A Texas Toast.... also Doha.....

First drink at the new Centurion.  Also, a pumpkin.

I'm currently sitting in the new Centurion Lounge in DFW (which I'll review shortly) and finishing up my trip report for my Business Class flight on Qatar from Doha to LAX, which you can READ ON ALTITUDE CONSULTING!

It's been a lovely short stay with family in Dallas for the weekend, culminating in being a fully unimpressive 17th on the upgrade list for this flight back home.  Needless to say, I'll be making myself comfortable in a bulkhead row of this 787-900.  However, with my recent flights ranging from 10-17 hours, this doesn't seem to be much of a hardship.

Can't wait to start reviewing my next big adventure around the world in a few weeks!  Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Doha here I come!

~Cruising Altitude

The Inca Flightpath, part III....

(Note: the first part of this was written from my first Alaska Air 1^st flight (award, not counter upgrade) in awhile, going LAX-SEA.  It’s typical so far- I’ve managed to get awkwardly asked if we’re here ‘as an American upgrade’…what?  Since when would that be a thing?  Plus I’ve spilled half a glass of chardonnay on my laptop…and the flight’s still young.  Wish me luck.)

The first two parts of this trip report can be found

[HERE] “The why and the how of booking this trip” and;

[HERE] “The what and the ….who?? Of a trip to Peru”

I decided to finish up this post now since I’ve been getting a lot of questions (comments, complaints) lately from friends that they can’t use their AA miles ‘for anything.’  While I understand (and fully agree) that redemptions can be difficult, and likely aren’t the best option if you have a strict itinerary you need on a short timeframe, there are still plenty of memorable experiences that can be had using AA miles.  This trip is a prime example.  If you’re able to plan well in advance, and approach it with an open ended sense of adventure, I promise there’s plenty you can use those miles for.  But, if you really don’t believe me, feel free to donate them right here…I’m happy to take them off your hands. ;)

What you can get with those miles- A seat in front of the wing down to Lima

 

This entry is the story of the trip once we touched down in Cusco.  First off, I should say that, despite repeated assurances from doctors, I was very very nervous about the altitude and its potential health effects on Mrs. Cruisingaltitude, as we were newly expecting BabyFlyer at the time.  Spoiler alert- all was fine, and it was probably me who noticed the thin air most when I decided that the Andes was a great place to start a swimming regimen, on account of all the pisco sours, Inca corn, buffet breakfasts & the alluring pool at Tambo. 

This is not to say that we didn’t both feel a little out of breath here and there, but overall it didn’t slow us down.  I do think staying in Urubmaba helped, bringing the altitude down to an ‘easy’ 9000ft. 

My two cents on the sacred valley- it is what you want it to be.  It has as many historic sites as you could visit, plenty of hiking, and amazing vistas wherever you look.  However, it’s also a great place to kick back, take a deep breath, and enjoy some rest and good food.  I suggest splitting the difference and doing a little of both.

The drive into the Sacred Valley- Quinoa fields and the Andes

 

We spent 4 nights in the valley, one of which was an all day trip to Machu Picchu.  This trip is worth it, if you haven’t been, it would be travel blasphemy to go to the sacred valley and not make the trek out there.  However, it does take at least a full day, and will likely be the most crowded part of the trip.  From someone who likes to go ‘places no one wants to be, at times no one wants to go there,’ I just felt a warning was in order.  It’s also the part of the trip where you feel the most nickel and dimed, from the train tickets, to the site tickets, to little things here and there.  Still though, you should go.  Take ‘that picture’ and put it on the holiday card.

Take "that picture," put it on the holiday card.

Getting there requires a train ticket from either the station at Tambo Del Inka, or from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, which is at the base of the mountain.  We ended up not taking the one at Tambo Del Inka because it only stops once per day, in the morning with an evening return.  From Aguas Calientes, there is a shuttle that drives up to Machu Picchu if you’re not in the mood to hike up the hill (it looked like quite a hike).

My one tip here to avoid some of the crowds, is to forgo the hype of being there early in the morning.  Unless you’re set on (and have tickets to) the hike to Huayna Picchu, or want to take your time to do the Sun Gate walk, you really don’t need all day.  Plus, arriving in the afternoon means you arrive as everyone else is leaving.  Honestly, the lighting later in the day makes the shadows even more dramatic (and can I just mention again how later in the day you might actually get pictures without approximately 354563 other tourists photobombing you??).

