South America: How to Use Points and Miles for Your Trip

How to get to South America with points?

Even though South America is less well served than other continents, several reward programs let you reach it efficiently, especially from the major Canadian cities.

Travel to South America with Aeroplan points

The Aeroplan program is an excellent option for planning a trip to South America, thanks to its vast network of Star Alliance partners, including Avianca, Copa Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada. These airlines make it easy to reach popular destinations such as Bogotá, Lima, Buenos Aires or Santiago, often with a single connection from Canada, or even with direct flights.

One of Aeroplan’s great advantages is the option to add a stopover of up to 45 days for only 5,000 extra points on a one-way ticket. This lets you visit two South American cities on the same trip while maximizing the value of your points. For example, you could stop over in Panama City, Lima or Bogotá before reaching your final destination.

The points price depends on the distance travelled, according to the Aeroplan pricing charts between the « North America » zone and the « South America » zone.

Here are a few concrete examples of itineraries and distances, showing typical one-way prices:

• Montreal – Bogotá: 3,807 miles
• Toronto – Lima: 3,836 miles
• Montreal – Sao Paulo: 5,042 miles

These distances directly affect the cost in points. Shorter routes to the north of the continent (such as Colombia or Peru) are therefore more economical, around 30,000 points for a one-way economy ticket, while flights to Argentina or Chile, farther south, require more points.

For travellers looking for more comfort, business class flights to South America are relatively accessible through Aeroplan. Fares start around 50,000 points and vary with distance and availability.

Since Air Canada uses dynamic pricing, it can be better to find flights on partners like Copa Airlines or Avianca to pay a fixed price. That said, it is sometimes possible to find good fares with Air Canada if you are flexible on your dates, because dynamic pricing can go both ways.

Copa Airlines serves several secondary cities in South America from its hub in Panama City. This can be an excellent way to explore less touristy regions or combine several destinations.

Emirates between Miami and Bogotá with Aeroplan

Did you know you can fly Emirates between Miami and Bogotá on a so-called fifth-freedom flight? This flight, operated by a Boeing 777, is bookable with Aeroplan points, even though Emirates is not part of Star Alliance.

This segment between Miami and Bogotá is one of the few that lets you experience Emirates’ renowned service without leaving the Americas. You will find both business class and the famous first class!

• Typical fare: between 60,000 and 70,000 Aeroplan points in business class, and over 100,000 points for first class.
• You can add a connecting flight from Canada to Miami on the same award ticket. However, because of the flight times, you will very likely have an overnight layover in Miami.

This option remains far more expensive than the traditional Star Alliance partners for a short 3.5-hour flight, but it can be worth the detour for a premium experience without having to travel through Dubai.

Take advantage of Aeroplan’s geographic arbitrage

Thanks to its pricing structure based on zones and distances, the Aeroplan program sometimes allows surprisingly advantageous combinations. This is what we call geographic arbitrage. It is not possible everywhere, but it can work for a trip to South America involving countries in the north-western region of the continent.

Take the example of a trip to Colombia:

• A direct Montreal – Bogotá flight will generally cost you 30,000 points in economy or 50,000 points in business (one way), because you are travelling between the North America and South America zones over a distance of more than 2,800 miles.

But if you slightly adjust your itinerary so that Bogotá becomes a stopover and your final destination is Panama City (located in the North America zone according to Aeroplan), then you change pricing zones:

• Montreal – Bogotá (stopover) – Panama City, totalling about 3,300 miles, will be priced as a flight within the North America zone, at 22,500 points + 5,000 points for the stopover, i.e. 27,500 points in economy and 40,000 points in business.

For the return, you can book PTY–YUL, an intra-zone North America route of less than 2,500 miles, at 12,500 points in economy or 25,000 points in business.

So your round trip to Colombia, with an extended stopover (up to 45 days) in Bogotá, comes to 40,000 points in economy (27,500 points + 12,500 points, including the cost of the stopover) or 65,000 points in business, versus 60,000 to 100,000 points at the standard fare. For a family of four, that can represent up to 140,000 points saved compared with booking this Colombia trip in a straight line.

