Like many Americans, I'm guilty of overlooking South American destinations as some of the best places to travel on the globe. It's time to change that.
From Machu Picchu and Patagonia to the Galápagos Islands and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, there's something in South America that has earned a spot on travelers' bucket lists. Getting deep into South America has typically been fairly expensive … but that's not the case anymore.
While flights have been more expensive across the board this year, deals to fly down to even some of the most exceptional sites throughout South America have stayed low. Even as we've seen incredibly cheap fares to the Hawaiian islands , down to Mexico , and throughout Europe , the emergence of cheap flights to South America has been hard to ignore.
We've sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members a slew of alerts about cheap flights to South America lately, including sub-$400 flights to Peru and Ecuador, some points and miles deals to places like Bogota, Colombia, and Santiago, Chile, and even some lie-flat business class offerings to destinations like Brazil.
Here's a look at the cheap flights to South America we've been seeing and why these ultra-low fares are so noteworthy right now.
Why Are Flights To South America So Cheap?
We've said this before, but it bears repeating: Competition is the main driver of cheap flights.
In South America, there are a few standout budget-friendly air carriers that are putting big pressure on the major U.S. airlines that fly to South America every day.
The two main culprits are Avianca and COPA Airlines.
This COPA flight deal was one of our most popular deals of the past few months, namely because it offered some crazy cheap fares down to South American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, and more.
And just a few days ago, Avianca wrapped up a sale of its own offering some ultra-cheap fares down to South America as well.
From Medellin and Cartagena in Colombia to Guayaquil and Quito in Ecuador, Avianca's network is pretty huge. And their latest sale saw almost all of their routes offered at a steep discount.
But even if you don't want to ever fly one of these budget carriers, this is great news for you. Because when COPA and Avianca put their fares on sale, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United all take notice and either have to match those low fares or get beat in competition by the low-cost carriers.
Read on for some of our best examples of U.S. and Canadian airlines getting competitive with these low-cost carriers.
Cheap Flights to Visit Machu Picchu
High in the Peruvian Andes Mountains is a place we know you know: Machu Picchu. At least that's what it's been called for centuries, even though recently historians have determined that we have been calling it the wrong name !
The Incan citadel was built in the 15th century and abandoned soon after. Now, it's one of the Seven Wonders of the World, drawing hikers and travelers from all over the world eager to scratch this incomparable destination off their bucket lists.
The hike is rough, but just getting to the gates of Machu Picchu is no walk in the park, either. First, you need to get to Peru, and preferably for cheap. Luckily, that part has gotten easier these days … and cheaper!
Thrifty Traveler Premium members received this deal to Lima, Peru with fares starting at just $290 roundtrip from the U.S. That's less than many domestic flights and about $300 less than the typical prices to get to the Andean country.
These phenomenal values will get you into Peru, but another quick, cheap flight is required to get you into the Andes so you can start your journey up the mountain. Connecting flights into Cusco aren't expensive, and normally run
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