We were able to take our time, and feel at some points like we were the only ones there.  It also cuts way back on the time you’ll spend waiting in lines to take the shuttle to and from Aguas Calientes. 
 

The remainder of the days we did one sight, and gave ourselves the remainder of the day to rest and enjoy the resort.  If you’re looking for a resort-style vacation, over say hiking the Inca trail, then I can’t recommend this itinerary enough.  What’s even better is that after doing the Machu Picchu day, these side trips will feel like a fantastic deal.  You can buy a several day pass to many of the local sites for around $15 USD, thanks to the strong dollar to Sol conversion.  Further, if you get smart about it, and walk a few blocks from the hotel (leave the front gate, make a right) to the gas station in town, you can hire a taxi driver for a fraction of what Tambo will quote you.  Even without bargaining (which was expected) we were able to get a driver to take us for several hours, all included, to see the Maras salt flats, and other sites, from between $25 and $35, all in.  We’re pretty sure even at that rate we were getting hussled by local standards, but we thought it was a great deal, so everybody was happy.

Maras Salt Pools- Don't miss this one.  Also, don't get tricked by the guy trying to get the tourists to taste the water because it "tastes like ice cream."  It does not taste like ice cream.

 

Day trips around the valley are a great deal, and more relaxing than the crowds at Agua Calientes and Machu Picchu.

 

 

One more thing while I’m on the topic of great deals- the one part of the Machu Picchu excursion which was a steal was dinner in Aguas Calientes, which is the town at the base of the mountain.  It’s along the river, and has quite a few modern restaurants as well as some hotels, a natural hot spring you can hike to, and a large amount of stores and shops selling local wares as well as the general tourist purchases- shirts, stuffed alpacas, and the like.  I’d recommend grabbing a meal before heading back to Tambo.  We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant overlooking the river for about $35, all inclusive.  You could easily give yourself a night in Aguas Calientes after visiting Machu Picchu to break up that part of the trip and have more time to explore the area.

River view from dinner after hiking Machu Picchu

 

I also have to stop and give a plug here to the main restaurant at Tambo.  Usually, the in-house place, besides risking being formulaic, would be a ridiculous mark up over heading out.  Here, however, due to the SPG Platinum discount, it really wasn’t to high, and the food was authentic and very nice.  We ended up eating there several times.   We also had the breakfast daily as a Platinum benefit, and it was extremely good.  Strangely enough, I had the best Congee I've ever had....at that buffet...in Peru.  

The main dining room at Tambo Del Inka- We had several wonderful dinners by the fireplace.

I also recommend having Tambo make you reservations at the other places in town in advance if you want to check them out.  The night before we left, we decided to give Qanela a try for some authentic local food.  The staff was very friendly, and the food was solid. 

What I’ll never forget though, was that the kitchen appeared to be in a different part of the building altogether, and the one (hilarious, very enthusiastic) waiter who spoke decent English and so was serving us and the other table sent over from Tambo, had to literally (yes, using this word in its correct application) run back and forth to get each dish.  We tried so, so hard not to laugh (too much), and he definitely earned a tip.

 What’s more, half way through dinner, the power went out entirely.  This was one of those moments where you get reminded that, despite the Dreamliner flights, and the 5 star resort service, you are in fact, in a foreign country.  Honestly, it’s needed some times.  After about 20 minutes, during which the (out of breath, flashlight-carrying) waiter hurried even faster to bring candles to the tables, the lights came back on.  He then shouted that they could now ‘make all the pisco sours!!’ ….and the dining room erupted into cheers.  What’s life without these moments, right?  I’d do it all again.

Fava bean appetizer with Maras salt

 

 

Peru is also one of the places that really brings home how very little I actually learned in my college Spanish courses.  Mexico makes me feel like I know something, because I can ask where the bathroom is and order a beer.  This is mostly because the staff at resorts in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta don’t need you to speak Spanish at all really.  In Peru, not so much.  I’d recommend brushing up on a couple things- most importantly, remind yourself how to count to 10, and then by 10s to 100.  This is how you’ll know what to pay the Taxi driver. 

A sacred valley 'traffic jam'.  Yes, that's actually 4 donkeys.

Also on the topic of money, Peru is one of the countries where it is almost impossible to exchange currency in cash unless the bills you’re exchanging are mint-perfect.  Even a tiny tear along the edge will be cause for rejection.  Go to the bank before you leave if you’re going to travel with US currency and try to get new bills.  I’ve also had this issue recently in Malaysia.  It’s both ridiculous and frustrating going around a foreign airport trying to get someone to take your money!

