Flying around Argentina
Argentina’s most important domestic airport is Buenos Aires’ Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, which has flights to all the country’s provincial capitals and major tourist centres. People who want to get an overview of Argentina’s tremendous variety in a limited time may rely heavily on domestic flights to combat the vast distances involved – what takes twenty or more hours by bus might take only one or two by plane. As a rule, you’ll find prices are the same whether you buy your ticket direct from the airline office or from the plentiful travel agencies in most towns and cities. Availability can be a problem on tourist routes such as those around Patagonia or during the holidays, and if these feature in your itinerary you are advised to book as far in advance as possible. Some deals booked in advance are good value, although non-residents usually pay a considerably higher tariff than Argentines. Domestic departure taxes are always included in the price of the ticket.
Aerolíneas Argentinas (0810 2228 6527, aerolineas.com.ar) is the national flag carrier, with the biggest destination network. The company has faced many problems over the past decade or so and its once excellent reputation has been tarnished, but in many places it will be your only option. Its main rival in Argentina these days is Chilean flag carrier LAN (0810 999 9526, lan.com), which has an Argentine subsidiary (LAN Argentina) operating flights to the country’s major tourist destinations.
The military also provides civilian services – the Air Force’s LADE (0810 810 5233, lade.com.ar) is one of the cheapest methods of travel in the country and flies to isolated, often unexpected places, mostly destinations in Patagonia. However, routings can be convoluted, and you might find a flight stops four or five times between its original departure point and final destination. Timetables change frequently (up to once a month) and services can be cancelled at the last moment if the Air Force needs the plane. That said, it’s worth asking at LADE offices as you travel round just in case they’ve something useful.
Other small airlines in operation are Salta-based Andes (0810 7772 6337, andesonline.com), which connects the city with several destinations, including Buenos Aires and Iguazú, and Sol (0810 444 765, sol.com.ar), a Rosario-based low-cost airline that serves destinations in the centre of the country such as Córdoba and Santa Fe, as well as some coastal and Uruguayan destinations.
One factor to bear in mind is the possible disruption caused by volcanic eruptions in the Andes. Huge clouds of ash billowed out of a Chilean volcano throughout much of 2011, showering grit and dust onto the Lake District and causing havoc farther afield. Bariloche airport was closed for several months while other airports around the country, including both of the capital’s, were repeatedly shut down as a precaution, sometimes for a couple of days at a time.
Renting a car in Argentina
You are unlikely to want or need a car for your whole stay in Argentina, but you’ll find one pretty indispensable for travelling around some of the more isolated areas of
Patagonia,
Tierra del Fuego, the
Northwest,
Mendoza or San Juan. If possible, it makes sense to get a group together, not just to keep costs down but also to share the driving, which can be arduous and potentially dangerous, especially on unsealed roads. Approximately thirty percent of roads are paved in Argentina, but some of the less important of these routes are littered with potholes. Unsealed roads can be extremely muddy after rain, and may be impassable, even to 4WDs, after prolonged wet spells. A 4WD is not usually necessary, but can be useful on minor roads in mountainous areas, when you’re likely to encounter snow, or on Ruta 40 in Patagonia. Outside major cities, most accidents (often the most serious ones) occur on unsurfaced gravel roads (
ripio).
Altitude can also be a problem in the high Andes – you may need to adjust the fuel intake. One thing worth noting: flashing your lights when driving is a warning to other vehicles not to do something, as opposed to the British system, where it is used to signal concession of right of way. You can be fined for not wearing seatbelts (both in the front and back), although many Argentines display a cavalier disregard of this law.
To rent a car, you need to be over 21 (25 with some agencies) and hold a driver’s licence – an international one is not usually necessary. Bring a credit card and your passport for the deposit. Before you drive off, check that you’ve been given insurance, tax and ownership papers, check carefully for dents and paintwork damage and get hold of a 24hr emergency telephone number. Also, pay close attention to the small print, most notably what you’re liable for in the event of an accident: the list of people with grievances after renting a car and spending considerably more than they intended is a long one. Your insurance will not normally cover you for flipping the car, or smashed windscreens or headlights.
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