The Best Ways To Fly to Argentina With Points and Miles

The Andes Mountains, tango dancing, Mendoza wine country, and Patagonia are just a few of the many things that you can explore on your trip to Argentina. With so much to offer, you may be wondering how best to use miles and points to get there from the U.S.

Argentina is served by 1 major airport in Buenos Aires (EZE). There are several large airports nearby in Santiago (SCL), São Paulo (GRU), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), and Lima (LIM), which would be easy places to connect through en route from the U.S.

Best Programs to Use to Book Flights

Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance partner airlines all offer flights between the U.S. and Argentina — great news as this means you have plenty of award flight options. No matter where you live in the U.S., you should be able to fly nonstop or have only 1 connection on your way to this beautiful part of the world.

One important note is that all award pricing shown is round-trip. Outside of ANA and Korean Air, simply halve the number of miles shown in the award chart if you’re looking to book a one-way flight. With that said, let’s evaluate how best to book your next flight to Argentina!

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

The Mileage Plan program is known for many things but a couple of the most notable are the ability to book stopovers and its competitive award charts. Alaska Airlines is not in an airline alliance, meaning that you can use Alaska Airlines airline partners to fly from the U.S. to Argentina for a reasonable number of miles.

Without a doubt, earning Alaska Airlines miles is the most challenging aspect of its loyalty program. However, if you’re able to earn its miles, you’ll be able to unlock a ton of value by booking partner airline flights across the world.

For those of you with enough Alaska Airlines miles to book a flight to Argentina, here are a couple of flight options to consider:

• Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 50,000 Alaska miles in LATAM off-peak economy
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Lima (LIM) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 90,000 Alaska miles in LATAM business class

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Earning Alaska Airlines miles is notoriously challenging for 2 main reasons. The first reason is that the airline only has 1 transferable point program partnership, and that’s with Marriott Bonvoy. The second reason is because co-branded Alaska Airlines credit cards don’t offer big welcome offers.

Travelers looking to transfer Marriott points to Alaska Airlines should note the transfer takes 4 days at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll also receive a 5,000-mile bonus with every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer to Alaska Airlines.

We cover the large number of Marriott credit cards available in our detailed guide.

Bottom Line: Alaska Airlines award pricing for economy and business class flights to South America sits comfortably in the middle of this list. 

ANA Mileage Club

Known for its premium onboard experience and premium cabins, ANA and the Mileage Club program is our first Star Alliance program. ANA uses region-based charts that not only provide solid award prices when booking its own flights, but also on partner flights to South America.

If your goal is flexibility in your award booking, other Star Alliance programs like Aeroplan, Avianca, or United are what you should focus on. ANA doesn’t allow you to book one-way partner airline flights so keep this in mind as you start your award search.

Hot Tip: ANA offers middle-of-the-road award pricing options for economy and business class flights to South America. Of the 2, business class is the more competitive award flight option. 

When your account is flush with ANA miles, here are a couple of flights to consider booking:

• Newark (EWR) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 88,000 ANA miles in United business class
• San Francisco (SFO) – Panama City (PTY) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 55,000 ANA miles in COPA economy

The booking process with ANA is straightforward. Here are the steps required to book a flight:

1. Search for flights on United.
2. Confirm the same availability on ANA.
3. Book the flight online.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Miles

ANA has partnerships with American Express and Marriott Bonvoy making it relatively easy to earn ANA Mileage Club miles. Points earned in these programs can be transferred directly to ANA. Unfortunately, ANA doesn’t offer a co-branded credit card for the U.S. market so American Express and Marriott point transfers will help you to earn miles the quickest.

Point transfer times and ratios are different so it’s important to know that American Express point transfers take 2-3 days at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott point transfers take 7 days at a 3:1 ratio. We recommend starting with American Express by applying for these Amex credit cards:

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

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When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
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• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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American Express^® Gold Card

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This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

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Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

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Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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Bottom Line: ANA doesn’t offer the lowest award pricing to South America, however, it’s easy to book award flights using ANA miles by transferring points from American Express. 