This was the 'damage' for which this bill was rejected...

To wrap up the report on what really was a fantastic experience all around, I’ll just give my $0.02 on the return trip.  Firstly, make sure you head back to CUZ early enough that if you get in a little traffic, you won’t be stressing.  Secondly, and in opposition to the first bit of advice, don’t bother getting to CUZ early, because the airport is crowded, disorganized, and there’s no lounges or good places to wait.  So really, good luck with all that.  I suppose if you had your planning together, a day in the city would be a good end to the trip, and better timing than doing it on the way out, because you'll have gotten used to the altitude at 9000ft, and the move to Cuzco's 11,500 won't feel as big.

I thought it was raining in here...it was....

Our connection in LIM was late at night, but the lounges (there are 2, both contract lounges accessible by Priority Pass) were 24 hours.  The one we ended up in was fairly crowded until later, but had food, a bar etc.  I must have been tired though, because while I was exploring the lounge, I found a room with several massage chairs, and some loungers.  I was appreciating the touch when confusion set in- it seemed to be raining inside the club!?!?!  Yeah…. As it turns out, that room was actually open air, and I just couldn’t tell at night.  Couldn’t even blame jetlag, and I’m embarrassed it took me a significant amount of time to realize what was going on.  It was clearly time to head to the gate. 

The flight back was lovely, if not too short given how nice the plane was.  We arrived in good spirits & rested.  I'd do this trip again anytime, and may, as the availability is still wide open on LAN.  It was a fully enjoyable trip by all accounts, and definitely a good use of the miles and points.  Besides, it gives me one more check mark on all those lists of "places to see before you die" that Machu Picchu is always part of.  You could do a whole lot worse!

 

Travel well & fly safely,

~CruisingAltitude

Oh Tambo....I miss you already.

 

The Inca Flightpath, part II

Quinoa fields and glacier-capped Andes on the plains above the Sacred Valley

As promised, here's the 'trip report' half to this mileage burn trip.  For the nuts and bolts of booking it, check out the post [HERE.]

By the time our departure finally rolled around I'll admit I was really, really excited for this trip.  It had been a hectic start to the year for us, and for a while I was convinced this was going to be one of those times I'd be utilizing the EXP mileage ticket 'get out of jail free' card, and re-depositing my miles.  However, I really, really didn't want to.  And, as it turns out, I didn't have to!

So.... here's the report:

First stop, of course, was LAX to catch our LAN Dreamliner flight down to Lima.  This alone was plenty reason to go, but I also hadn't had the chance to fly out of Tom Bradley Int'l Terminal since they've gotten further along in the renovation.  I'm always just watching it from 'afar' in T-4.

For OW elites, the renovation has meant some highly improved lounge choices, as well as just enjoying that 'new terminal smell.'

(Completely random note- if you walk into a brand new Centurion Lounge, say, in DFW the first week they open, and make that same joke about a 'new club smell,' they will fix you with a glare, and say very seriously, 'No.  That is our 'signature scent.'  I'm not kidding.  I love you AmEx (mostly) but please...)

Annnnyhow.... OW lounges, right.  So, there are two reasonable choices.  First is the Oneworld Business class lounge, which is highly rated, large, and even has a faux fireplace in the middle with seating around it.  It has decent food, drinks and seating.  I really meant to go check it out, I really really did.

"Official"  Pic of the Oneworld Bis lounge at TBIT

But then, all of a sudden.... I didn't.

Because, just a couple months before this trip, Qantas opened a new 1st class lounge at TBIT.  So, that happened.  What also happened, was that due to the new lounge(s), I wanted to take my time at the airport before the flight.  Like, a lot of time.  Our flight was at 1:30pm, LAN's check in opens at 9:15.  We were there at 9:05.  Yes, Mrs. CruisingAltitude would have thought I was nuts, but she's got a decent sense of humor about me, and enjoys a good lounge as much as anyone.

 

Point of order, though- the sign said they opened at 9:15.  They did not open at 9:15.  They did not open at 9:20, or 9:30.  It was closer to 9:50 before the counters opened, and the Mrs. had to withstand my mounting annoyance at waiting in line while there was a perfectly good lounge just RIGHT past security.  This mainly took the form of repeatedly pointing to the well staffed, and prompt JL counter next door, and grumbling about how we 'would already be having a mimosa if we were on the Tokyo flight.'