This trick relies on the fact that, even though you should not theoretically be able to stop over in another pricing zone, the Aeroplan system currently allows it.

Note: the Air Canada flight between Montreal and Bogotá usually does not offer a true business class (rather premium economy). On the other hand, Copa Airlines or Avianca offer a « recliner » business class (not lie-flat) on segments like Bogotá-Panama, which explains the « mixed cabin » mentions when booking.

To accumulate the points needed for an award ticket to South America with Aeroplan more quickly, you have several options:

• Sign up for an Aeroplan credit card with a large welcome bonus (often between 50,000 and, in some cases, over 100,000 points)
• Transfer points from partner programs such as American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 ratio)
• Buy Aeroplan points during promotions

Travel to South America with Avios and AAdvantage points

The Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways) and AAdvantage (American Airlines) programs, both members of the Oneworld alliance, offer interesting solutions to reach South America, especially by combining a short getaway to the United States with a long-haul flight in points.

The Avios program works with a distance-based pricing chart, which makes it an advantageous option for short- and medium-haul flights. However, the program is not as advantageous for business class flights on American Airlines and LATAM.

Here are a few concrete examples:

• Montreal – Miami – Bogotá (American Airlines) in economy class: 36,000 Avios
• Montreal – New York – Sao Paulo (American Airlines) in economy class: 37,750 Avios
• Lima – Sao Paulo (LATAM): 17,000 Avios

One of the Avios program’s major advantages is how easy it is to accumulate for Canadians. Several options are available:

• RBC Avion Rewards points: they accumulate easily and transfer at a 1:1 rate to Avios, with bonuses (up to 30–35%) once or twice a year
• American Express Membership Rewards points: transferable at 1:1 to Avios
• RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card: lets you accumulate Avios directly on your purchases, with generous welcome offers and annual spending bonuses

American Airlines and LATAM cover a wide range of South American destinations, particularly from their hubs in Miami, Dallas or New York. LATAM is no longer part of Oneworld, but it has maintained its partnership with Avios, so you can use your points through British Airways Club or Qatar Airways Privilege Club, for example. LATAM has a strong presence in South America, so keep it in mind for your intra-continental flights.

The AAdvantage program still offers a degree of pricing stability thanks to its semi-dynamic chart. It is therefore possible to get good redemptions, especially in economy or business class, on flights operated by American Airlines to South America.

A few examples of prices in AAdvantage miles:

• Montreal – Miami – Bogotá (American Airlines) in economy class: 20,000 AAdvantage
• Montreal – Miami – Sao Paulo (American Airlines) in economy class: 30,000 AAdvantage

Availability is generally good, especially from Miami, and award tickets can often be booked at the last minute too.

The AAdvantage program is accessible in Canada mainly through RBC Avion points, which transfer at a rate of 10,000 Avion = 7,000 AAdvantage miles. Although there is no Canadian AAdvantage card, this partnership lets you feed the program, notably to book flights with American Airlines or LATAM.

Travel to South America with SkyMiles

For Canadians looking to use their points to South America, Delta SkyMiles and Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) are two accessible programs, notably to book flights operated by Delta, AeroMexico or LATAM, although they are not the most advantageous for this region. Delta serves South America through its U.S. hubs (Atlanta, New York, Miami), with award tickets available through SkyMiles and sometimes through Flying Blue.

Copa Airlines, although affiliated with Flying Blue, offers more limited availability than Aeroplan. For its part, LATAM, although no longer part of SkyTeam, remains accessible through SkyMiles depending on availability. Finally, Aerolineas Argentinas is now the only official SkyTeam member in South America, which limits this alliance’s presence compared with Star Alliance or Oneworld in the region.

The best values with SkyMiles often involve economy class flights operated by Delta or LATAM. Business class tickets, on the other hand, are often expensive in points. Here are a few sample fares:

• Montreal – Quito (via Atlanta) with Delta starting at 14,000 SkyMiles
• Toronto – São Paulo (via Atlanta) with Delta starting at 35,000 SkyMiles
• New York – Lima with LATAM at about 32,000 SkyMiles

Both SkyMiles and Flying Blue apply dynamic pricing. The number of points required depends on demand, season, class of service and booking dates. It is therefore best to book several months in advance to get the best fares.