Asiana Airlines Asiana Club

The Asiana Airlines Asiana Club program is our second Star Alliance airline partner. Its award program is known for having some of the lowest prices for award flights around the world, including flights to South America.

Before we dive into this redemption, it’s important to note that Asiana Airlines partner award flights can’t be searched on its website. This means that a phone call is required to book a partner award flight.

Hot Tip: United is the best website to use for Star Alliance award flights. Familiarize yourself with how to use its search functions and you’ll make the award booking process easier. 

The great news about using a Star Alliance airline partner is the fact that you have plenty of flight options including these:

• Chicago (ORD) – Newark (EWR) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 50,000 Asiana miles in United Airlines economy
• Washington (IAD) – Bogotá (BOG) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 70,000 Asiana miles in Avianca business class

As previously mentioned, a phone call is required to book an award flight so keep that in mind as you follow these steps:

1. Search for Star Alliance partner flights on United.
2. Call Asiana Airlines at 800-227-4262 between 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. PST on Monday-Friday.
3. Book the flight over the phone.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Asiana Airlines Miles

Earning Asiana Airlines miles is notoriously difficult as Asiana only has 1 partnership with a transferable point program in Marriott Bonvoy. Asiana Airlines does offer a credit card for the U.S. market so a combination of earning Marriott points and putting your spend on Asiana credit cards will help you to earn the miles that you need.

Point transfers from Marriott to Asiana Airlines take 4 days at a 3:1 ratio. Separately, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus with every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer. Keep both of these things in mind before transferring any of your points.

Bottom Line: Asiana Airlines offers the lowest award price for business class flights to South America. Economy pricing isn’t as competitive as business class, however, you’ll likely still receive respectable value. 

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

The first Oneworld airline partner to make our list is Cathay Pacific. The airline is best known for the ability to book British Airways flights with reduced fuel surcharges. What you may have not considered is using Asia Miles to book a flight to Argentina.

A notable downside with this redemption is that American Airlines and LATAM award flights require a phone call to book.

Hot Tip: Use the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Standard Award and add 5,000 miles to the cost of the award flight shown in your zone if you’re flying 1 Oneworld airline partner. 

Examples of award flights that you can book with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles include:

• Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) or 54,000 Cathay Pacific miles in American Airlines economy
• Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 100,000 Cathay Pacific miles in LATAM business class

The award booking process is made easier by using these steps:

1. Search for American flights on American; LATAM flights on British Airways/Qantas.
2. Call Cathay Pacific at 866-892-2598 to confirm award availability.
3. Book the flight over the phone.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is easy because the airline has partnerships with American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy. Cathay Pacific also offers a co-branded credit card for the U.S. market. A combination of transferable points and spend on the Cathay Pacific credit card will ensure you have a constant stream of Asia Miles at your disposal.

For those of you with American Express, Capital One, Citi, and/or Marriott points, the transfer times and ratios are as follows:

• American Express points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio
• Capital One Miles transfers take 3 days at a 1:1 ratio
• Citi point transfers take 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio, and
• Marriott point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

With that said, we recommend checking out these Capital One credit cards:

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

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Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Bottom Line: Cathay Pacific economy and business class award pricing is at the bottom of the pack in this list. Consider using other Oneworld award programs to get even more value. 

Etihad Guest

Another airline outside of a major airline alliance is Etihad. Like Alaska Airlines, Etihad has partnerships with individuals airlines. This works in our favor as you can fly American Airlines at competitive award prices to Argentina.

One main downside when using Etihad miles to book partner airline flights is that a phone call is required to book the flight. Thankfully, the Etihad agents are competent, making it relatively easy to book the flight that you need.

Hot Tip: British Airways and Qantas will be the 2 best websites to use to search for American Airlines award flights. 

American Airlines flies several routes to Argentina including:

• New York (JFK) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 40,000 Etihad miles in American Airlines economy
• Dallas (DFW) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 100,000 Etihad miles in American Airlines business class

When you’re ready to book a flight, the following steps will help with the booking process:

1. Search for American Airlines flights on British Airways and Qantas.
2. Call Etihad at 877-690-0767 to confirm award availability.
3. Book the flight over the phone.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Etihad Guest Miles

You’ll have no issue earning Etihad Guest miles because the airline has partnerships with American Express, Capital One, Citi Points, and Etihad. The points you earn in these programs can be transferred directly to Etihad.