But, eventually, we did get checked in and on our way.  Now, the lounge- the one complaint I've read about it is that it can get loud and crowded at times.  The acoustics, admittedly, could be better as it is essentially one large room, and at one side features an open kitchen.  I could see the issue when in the evenings Qantas loads up a couple a380s with a decent amount of premium passengers, as well as the OW Emeralds.  Luckily for us, though, the LAN flight is hours before this rush, and we were just about the only ones there at the start.  Like, seating for 200, and it's us and one other person.  Echos, crickets, it was magical.

Beautiful and....

....empty Qantas 1st Lounge.

The bar area & espresso bar

The layout offers lots of seating arrangements, a couple TV lounge areas, work space, and a full serve complimentary restaurant menu with seating.  It's very 'First Class.'  There's also a large bar, and several self serve bars throughout the space with wine, water, and soft drinks.  If I'm nit picking, I'd say the only drawback here is that the substantive food options are limited to the menu, so there's no buffet to grab something at on a shorter visit.  That said, the service was great, and with just us eating, was super prompt.  We arrived in time to start with breakfast, and then later before heading out, tried their lunch menu as well.  Both were great, though, I'd say the lunch/dinner menu is more memorable.

5 o'clock in airports everywhere

The carpacchio and the calamari were particularly good, as was the semifreddo that the great waitress demanded we try on the way out!  (And I mean demanded, as in 'you have to have it, yes you have to, it's great....don't worry, I'm sure your plane will wait for you to have some dessert' kind of demanded)  I'll also give a nod to the espresso bar.  It was a treat to be able to order a real 'flat white' Aussie style.  Haven't had one of those since we were in Sydney several years ago.

Lemon & Black Pepper Calamari- We didn't even order this, it came by mistake, but we sure ate it!

Carpaccio 

Dessert- the photo got a little blurry, as we were scrambling to make it to pre-boarding! 

White wine & sparkling water

The reds...

One tiny other complaint, that they can't do anything about, is that there are no windows that overlook the gates or runways, so no planespotting.  This looks to be true of both lounges for OW elites in this terminal, and it's a bit of a shame as the one thing that would make the great amenities and service even better would be enjoying them while watching some of the big birds that leave from TBIT roll the runway.

But, regardless, we had a great time, and then headed off to catch our flight.  As discussed in the last post, we were trying out a new 787-900 that LAN just took delivery of.  Yes... new plane smell...

The -900 configuration features 30 'premium business' seats, all forward of the 2L door, which was also the boarding door at LAX.  I do love 'turning left, not right' on a long haul.   The cabin layout is 2-2-2, so the window seats don't have direct aisle access.  In theory, this can be annoying if you don't know the person sitting next to you.  However, I found the new LAN J seats to be extremely spacious, and it was easy to get up and into the aisle, even with the lie-flat bed next to you fully extended.  This is because, unlike the 'angle lie flat' seats still installed on most AA 777-200s, the bed is very low, and can easily be stepped over.  This is probably my favorite cabin layout to travel in with a companion.  You can talk easily since there's no big privacy divider, but you definitely feel like you have personal space.  The pictures really don't do justice to how nice the seats were.

This is also combined with the fun of the dreamliner- the windows, of which each J seat has 3- are huge, and dim via a button, rather than a pull down screen.  The seats are fully wired, with USB as well as DC plugs, and the recline function worked without any glitches.  The cabin is also well insulated, making the engine noise quieter, even on take off.  Through the flight, the plane handled turbulence well and I was able to get some good hours of sleep after the dinner service.

So- hard product: 8/9 out of 10.  Top marks.  Now, a bit about the 'soft product.'

Overall, it was a nice flight.  I especially liked the personal greeting by the purser when we got to our seats.  ('En ingles?') He was attentive, offered a PDB (I went with the champagne, of course, which was Roederer estate, and very nice).  They also came by at gave use Ferragamo amenity kits that came with standard items- lotion, pen, etc, as well as a pillowcase, which I hadn't seen before.  They do give you upgraded headphones, which was nice, but they weren't Bose like AA offers and I could tell the difference.

