they would do two transactions (which they did).

 

I called the BA office. I had the website on my screen at the same time. We had our flights selected however I wanted to see all options just in case the agent said the flight was full etc.. I called, asked for our preferred flights, and the agent processed the reservation and payment. Perhaps ten minutes total on the phone. Immediate email with flight details, etc. Two transactions-one per person. It was a very easy process. Cannot remember, but they may have asked for our passport numbers so if you do this you might want to have that documentation handy.

 

It does pay to shop. On that same trip we were going to book a flight from Santiago to Buenos Aires, then go to Uruguay.

The flight cost on KLM was about $200. each to BA. We found a discount carrier, Sky, that flew us from Santiago to Montevideo, Uruguay for $40. And it was a great flight.

Aerolineas offers a discount on domestic flights for those flying into Argentina internationally. A Visit Argentina air pass. You can book up to 12 flights:

http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/en-us/cheap_flights/visit_argentina

The day after we arrive, we will fly to Iguazu Falls from AEP, then onto Mendoza for a few days before returning to BsAs to join our cruise. It was easy to find the multi-city flights I wanted and to book online using my US credit card. However, my cc company thought it might be fraudulent and I did not see the alert in time to allow the payment. My booking was confirmed but not paid for and I didn't know WHAT was happening. I ended up calling the 1-800-333-0276 number on the web site. I have with the flights I wanted, seats assigned and confirmed and the discount. I believe the luggage allowance is bigger (50lbs) but don't quote me on that one. We plan to leave most of our bags at our BsAs hotel.

Don't know about luggage. We only travel with carry on so we never pay attention to that. We had standard international carry on size rollers. We were not required to check them. Even so, we left one of our carry ons in the hotel and traveled with one for both of us.

Both Aerolineas flights used very new planes-I think 737-800's. Lots of room in the overhead bins.