Flights from Buenos Aires to Mendoza are operated by Aerolineas Argentinas and Lan Chile.
VERY IMPORTANT: Buenos Aires has TWO airports. One is EZEIZA, and it serves international flights ONLY. And another, AEROPARQUE and that serves ONLY domestic flights So, if you are in LA and are travelling to Buenos Aires, you will land in EZEIZA International airport. And if you need to make a connecting flight to Mendoza, you need to grab a cab to Aeroparque which is a good 45 minutes drive. I had guests who were in a BA hotel, grabbed a cab to the "Airport", and on check-in, they were told that they were in the wrong airport!!. They rushed a cab to the domestic airport and almost lost their flight to Mendoza.
Another one:
If you have miles on American Airlines (AA) flights, you are eligible for those same free miles on Lan Chile, which operates here in Argentina. These miles are honored with LAN CHILE, since Lan is a member of ONE WORLD.
For now (August 2008) I wouldn't go with Aerolineas Argentinas. They are cheaper than Lan Chile, but you are NOT guaranteed a flight!! They are on a semi-permanent strike, until the government works out what to do with their fledging airline.Land travel by bus. Here you hover over the map and chose your destination. Your origin is assumed to be Buenos Aires, Retiro, which is the main bus station in Buenos Aires. Depending on the destination, you might be able to use the "executive" service which has flat beds (there are 130 degrees and 180 degrees beds) plus bathroom, and breakfast service. This is a good option in light of the rising prices.
There is no train service in Argentina.
Andesmar is a reputable bus company to travel Buenos Aires to Chile or to Mendoza. You can now buy and print the tickets using your credit card and check schedule online.
- Buenos Aires - MDZA : Departure times : 7.15 pm, 7.45 pm, 8 pm, 8.30 pm, 9 pm. Price one way, bed : 150 pesos. Date Updated August 15, 2007
- MDZA - Buenos Aires : Departure times : 4 pm, 6.15 pm, 6.30 pm, 7.30 pm, 8.15 pm. Price one way, bed : 150 pesos. Date Updated August 15, 2007
- Santiago Chile to Mendoza: Daily 8.30 am (Arrives 3.30pm), 10.00 am (Arrives 5pm), 11.30 pm (Arrives 6.30am)(Argentinian times) Schedule from Mendoza to Santiago Chile : Daily 9 am (Arrives 4pm), 12.30 pm (Arrives 7.30pm), 10.45 pm (Arrives 5.45am).
Mendoza : (+54261) 4054300
Santiago : (+562) 7796839
What should I know about exchanging money on vacation?
Most of us don’t leave our own countries when we decide to travel on vacation, so exchanging currency is not an issue. Thanks to the Internet and other new technologies, more people want to experience different cultures and see ancient traditions in person. International holidays and vacations are becoming more of a reality thanks to lower airfares and reduced hotel accommodations in different parts of the world. If a vacation in another country is in your future, proper planning will make that experience much more enjoyable and will save money in the long run, especially when you exchange currency. The days when people waited until they reached the airport in their host country to exchange money are over, especially if you want to have enough money to cover other trip expenses. Exchanging Dollars for Pesos at the airport in Argentina for example, can be a costly decision. If the Peso increases in value by 1000 points before you get to Argentina, that shift can cost you an extra $100 for every $1000 you exchange. That’s a budget breaker by anyone’s standards. The best way to exchange money is to use an averaging strategy while you’re planning the trip. When you exchange small amounts of money at different times before you leave home, you offset any major shifts in value between a trading pair. Averaging will give you real time exchange costs and will help keep your budget accurate. Averaging is especially important on extended trips when there is more money involved. Most professional travelers average their exchanges before they leave home.
Where should I exchange currency?
It’s obvious that banks exchange a lot of money. Banks add a fee to every exchange and may only post one or two rates a day, which means they may not give you a real time rate. Banks are not the most economical way to exchange money and credit card companies are much more expensive. Credit card companies use their own rate which includes their profit and they add a surcharge to every credit card transaction, so you don’t know how much money you’re spending until you get the statement and then it’s too late. Airport exchange merchants post a rate that includes their commission, so it’s best to avoid them. A currency broker watches the exchange market constantly, so they can give you a real time exchange rate when you average your exchanges. A broker will notify you when the rate is in your favor, so you can save money on each exchange. A broker does make a couple of points when you exchange currency, but they are more cost effective than exchanging money with a bank or a credit card company.
Other travel tips
Some countries have a limit on the amount of cash you can carry through customs. Argentina has a limit of $10,000 so make sure not to exceed this as you might find that customs will confiscate it or penalize you. Always carry cash in a money belt or a hidden pocket that’s secure and out of sight. Use hotel safes and other security measures when you arrive at your destination and remember that common sense is your best security weapon when you use it. To learn more about currency trading and forex, make sure to visit ForexTraders.com . The site offers countless free articles on strategies, analysis and forex brokers to help you maximize your potential as a currency trader.