Would appreciate learning more about UA flights to S.America:
gateways in USA to EZE & SCL especially. Am trying to book on points,
connecting from YUL via USA. Many tks

UA doesnt fly to SCL anymore, they stopped a while ago. As to EZE, it is served from IAD, flight number UA847 departing at 9:48PM and arriving at 9:20AM the next day, 767-300 btw

So from what I understand, the entire Pan Am route system to South America that United bought at the "fire sale" in '91 has been dismantled?

So has UA totally ben shut out of international Miami ops?

In 2002 there were quite a few 767's and 777's headed for South America.

UAL

United's South America network is a shadow of its former self. Less than ten years ago, United flew nonstop from the U.S. -- mostly MIA -- to Caracas, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. However, increased competition from other U.S. carriers expanding in the region (namely Continental and Delta) and the continual challenge of having to go up against the 800 lb. gorilla (namely American) which so handely dominates the region, forced United to recede, which was a smart business decision. Today, United has only three daily flights to the region -- daily nonstop service from Chicago and Washington to Sao Paulo, with a connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro, and a daily nonstop flight from Washington to Buenos Aires, continuing on to Montevideo.

If you're trying to get to Santiago and still get United miles, ordinarily you would just fly to GRU and connect onto a VARIG flight to Santiago. However, with VARIG's present situation, I would never buy a ticket on them for fear I'd lose the value of the ticket, plus lose the reservation itself and have to seek alternative options. In this case, you're best bet is probably to fly Montreal-Miami-Santiago with a single stop on American or fly Montreal-Atlanta-Santiago with a single stop on Delta, although the Delta piece from to Atlanta would be on an RJ most likely. Or you could always fly on Air Canada via Toronto, and you could still get your Star Alliance miles, but it has a limited schedule and would require a second intermediate stop at Buenos Aires on certain days of the week.

Wow, this is quite a suprise. AC flies daily YYZ-SCL-EZE, and apparently have already run out of available redemption seats, hence my interest in their Star Alliance partner UA. Do not have enough points to fly on AA or DL....many tks for yr replies..it surely helps.

Hey Canib7599-

I would suggest checking out the *Alliance website. You can check scheduling and routing options for your desired itinerary. It will show you all *A connection possibilities.

I encountered the same problem last year when trying to redeem United miles to SCL from DEN. One option that I found was taking UA to GRU and connecting to LH onward to SCL. However, I believe LH has, or will soon, discontinue service to SCL.

Picarus

Picarus....many tks for this usefull info....what is the correct web-site?

cheers

Picarus....pls ignore previous message, as I found the website..tks

I don't know if this is of any help to you, but how about you book the UA IAD-EZE-IAD flight with your points and then just find a cheap way (i.e., LA, AR, or a European carrier) to fly between EZE and SCL?

Quoting EddieDude (Reply 9): I don't know if this is of any help to you, but how about you book the UA IAD-EZE-IAD flight with your points and then just find a cheap way (i.e., LA, AR, or a European carrier) to fly between EZE and SCL?

AC, AF, LA and AR are all in the same price range. Around 300 dls (tax incl.)

Cheers!  
Gastón - The MD11junkie

Quoting Canib7599 (Reply 5): Do not have enough points to fly on AA or DL

In the FWIW department.
AmEx has been throwing non-stop bonus mile opportunities at me on my SkyMiles card.

They have their standard Always Double Miles, but I am seeing promotions like:
-- 20% bonus SkyMiles on all purchases any time I spend more than $5,000 in a single month.
-- Double Miles on everything for 3 months.
-- IIRC there was also like a 25% Spring Bonus or something

I have heard of some people getting triple miles promotions for a couple of months.
Plus DL has a deal with Avis that scored me about 2,500 SkyMiles on my last road-trip.

I'm mentioning all this because when you add all of that up with the 17,500 SkyMiles that you get just for signing up for a card, you can rack yourself up a free trip very quickly.

If you already have some SkyMiles, this could really do the trick.

I have earned 51,855 SkyMiles so far this year, and I've only taken 5 short flights with them.

Like I said, FWIW.

Eddie Dude & MD11 Junkie::: muchas gracias !!
Excellent suggestion , as I only would require a OW SCL-EZE, seeing that
we are planning a cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso ( i.e open jaw)

Abrazo desde YUL

Quoting Picarus (Reply 6): UA to GRU and connecting to LH onward to SCL. However, I believe LH has, or will soon, discontinue service to SCL.

LX took over the route. so it's still star alliance

No more ORD-EZE? When was that yanked?

Maybe we should ask Air Canada to start YYZ-ORD-SCL since AC will be doing YYZ-LAX-SYD by using the 5th freedom right  

Quoting Shane (Reply 14): No more ORD-EZE? When was that yanked?

ORD-EZE is a seasonal route now, december- march. the flight will return in time for the christmas high season to Argentina