The transfer ratios and transfer times are different across the programs so keep these guidelines in mind: American Express points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One Miles transfers take 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Citi transfers take 7 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 3 days at a 1:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive 5,000 bonus miles.

Bottom Line: Using Etihad miles to fly American Airlines economy is the cheapest way to book an economy flight from the U.S. to Argentina. 

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

Our second Oneworld airline partner program is Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. Japan Airlines routinely has the lowest prices for Oneworld flights, and for flights to Argentina, it’s no different.

Like many award programs in this list, one of the primary downsides to Japan Airlines is that its miles are hard to earn. However, if you’re able to amass these miles, you can book a ton of extremely competitive award flights.

Hot Tip: Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart but the value you’ll get from your miles actually increases the further you travel. For example, flying 5,000 miles doesn’t cost exactly double the miles of flying 2,500 miles!

Examples of flights to Argentina that you can book with Japan Airlines miles include:

• Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 85,000 Japan Airlines miles in LATAM business class
• Miami (MIA)  – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 110,000 Japan Airlines miles in American Airlines first class

The process to book award flights with Japan Airlines is easy using these steps:

1. Search for American Airlines flights on British Airways and Qantas.
2. Confirm the same availability on Japan Airlines.
3. Book the flight online.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Earning Mileage Bank miles is challenging for the simple fact that there are not many ways to earn them. Marriott is the only transferable program partner and the Japan Airlines co-branded credit card isn’t one worth considering due to the lack of a welcome offer.

For those of you with Marriott points that you’re looking to transfer, the point transfers to Japan Airlines take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 points that you transfer, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus.

Bottom Line: Japan Airlines offers the fewest number of miles to fly to South America in first class. Using Etihad miles to fly American Airlines first class would also be a great option.  

Korean Air SKYPASS

The lone SkyTeam program to make our list is Korean Air SKYPASS. The airline is primarily known for its premium cabin experience as well as competitive award charts on partner airline flights. For Argentina, Korean Air is a great option for those who want to fly SkyTeam.

Korean Air’s website is one of the many downsides to using Korean Air miles. We recommend finding award space elsewhere, and either confirming the same availability on Korean Air or calling the airline to book an award flight.

Hot Tip: Korean Air will pass on fuel surcharges, however, the fuel surcharges on Delta flights to Argentina are mild compared to what you may see when flying Delta to Europe. 

SkyTeam offers a few different flight options to Argentina including:

• New York (JFK) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 50,000 SKYPASS miles in Aerolineas Argentinas economy
• Atlanta (ATL) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 110,000 Delta business class

The booking process using Korean Air SKYPASS miles is as follows:

1. Search for saver level SkyTeam flights on Air France, Delta, and/or KLM.
2. Confirm the same award availability on Korean Air or call Korean Air at 800-438-5000 to confirm availability.
3. Book the flight online or over the phone.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Korean Air SKYPASS Miles

It can be difficult to earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles because the airline only has 1 partnership with Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott point transfers take 48 hours at a 3:1 ratio.

Korean Air also offers a co-branded credit card for the U.S. market and the spend you put on this card directly earns Korean Air miles.

Bottom Line: We recommend checking the award prices on Air France, Delta, and KLM. Each award program uses dynamic award pricing instead of award charts. This means the award price will be tied to the cash cost of the flight.  

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

A Star Alliance member that may surprise you to be on this list is Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program. The airline is best known for using its own miles to fly Singapore Airlines first and business class flights around the world.

The challenge you may find with Singapore Airlines is that not all destinations can be searched on its website. If that happens to you, you’ll need to call Singapore Airlines to book the partner award flight.

Hot Tip: The only way to book Singapore Airlines first and business class is with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles. 

