Thanksgiving in 4 Places: Introduction to the South American Adventure
The Andes are just as impressive as they seem! Photo by: Evan Berman
When thinking about Thanksgiving, a few things usually come to mind: family, football, turkey and mashed potatoes, and togetherness. So it only makes sense that for Thanksgiving, I had a traditional meal flew to South America with a friend! Maybe Friendsgiving is onto something 🤔. This is the introduction to the trip, stay posted for reports of each city, flight, and hotel. As with all Trip Introductions, I will include Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How Sections.
This introduction is the beginning of the South American Adventure. For more information on this trip, follow these links:
Intro (This Article)
Flight: CHS-JFK in Delta Economy
Flight: JFK-SCL in LATAM Economy+
Osaka Santiago, Chile Restaurant Review
Flight: SCL-AEP in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: AEP-FTE in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
36 Hours in El Calafate, Argentina
Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentine Patagonia
Flight: FTE-USH in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: USH-AEP in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
2 Days in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Flight: AEP-SCL in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: SCL-MIA in LATAM Business Class
Hyatt Place Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation
Flight: FLL-CHS in Silver Airways Economy Class
Who:
I went on this trip with a close friend of mine, Austin, though we did not travel to Patagonia together.
What:
Our family did not do a traditional Thanksgiving gathering this year– in fact, we had no plans for the holiday. As such, I began asking friends if they wanted to join me in a South American trip in August and September. Once Austin committed, we began searching for flights and availability. The goal of the trip was to see Chile and get to Patagonia. As we planned and scoured over itineraries, the theme of the trip emerged:
Taste wine, meet locals, and explore the beauty of South America. As you’ll see, we managed to achieve all 3! This was also Austin’s first trip using points and miles to fly for cheap– I wanted to ensure we had lie-flight business class seats and stayed in a luxury hotel while achieving terrific values.
When:
The trip is a 10-day adventure with lots of varied experiences. We flew out of Charleston on Friday, November 18th and returned home on Monday, November 28th. If you’re looking for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, that… won’t be found here!
Where:
The final itinerary was as follows: CHS-JFK-SCL-AEP-FTE-USH-AEP-SCL-MIA, FLL-CHS. That is,
- Charleston, SC (CHS) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Delta Economy
- New York-JFK to Santiago Chile’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) in LATAM Economy+
- Santiago to Buenos Aires’ Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) to El Calafate, Argentina’s Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE) in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
- El Calafate to Ushuaia, Argentina’s Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas International Airport (USH) to Buenos Aires-AEP in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
- Buenos Aires-AEP to Santiago in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
- Santiago to Miami International Airport (MIA) in LATAM Business Class
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Charleston in Silver Airways Economy
Here is a map of that itinerary, courtesy of Great Circle Mapper:
Why:
As mentioned above, there were no Thanksgiving plans made this year. Working full-time, it can be difficult to find time to travel. We took advantage of the two days off for the holiday to have an easier time travelling long distances. We had visited Ecuador last year (stay tuned for that recap) and both share a love of the continent of South America.
Neither of us had ever been to Chile and we were excited to explore! At the last minute, we looked into visiting Buenos Aires and got the chance to explore that incredible city as well as experience the thrill from the fans that were watching their beloved national team beat Mexico, 2-0, in the World Cup.
How:
As you may have guessed, we did not pay full price for the airline tickets, nor anything else. The city-specific articles will provide exact pricing, but here’s what I spent:
Flights:
- 81,500 AmEx Membership Rewards Points
- 15,440 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
- $627.76 (using Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 Annual Travel Credit). Total cost: $327.76 out-of-pocket.
Hotels:
- 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points (9,000 per person)
- $568 before statement credits for 2 people. Total expenses for me: $318.16
For those keeping track at home, that’s 81.5k AmEx points, 33k Chase points, and $645.92 to fly from my home airport in the US to Santiago, Chile and back with an international flight in Business Class and staying in luxury hotels!
The final totals for all expenses, broken out by category and location can be found in the Conclusion article.
Highlights Include:
- A quick overnight trip to New York City (and chance to catch up with a good friend!)
- Earning and using Elite Status with SkyTeam (via Delta)
- Visiting Santiago, Chile
- Bird-watching and enjoying tasty food in El Calafate, Argentina
- Trekking on a glacier in Argentine Patagonia
- Stopping in the southernmost inhabited city in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina
- Flying lie-flat Business Class back to the US (LATAM 787-900)
- Using Hyatt mid-tier status earned via a Status Challenge
- Flying (*gulp*) Silver Airways
We planned the logistics of this trip in October and I was still able to find non-stop business class award availability for 2 and use credit card perks and points to have a trip worth $10,000+ for a little bit over $1,000 including food and drinks. Stay tuned for the beautiful details and as always, reach out with any questions. Hope y’all had a great Thanksgiving and were Maxing Out Memories however you saw fit!
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