Although Flying Blue lets you book Delta flights, availability is limited, because Delta releases few award seats to its partners. It is sometimes possible to find a flight between Atlanta and São Paulo, but more rarely from Montreal. In addition, Flying Blue often offers itineraries on Air France or KLM via Paris or Amsterdam, which needlessly lengthens the trip to South America.

Delta also runs flash sales, sometimes barely advertised, covering the United States, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and, occasionally, South America. It is therefore wise to watch these promotions, especially if you are flexible on dates or departure airports.

Delta does not yet offer a co-branded credit card in Canada, but Canadian travellers can accumulate SkyMiles through American Express Canada Membership Rewards points.

This program lets cardholders transfer their points to SkyMiles at the following rate: 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 750 SkyMiles.

Travel to South America with travel points

As with other regions of the world, « statement credit » type programs are an excellent option to book a trip to South America with full flexibility. These programs let you apply your points directly to your credit card statement to reimburse a travel-related purchase, notably a flight paid for in cash.

This becomes particularly useful when:

• Award tickets with traditional airline programs are hard to find or too expensive in points
• You find an excellent cash price where your airline points are less well valued
• You want to travel on a local low-cost carrier, such as SKY Airline

Unlike airline loyalty programs (like Aeroplan or Avios), travel points are not tied to an alliance or a partner network. You are therefore free to book a flight with the airline of your choice, including those that are little or not represented in the major reward programs. They give you a lot of latitude, especially to explore regions of South America where award flights are less frequent or poorly served by airline partners.

This notably lets you take advantage of the best prices available on search engines, like Google Flights or Skyscanner, without the constraints of limited award availability.

Here are some of the most widely used travel points programs in Canada:

• Scene+
• NBC Rewards
• CIBC Aventura
• TD Rewards

These programs generally let you reimburse travel purchases at a fixed rate, which ensures great transparency on the value of your points.

As a bonus, since the ticket is paid for in cash, you also accumulate airline points (Flying Blue, Aeroplan, etc.) on that flight.

What is the best points program to travel to South America?

The choice of the most advantageous points program to book a flight to South America depends on several factors, which vary with your personal priorities and travel style.

However, in most cases, Aeroplan stands out as the simplest and most advantageous solution, notably because of its availability, flexibility and competitive fares. It also works with SkyMiles, Flying Blue, Avios and AAdvantage, as we have shown in this article, but it is generally easier with Aeroplan.

In addition, the ability to add an extended 45-day stopover for only 5,000 points lets you string together several South American cities within a single award ticket. By combining good planning with a bit of flexibility on dates, Aeroplan often delivers excellent value for money.

That said, here are a few key elements to consider:

• Award seat availability: some programs offer better access to flights to certain South American cities, with fewer restrictions and more fixed-price seats.
• Ease of accumulating points: depending on the credit card you use and your spending habits, some points are faster to accumulate than others.
• Booking flexibility: the ability to combine different partners, add stopovers or use points as statement credits can influence your choice.

Travel points (NBC Rewards, Scene+, CIBC Aventura, TD Rewards, etc.) are also worth considering if you spot a particularly good cash fare, or if award availability in points is limited.

As always, it is essential to compare the options. A program like Aeroplan may seem optimal on paper, but if award tickets are unavailable on your desired dates, or if another airline offers better fares at the time of booking, that reality will guide your final choice.

To help with your research, tools like Roame and Google Flights can help you quickly spot the options and award availability based on your travel dates, so you can compare choices across several programs.

Where to stay in South America with points?

Stay at chain hotels like Marriott Bonvoy

Just as with flights, you can use your points to significantly reduce your accommodation costs in South America. The Marriott Bonvoy program, in particular, is an excellent option thanks to its wide presence on the continent, with well-located properties in the major cultural capitals and tourist regions.

Whether you want to explore the Andean peaks, the Brazilian beaches or the historic districts of cities like Lima, Bogotá or Buenos Aires, Marriott offers a range of hotels from affordable to high-end.

