Find Cheap Flights to South America with these amazing tips and tricks

So, you are looking for cheap flights to South America? Finding cheap flights anywhere, let alone to South America can seem daunting. For many, popular destinations in South America such as Peru, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia feel like worlds away. For some… they almost are (looking at you Central Asia).  Lucky for us, these popular destinations are more accessible and easy to reach than ever!

As the leading custom South America Travel Experts in the world, we want to share some of our favorite insider secrets to find the cheapest flights to South America possible. Perhaps you want to find a cheap flight from Lima to Cusco to explore Machu Picchu or from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro for a quick visit to a world-class beach. Maybe adventure travel is more your style and you want a flight to Patagonia, the Amazon Rainforest, or to Quito for a scenic train ride through Ecuador. No matter the destination in South America, this list has you covered. Here we go!

Always browse for flights in an Incognito / Private Browsing Window 

When you are browsing for flights, you must ALWAYS be browsing in an Incognito / Private Browsing Window. This is because search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others track your search history and they will and do increase the cost of flights after they see you search for a flight but not buy. Searching for cheap flights to South America in an Incognito or Private Browsing Window will not allow search engines to see what you are searching and thus, you will not see flights increase in price when you decide to purchase them later. To browse for flights in Incognito mode or in a Private Browsing Window, follow the steps below or click here for step by step instructions.  The way you enable an incognito window in Google Chrome or Safari is done by holding down Command (or “Control” on a PC), Shift, “N”. For Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, hit Command (or “Control” on a PC), Shift, “P”. If you remember one travel tip today when booking cheap flights to South America, this is the one to remember!

Check Multiple Sites to Discover the Cheap Flights to South America

The first thing to do is to always to go to www.kayak.com and www.skyscanner.net and check out what prices they have listed for airfare for your exact travel dates. Kayak is probably the most comprehensive airfare price scanner on the internet and in combination with SkyScanner.net, right off the bat, you have done a nearly complete scan of the online flight prices and deals to and from your destination. Make a note of these prices or keep the tabs on your computer open if you see a deal you don’t want to miss because these fares can change quickly.

Another good option is Google Flights which will allow you to put in your departure city and just type in “South America” as the destination to see all of your options.

Lastly, there are companies like Scott’s Cheap Flights which will email you about deals from your home airport. While it doesn’t specifically focus on South America, you never know when a good deal might pop up!

Compare Airfare with the Airline Directly

After you have checked out what the cheapest and best airfare, find the flight you liked and head over to that airline’s website directly. Search for your flight of choice and compare that price.  We have discovered that sometimes the airline’s offer unique travel specials and occasionally, even cheaper and better flight options on the exact same flight than these comprehensive airfare scanning websites!

Have Flexible Dates To Fly on the Cheapest Day of the Week

Typically the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Use the “flexible dates” option when searching for flights and see what days bring you the lowest price. You can alter your departure date or return date by up to 3 days on either end. It will scan those days and identify the cheapest combination up to as many days as you selected.

Set up Airfare Alerts and Always Buy When Airfare is Cheapest

Setting up email alerts is a great way to always be able to buy airfare when it is cheapest. You can do this easily with Kayak.com or Google Flights or Skyscanner and if you are planning your trip months ahead of time, it is a fantastic way to save a ton of money.

Once you find cheap airfare to any South America destination, don’t hesitate. Cheap airfare is often based on a lot of availability on a flight and once the flight gets a bit fuller, the price will rise.

Travel in ‘Shoulder Seasons’ or ‘Off-Peak Seasons’ for Cheap Flights to South America

A shoulder season is a travel season between peak and off-peak seasons, especially spring and fall, when fares tend to be lower and crowds tend to be down.

Traveling in Shoulder Season is a great way to save some money, enjoy nice weather and avoid the crowds and way to find cheap flights to South America. Flights tend to be quite a bit cheaper to many popular destinations during this time of year. Head over to our Best Time to Travel to South America page to see when we recommend to fly!

Book Your Trip with a Travel Agency or Tour Operator

For Insider Deals and cheap flights to South America, a travel agency/tour operator is definitely the way to go! Full-service tour operations have partnerships with airfare insiders and travel experts who can recommend and book the cheap flights to South America, along with getting you the best connections. Here at SouthAmerica.travel, we specialize in fully customized dream trips to South America, no matter your time frame or travel style, and will take care of all the details for you, from start to finish. Instead of spending your time researching the best airfare and flights in South America, you are able to spend more time exploring the world-class ruins of Machu Picchu, the glorious beaches of Brazil, or traveling through Colombia to the romantic city of Cartagena. South America truly is an amazing place full of colorful cultures, diverse people, and breathtaking natural landscapes. Let an expert take care of the details for you so that all you have to do is enjoy it.

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