Brazil for the World Cup in 2014

[cove]

My son has asked me for help to get to Brazil for the World Cup. He is pretty tall (a bit over 6 feet 4 inches or 193cms) so he has been travelling on Qantas domestically in business class.
He has QF points, US Dividend Miles plus he could ask me nicely for VA and SQ points.
I have never tried to go to South America so what way and class should he try to book next weekend.
His brother is going thru Los Angeles because he has 6 weeks off but my youngest only has 2 weeks holiday leave.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[serfty]

What status with QFF? VA?

 

[vantage03]

There are many possibilities here but the most common OW option would be QF or LAN through SCL (Santiago), and on to GIG (Rio) on LAN.

He could go *A via TAM code share with LAN to SCL then TAM metal onto Rio but in my experience TAM is the hardest *A partner to get a reward seat on via Krisflyer. Can't speak for UA. Also the SCL-GIG TAM flight is pretty grim..!

Also, get him to organise his Visa for Brazil a couple of months out. It's a nightmare.

 

[kpc]

Off the top of my head:
Per-Sin-Bcn-Gru (Sao Paolo) on Sq
Per-Syd-Scl-Gig (Rio) on Qf / La
Or via Lax but I'm not sure who flies to Brazil from Lax, presumably AA, UA etc

 

[whatmeworry]

Also, get him to organise his Visa for Brazil a couple of months out. It's a nightmare.

Does he have citizenship with a country that has a visa waiver with Brazil?
Visa policy of Brazil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[cove]

Serfty he is Silver with QF and almost nothing with VA. He has 500,000 QF points and his mum and dad are both WP with Qantas.
I have booked number one son up the front of an SQ A380 to Los Angeles seeing it was on Saver points.

 

[serfty]

I guess mum and dad are not traveling in this case.

Given the expected popularity of the event I am thinking award seats on any carrier will be hard to find.

 

[Mattg]

The two most obvious options (with OW, anyway) are via SCL (with QF or LAN) and onto Rio OR via LAX (QF) and onto Rio (with AA or LAN).

Especially with the world cup on, award flights to SCL with QF are probably few and far between, but if you can get a good deal then take it. QF has an "Americas sale" on at the moment, although I don't think I can see too many flights to SCL around the World Cup for under $2500 return. LAX is available for $1349 return, though. I recently booked a flight to Brazil with AA going via Lima, but there are probably plenty of other possibilities. AA and LAN both seem to have flights and codeshare on each others' services, so it might pay to check both carriers if you want to do it this way.

It may also be possible to book LAX-Brazil using points but I haven't looked.

 

[anat0l]

SA is an option via PER/JNB/GRU. J pitch is 73" so in fully flat position, I'm not entirely sure whether be may have to sleep slightly in the foetal position.

Probably not the best J out there, but that's probably the fastest way to get from PER to Brazil.

Other option is to cash in 288k QF points for a J zone 10 oneworld award. Holiday and World Cup in one (or park the award somewhere for next time). Of course, you're up for a lot of YQ in this case and you'll need to be very astute to get the award seats, especially in J. And, naturally, no points or SCs.

 

[cove]

No we the parents might be in London or Los Angeles but no Brazil for the olds.
So far there are ways to get there that I had not considered.
The ideas are really good and yes I have suggested he go via Los Angeles to check out the new entertainment down the street that recently opened in Marina del Rey.
That is a real long cut that's for sure.

 

[ij05]

Cove, I noticed in the suites savers thread you mentioned you got your sons to Brazil through LAX? Just wondering how you got them to Brazil after LAX? So far I've luckily managed to snag some flights with SQ from Barcelona to Sao Paolo (massive detour!)in July for the matches I'd like to go to but ideally USA would be my destination after and am trying to find an airline to go back with.

 

[cove]

Two main choices are United and American Airlines. My youngest son has not booked his return but will be leaving early due to lack of vacation time.
Spain and London do qualify as long cuts as good as Los Angeles!
One son is going via Chicago and the other through Dallas/Fort Worth.