You have plenty of flight routes to Argentina on Star Alliance partners including:

• Washington (IAD) – Newark (EWR) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 66,000 KrisFlyer miles in United Airlines economy
• San Francisco (SFO) – Houston (IAH) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 130,000 KrisFlyer miles in United Airlines business class

The booking process for booking award flights with Singapore Airlines miles is as follows:

1. Search for Star Alliance flights on United.
2. Confirm the same award availability on Singapore Airlines.
3. Call Singapore Airlines 800-742-3333 if your city isn’t searchable on Singapore Airlines.
4. Book the flight online or over the phone.
5. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

American Express, Chase, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy have partnerships with Singapore Airlines making it easy to earn Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles. The points that you earn in each of these programs can be transferred directly to Singapore Airlines to book an award flight.

Transfer times and ratios across these programs are different so use these guidelines before transferring any points: American Express point transfers take 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase, Citi, and Capital One point transfers take 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott point transfers take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus with every 60,000 point transfer.

Bottom Line: For Star Alliance award flight redemptions, Singapore Airlines award pricing will be at or near the bottom for economy and business class flights. 

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Another airline not in a major airline alliance is Virgin Atlantic. Like Alaska Airlines and Etihad, Virgin Atlantic has partnerships with individual airlines. Delta is one of the most well-known of its airline partners because of the competitive award prices offered when flying Delta, especially to Argentina.

An important downside to note with Virgin Atlantic is that not all destinations can be searched on its website. If the city you are flying to/from doesn’t appear on the website, you’ll need to call Virgin Atlantic to book the award flight.

Hot Tip: You’ll want to book nonstop Delta award flights because connections require you to pay additional Virgin Points. 

Examples of Delta flights to both Argentina and South America include:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Buenos Aires (EZE) for 45,000 Virgin Points in Delta economy
• Atlanta (ATL) – Santiago (SCL) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class

For the Atlanta to Santiago route, you’ll need to buy a cash ticket or book an award flight between Santiago (SCL) and Buenos Aires (EZE) as Delta doesn’t fly this route.

This Virgin Atlantic redemption only pertains to Delta flights, so you can’t fly another Virgin partner airline for the same number of Virgin Points shown above. Air Canada, KLM, and LATAM fly between Santiago and Buenos Aires. This gives you a Star Alliance airline (Air Canada) and a SkyTeam airline (KLM) option.

Avianca LifeMiles and Singapore KrisFlyer are the cheapest Star Alliance options at 12,500 miles to book a one-way economy flight. British Airways is the cheapest Oneworld option as this program requires 9,000 Avios (miles) to book a one-way economy flight.

For SkyTeam flights, you’ll need to check the Air France, Delta, and KLM sites as each uses dynamic (not fixed) award pricing. Korean Air uses an award chart, however, intra-South America award flight pricing is not shown.

Use the steps below when booking Delta flights:

1. Search for Delta flights on Virgin Atlantic.
2. Book the Delta flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees online

For cities not shown on Virgin Atlantic, the steps below will help in the process:

1. Search for saver level Delta flights on Delta.
2. Call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500.
3. Book the flight over the phone.
4. Pay the taxes and fees over the phone.

Earning Virgin Points

American Express, Chase, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy all partner with Virgin Atlantic so it’s extremely easy to earn Virgin Points. Virgin Atlantic also offers a co-branded credit card for the U.S. market that earns Virgin Points directly with your spend.

With so many transferable point partners, it’s helpful to note these transfer ratios and times: American Express point transfers take 1-2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Citi point transfers take 2 days a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 1 day at a 3:1 ratio. If you transfer 60,000 Marriott points, you’ll receive a 5,000-point bonus. With that said, check out these Chase credit cards that we recommend:

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

BEST BEGINNER CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.74% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

21.74% - 28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.74% - 28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Business owner? See our list of the best Chase business cards.

Bottom Line: Virgin Atlantic should be one of the first programs you check out if you need to book a Delta award flight. 

Final Thoughts

Argentina is a country filled with so many things to see and do. It can also be the ideal jumping-off point to seeing other cities and countries in South America. And now with this guide, you’ll know how best to book your next trip using your miles and points.

In summary, earning transferable points from American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy is what we recommend. These points give you the power to decide what makes the most sense for you when booking flights to Argentina.