Here are a few examples of Marriott properties accessible with your points:

• Courtyard Lima Miraflores, Peru
• JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, Peru
• Renaissance Sao Paulo, Brazil
• JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Residence Inn Bogota, Colombia

With the fifth night free when you book five nights with your points, you can maximize the value of your Marriott Bonvoy points, especially if you stay several days in the same city.

In addition, if you hold the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card, you will receive a free night certificate each year, redeemable at hotels that are often worth far more than the cost of the card.

Stay at independent or alternative accommodations with travel points

For travellers seeking authenticity or a more direct connection with local communities, South America is full of independent hotels, posadas, eco-lodges, hostels and Airbnbs tucked into spectacular settings: Amazon jungle, Andean villages, hidden beaches or lively colonial centres.

In this case, travel points programs like NBC Rewards, TD Rewards, Scene+ or CIBC Aventura are particularly useful. As with flights, these points work on the statement credit principle, letting you use your points to reimburse, fully or partially, any travel purchase charged to your card.

This approach offers maximum flexibility, especially if you explore areas less served by the major hotel chains or if you book at the last minute.

What activities to book in South America with your points or credit cards?

Beyond booking your flights with points, you can also enhance your stay in South America by using your credit cards or reward programs to book tourist activities, excursions or guided tours. Several platforms let you do this while accumulating points or using those you have already earned.

G Adventures

G Adventures is a Canadian company specializing in responsible, small-group adventure travel. It offers many tours in South America, from the trek to Machu Picchu to discovering Patagonia, by way of the Amazon jungle. I actually visited Patagonia with this company.

Payments on G Adventures qualify as travel expenses under several travel points programs (such as those of National Bank, Scotia or CIBC). This means you can book a tour, then apply your points as a statement credit to get a reimbursement.

Civitatis and GetYourGuide

Civitatis and GetYourGuide are two popular platforms for booking guided tours, local activities and skip-the-line tickets in most major South American cities. You can find:

• Excursions from Cusco to Machu Picchu or the Sacred Valley
• Food tours in Lima or Medellín
• Cruises in the delta islands of Buenos Aires
• Glacier hikes in Patagonia

Bookings made through the Civitatis and GetYourGuide platforms are also considered travel purchases by most credit card issuers. You can therefore apply your « statement credit » points to reimburse these expenses, or take advantage of promotions by paying with certain premium cards.

It is an excellent way to add value to your trip without spending more, while giving yourself an enriching experience on the ground.

What travel insurance for a trip to South America?

When you head to South America, it is important to travel with suitable insurance. Whether for medical emergencies, flight cancellations or lost baggage, good coverage saves you from high costs and major headaches.

Credit card travel insurance

Some credit cards include travel insurance coverage when a certain percentage of your trip is paid for with the card.

Here are the main coverages generally included:

• Out-of-country emergency medical insurance (often up to 15 or 25 days for those under 65)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Baggage delay and loss insurance
• Flight delay insurance and travel accident coverage

It is nonetheless very important to check the exact conditions of your card: some require that the entire trip be paid for with the card, others impose age or eligibility limits, or do not cover adventure sports.

Before you leave, read the terms of your contract carefully and call the insurer associated with your card for any clarification.

soNomad

If your card does not offer enough coverage, or if you want total peace of mind, you can opt for specialized travel insurance like soNomad.

soNomad is a Canadian company that offers affordable travel insurance, notably for long stays, multi-destination trips and digital nomads. soNomad often delivers better value for coverage than the insurance offered by traditional agencies or airlines.

So start by checking the protections offered by your credit card. If they are not enough, turn to an independent solution like soNomad for complete coverage, often at a reasonable cost.

Bottom line

South America is more accessible than ever for Canadian travellers who know how to leverage their points. Whether you opt for a direct itinerary or an ingenious combination with several partners, you can enjoy an incredible adventure while significantly cutting your costs.

Use programs like Aeroplan, Avios, Flying Blue or even travel points depending on your profile and preferences. And do not forget to also optimize your accommodation with Marriott points or travel credits.

South America is waiting for you; it is up to you to plan smartly so you can go without breaking the bank.

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