NEW RIO FLIGHT OPTIONS

[trilingual]

Got an e-mail from Varig today (as others of you probably have, as well). They're inaugurating more flights from MIA to RIO. Not only are more non-stops welcome, these are DAYLIGHT flights! I.e., you leave MIA or RIO around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. and arrive at the destination city around 6:30 p.m.!!! In time for dinner and a romp!

 

It looks like flights through July will only be four a week, around the weekends, and after Aug. 1st only on Sat. and Sun. but that's when most people are traveling, anyway!

 

They were also advertising $400 round trip ($1500 business) if booked on their site at http://www.varigbrasil.com Of course, if you belong to the Star Alliance (United) mileage group you can earn miles on your Varig flights.

 

Let's hope this is the start of a trend, and better service to Rio. BTW, the Brazilian government announced that almost all domestic flights from Rio (with the exception of the SP shuttle) will move from Santos Dumont to Galeao (the international airport) sometime in August. In part this is because they're about to start rebuilding the overcrowded terminal at Santos Dumont, but also because one of the reasons there are so few international flights to Rio has been that there are so few domestic connections out of Galeao (unlike SP, where there are lots of connections out of Guarulhos International). With the domestic connections going back to Galeao, they expect more international flights to follow. Stay tuned. . .

[Guest alanm]

Good news. There are unexpected benefits from flying during the day.

I flew from Brasilia to Miami on a noon flight, there was not a cloud in the sky the entire trip. I remmber seeing hours and hours of jungle and a perfect view of the Amazon River, as well as the end of the continent of South America. An excellent reason to visit Brasilia, which does not get mention much on this site.

[Guest Jake]

Hey Tri -

 

Jumped right on this info for my next trip in Aug and adjusted dates/times to the weekend daytime flights but still got a base fare of prox $950. Any other clues?

 

Wish you were here(in Rio). Weather beautiful and its (another) M4M week.

[hillbilly]

http://www.varigbrasil.com is now pricing MIA - GIG roundtrip in Business at around $6,500 each for the weekend daytime nonstops, ouch!

 

I went over to skyauction.com and won 2 tickets @ around $1,450 each, tax/fees included. Tickets have been confirmed. With a friend, I'll be coming down to Rio Aug 29 - Sep 4 to experience what all of you have raved about, and will get in touch with Carlos R about land logistics soon.

 

Thanks trilingual, tomcal (for photo links too) and others for all the helpful information posted here at M4M !

[slimdude2]

GUYS,

Try http://www.offpeaktraveler.com. They have reasonable

summer & fall travel deals available now.

I went last Nov from DC to Rio for approx $1,000 which

covered flight/hotel. That was my first visit.

[bigguyinpasadena]

Hillbilly,what was your experience like at skyauction?That is a GREAT biz fare to rio!Will you get miles?Is it like priceline where it is a semi-blind auction?

[hillbilly]

BGPasadena:

 

I've used skyauction for several years - mainly for Business Class air fares and cruises (I prefer Priceline for hotel bidding), and have had no problems with them. Like all auctions, it's best to have an idea of current retail price first; the same auctions usually come up week after week, so if I don't succeed, I simply try again :-) I've heard complaints about them not honoring bids when the winning bid was too low, but nothing like that has happened to me...again, it may just be that I'm flexible about departure dates, etc. If they can't get ya the first and alternate choice of travel dates within the parameters specified in the auction details, they'd refund your money (immediately charged to your CC upon winning).

 

The auctions there run the gamut of opaque Priceline-type where the actual air carrier is shielded, to date-specific trips on identified airlines. The Business Class to Brazil (MIA - various Brazilian cities - I chose GIG after winning) is relatively new and very specific in auction description about flying Varig on weekends only up til Dec 31 2004.

 

I find it more difficult to "snipe" (last minute bidding) on skyauction than on eBay - eBay's computers will recognize your highest bid and bid accordingly, whereas skyauction insists on at least a dollar higher bid than the last one...sounds simple enough, but in intense last-minute bidding, precious seconds are lost just keeping track of what the last bid was, and more time is wasted having to reconfirm bids with another password entry. For skyauction, I bid 4 or 5 minutes before auction's end and hope for the best (on eBay I put in my first, best and final bid within the last 10 seconds)

 

Yes, all my 4 previous Biz Class trips transPacific won on skyauction were booked in Z class (discount Business) on NW and earned FF points (including the Class of Service bonus counting towards Elite status). This is my first time flying with Varig, and I forsee no problems with Miles deposited to my StarAlliance partner account.

[Guest Jake]

Just booked for my Tampa-Rio-Tampa trip for Aug (5th to 28th) and got it on Priceline for $550. This is by far the best I've had the last 3-or-4 months. I used to get them here for $350-400. Always on their partner airline American all the way. Another tip, even though you're not supposed to get miles with Priceline, if you have gold or better status they will reserve exit row seats for you ahead. To do this they must enter your FF# and - voila - miles earned.

 

Happy trails.