The food, which was lunch, and then a slightly confusing breakfast-ish meal prior to landing (at 11:50 pm??), was okay.  Maybe on par with AA's usual international fare, but not like what you would expect from a carrier like JL or CX.  I did find that once the main service was over, the crew wasn't as attentive as some.  I'm not the type to ring the call button (which was probably what I should have done) but I found myself going up to the galley a few times to ask for more water, drink, etc.  On that, one thing that did annoy me a little was that they kept the curtain closed to the galley, and snapped down, so that to use the lavatory, you had to shove/crawl your way though.  I assumed it was for cabin lighting, but still... awkward.  Some of the FA's also clearly weren't as comfortable with English as the Purser, but I was on a LAN Peru flight, so that's as much my issue as theirs.  As it turned out, this was just the start of our education in how little of our rudimentary Spanish from High School had stuck with us, and how Peru is NOT a resort town in Cabo, language-wise.

In flight meal- I had the scallops.  Not bad, but a little fishy.  

In Flight Dessert

The IFE was okay, definitely better if you're a 'movie' person, as the TV options were a little slim.  I think Mrs. CruisingAltitude approved, though as she got through the better part of 4 movies while I ate and slept.

Overall, I'd give the soft product a 6ish out of 10.  Highlights were the drinks and 'breakfast.'  There were things I'd change, especially since they've invested in such a stellar hard product with the 787.  A few little things would bring the whole experience up to a really elite business/first one.

When we landed it was late, so after getting through customs, we made our way to the Wyndham hotel that's at the airport.  It wasn't the fanciest, but was the only one that we could walk to from the terminal, and the rooms were upgraded and clean.

The next morning we checked back in to catch our short flight up to Cusco.  The flight is about an hour on a a319 on LAN.  No 1st/bis class, so we were in the main cabin.  No complaints for such a short flight.  The real intrigue of this flight is that while Lima is essentially at sea level, the Cusco airport is at a whopping 11,000 ft.  As a result, this flight path goes up to cruise, and then only has to come about half way back down.  You fly over the Andes, and then land into the valley that Cusco is in.  It's worth getting a window seat for this one!

For what to see and do in the Sacred Valley, have a look at Part III!

~CruisingAltitude

The Inca ‘Flight Path,’ or ‘A Mileage Burn To Write Home About’....

 

Correspondent’s note: I’m going to break this trip report up into the ‘what and why’ first, with a second post covering the ‘where and how.’  In other words, this is the how to book and why to book, with the experience based info coming next.

 

Yes, everyone has this shot.  Yes, it's worth going and taking it yourself, especially if you do it in style! 

In May, Mrs. Cruising Altitude and I did our second international mileage burn in as many years.  I have to say, that both trips, (the first being our Oneworld Explorer tour of Europe) turned out to be an amazing use of miles.  Great value throughout, reasonably ‘bookable,’ and a totally memorable trip to somewhere I might not have thought to go otherwise.

Awhile ago, some other savvy folks we’ve met in our travels, told us unequivocally that we “had to go to Tambo Del Inka, on a miles and points deal, and drink lots of Pisco Sours and coca tea.  Oh, and yeah... probably go to Machu Picchu at some point.”  Well then, who am I to decline such specific advice??

Welcome to Tambo Del Inka...

....Have a [large] Pisco Sour.

As you may or may not know, Tambo Del Inka is a stunning, relatively new, Starwood Luxury Collection resort in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, high up in the Peruvian Andes.  The resort is well designed, and tastefully constructed to fit in with the natural surroundings.  On one side rooms face a rushing river lined with towering eucalyptus trees, and the other has views of a year-round glacier.  The grounds are beautifully up-kept, and the facilities include a unique indoor/outdoor pool, water spa, gorgeous architecture featuring towering timber beams to the ceiling, and a reasonably priced, but fantastic restaurant.  

Quiet and peaceful grounds.

Indoor/outdoor pool and spa.

The resort has only been open for a few years, and so is not yet showing age.  Plus, for the environmentally conscious, it meets LEED standards.  A rarity in foreign construction, but feels good given the natural treasures this area holds.  

The town of Urubamba itself is next to the resort, and is easily walkable if you want to explore.  It’s not a ‘tourist area’ per se, but can be interesting to check out to take in some local culture.  While we were there there was a several day festival going on, complete with parades, dancers, and music.  What’s most useful about the proximity though is possibly that you can get a WAY better deal on transportation to the train stations, airport, and archeological sites by just walking a few blocks from the resort down to the nearest gas station and picking up a local taxi.  Tambo’s travel agency on site will happily arrange tours for you…. for double or more the price.  

Urubamba festival

View from the front of the Tambo lobby

For the nuts and bolts of this booking-  Tambo Del Inka, perhaps because of it’s remote location, does have ongoing decent availability for cash & points nights throughout the year, especially if booked far in advance.  At its hotel tier, it requires 6000 starpoints and $110.00 per night.  Worth it.  No question. The added great thing about cash & points is that those nights are generally completely refundable.  One not here though- as this is a ‘resort property’ make sure you keep on top of what the ‘cancel-by’ date is.  This property requires about 3 weeks’ notice to cancel, though I’ve had good luck getting around these rules by calling the Starwood Platinum line and pleading my case.  

Room selection-wise, if you can’t get one of the ground level suites that have a private patio, I’d go for the side facing the river (where we were).  It’s quiet, and with the placement of the trees, really feels like you’re out in nature.  Plus, you can open the sliding windows and listen to the water.

Tambo Del Inka is beautiful from any angle...

As an added note, this property is good with Platinum recognition.  While we ended up there during a peak time when the resort was fully committed and weren’t put in a suite, they did offer to move us for the portion of our stay that they had a suite available (we turned it down because our room was plenty nice), and apologized that they couldn’t confirm a suite and offered both extra points, and the free breakfast, rather than just one or the other.  Plus, for Plat guests they take an additional 15% off the restaurant and bar prices, which made the already good prices due to the exchange rate even better.  The 1:3 rate of dollars to soles was awesome, and resulted in wonderful dinners out for 2 people coming in around $30, with drinks.  

The 'riverside' rooms.

Both the lobby, and the restaurant feature huge fireplaces.  Walking into Tambo at the end of a day of adventuring is like getting a hug...especially when it comes with a warm cup of coca tea.

So….given all of the above, how does one get here???

That’s the best part!

I knew that LAN flies nonstop from LAX to Lima a couple times per day, and does it for a stunning 30k AA miles each way in business class.  Knowing this, and that I needed two tickets, I pulled out the calendar FAR in advance (ie. 331 days), and got on the phone.  The tickets can be booked as a Oneworld partner award, and I recommend booking them as one way tickets initially so you don’t have to wait until 331 days before your return date to book the outbound.  As a bonus, for the same mileage, you can add on the connecting flight LIM-Cuzco, which is where you need to get to to visit the Sacred Valley.  

On the phone, the booking was fairly simple, and stress free, as being an EXP my mileage tickets are fully refundable up to the day of travel.  Plus, no big taxes and fees here- only about $36 per ticket, round trip!  Done and done.

Now...now...for the best, best part.  When I booked the tickets, the flight was on a 767-300, with a 2-2 config in J.  Fair enough, sounds good to me.  However, several months later, I found out that AA had reassigned me a new FF# due to an alleged hack of their database.  Annoyed, I called to find out what was happening, and ended up on the phone with an AAgent for 2 hours because my flights hadn’t moved over to my new profile, and in the moving, they lost my seat assignments.  

Anyhow… when the Lima itinerary was pulled up, the agent asked what seats I wanted, “it’s a 2-2-2 configuration” she said.  Wait, WHAT NOW??  I knew something was up, so I asked her what the plane type was showing as. It was….wait for it…. now a brand spanking new 787-900 Dreamliner that LAN just took delivery of at the start of the year.  

Cue avgeek meltdown.  

This plane’s so new, SeatGuru didn’t even have a map for it, and I couldn’t find any reviews, other than previews of the new cabin config and seats from LAN itself.     

Extremely spacious 2-2-2 lie-flat seat config. 

787-900 J cabin

Not bad at ALL- 8+ hours on the Dreamliner in J (there’s no F on this plane, so J is the pointy end) for 60k miles and $36.  I didn’t even mind (too much) that LAN only released tickets on the later departure from LAX that arrived LIM at about 11pm, and the return was a redeye.  I booked a layover hotel in LIM, and we slept a bit and then took a morning flight to CUZ.  The connections in and out of CUZ go at least once an hour, so that was no issue at all.

All in all, this trip can be a fantastic value- luxury plane and resort for very low points, miles, and cash.  Not too many times can you get 4 nights in a 5 star resort, and round trip airfare on this kind of flight for two for around $500!  

Let's go!

Up next- the trip report itself.  TBIT’s new lounge, LAN J service, and adventures- salt pools, Inka ruins, fun at altitude, fast and slow taxi drivers, and more Inka ruins….