Which cities in Latin America are cheapest to fly from?

Bogota is the best flight hub in Latin America thanks to Avianca's massive network — flights to Lima run $150-300, Quito $120-250, and Madrid $500-720 round-trip. Mexico City is another strong hub with cheap domestic routes and transatlantic options. For intra-LATAM travel, budget carriers like Wingo and Sky Airlines offer fares under $100 on many routes.

Juan Pablo Mascanfroni

Discovery

Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires in 2026: A Backpacker's Playbook

Bryan MendezDec 20258 min read

It was 2am in San Telmo and I was watching a couple dance tango in a doorway while a guitar player busked Piazzolla on the corner. My flight to Santiago was at 7am. I hadn't slept. This is the Buenos Aires problem -- the city runs so late and so beautifully that you'll plan a trip from here and end up never wanting to leave.

But leave you must. And when you do, Buenos Aires is a solid international gateway. Aerolineas Argentinas flies direct to Rome and Madrid. Budget carriers like Flybondi and JetSMART are waging a price war on Southern Cone routes. And the Buquebus ferry to Uruguay is so scenic it counts as an activity.

Here's the map out.

Buenos Aires Airports: Two Airports, Miles Apart

EZE (Ezeiza / Ministro Pistarini)

All international flights -- 35 km from city center
Airlines you care about: Aerolineas Argentinas, LATAM, Iberia, Air France, Air Europa, American, Level
Getting there: Tienda Leon bus to city center (~$8 USD, 45-60 min)

AEP (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery)

Domestic and regional -- Uruguay, Brazil, Chile
Location: IN the city. 15 minutes from downtown. Glorious.
Always check which airport -- they're 45+ km apart

My take: AEP is incredibly convenient. If your regional flight uses Aeroparque instead of Ezeiza, you save 2+ hours of transit. Always confirm which terminal. Getting this wrong means missing your flight.

Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires to Europe

Strong connections, especially to Spain and Italy. Three generations of immigration keep those routes busy.

What You'll Actually Pay (USD, Round-Trip)

Jan-Mar: $700-1050 — $780-920
Apr-Jun: $600-900 — $680-800
Jul-Aug: $650-950 — $720-860
Sep-Nov: $600-900 — $680-800

The Airlines That Matter

Aerolineas Argentinas -- EZE to Madrid, Rome, Barcelona direct. The national carrier with decent service and periodic sales. The Rome route exists because half of Argentina has Italian grandparents. Seriously.

Iberia -- EZE to Madrid direct. Reliable Spain connections and Oneworld partnerships beyond.

Air France -- EZE to Paris direct. Your Northern Europe gateway with the full CDG hub network.

Air Europa -- EZE to Madrid. Budget alternative to Iberia. Less polish, less money.

LATAM -- Via Sao Paulo to many European destinations. Sometimes the cheapest routing from BA.

Level -- Barcelona direct when operating. IAG's low-cost long-haul carrier. Good value with carry-on only.

Gateway Strategy

Madrid: $650-880 — Spain, Portugal, Morocco
Rome: $680-920 — Italy, Mediterranean
Paris: $700-950 — France, Northern Europe
Barcelona: $650-900 — Catalonia, French Riviera

Sample Budget Routes

Italy Heritage Trip (3 weeks) EZE to Rome ($720 Aerolineas) -- Florence -- Venice -- Milan -- Rome -- EZE Total flights: ~$820

Spain + Portugal (3 weeks) EZE to Madrid ($680 Iberia) -- Barcelona -- Lisbon -- Porto -- Madrid -- EZE Total flights: ~$800

Grand Europe (4 weeks) EZE to Paris ($750 Air France) -- Amsterdam -- Berlin -- Prague -- Rome -- Paris -- EZE Total flights: ~$920

Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires to Southeast Asia

You're at the bottom of the world. It's going to be a long flight no matter what. Embrace it.

What You'll Actually Pay (USD, Round-Trip)

All Year: $1200-1750 — $1350-1550

How to Route It

Via Middle East -- Emirates through Rio or Sao Paulo to Dubai, or Qatar through Sao Paulo to Doha. Often $1300-1500 to Bangkok. This is usually the best value and the most comfortable.

Via Europe -- EZE to Madrid or Paris, then a separate ticket to Asia. Add a Europe stopover and the marathon becomes a two-part adventure.

Via Auckland -- Aerolineas/LATAM to Auckland, continue to Australia, then Southeast Asia. The Pacific routing. You'll see more of the world. You'll also be flying for a very long time.

Sample Route

Southeast Asia via Dubai (5 weeks) EZE to Sao Paulo ($180) -- Dubai ($700) -- Bangkok -- Thailand -- Vietnam -- Cambodia -- reverse Total flights: ~$1350

Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires to North America

Competition has improved, but it's still a longer haul than from Colombia or Peru.

What You'll Actually Pay (USD, Round-Trip)

Miami: $500-800
New York: $550-900
Los Angeles: $600-950
Mexico City: $450-700

The Airlines That Matter

American -- Direct to Miami, Dallas, NYC. Oneworld connections.

United -- Direct to Houston and NYC (Newark).

Aerolineas Argentinas -- Direct to Miami, codeshares to other US cities.

Copa -- Via Panama City for access to multiple US destinations.

Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires Within South America

This is where it gets fun. Flybondi and JetSMART have changed the game.

What You'll Actually Pay (USD, Round-Trip)

Santiago: $100-250
Sao Paulo: $150-350
Rio de Janeiro: $180-380
Lima: $200-400
Montevideo: $50-120
Bogota: $300-500

The Airlines That Matter

Flybondi -- Argentina's true budget carrier. No frills, bags extra, cheap base fares. Their $30 one-way to domestic destinations have changed how Argentines travel. Think Ryanair energy.

JetSMART Argentina -- Growing presence, competing directly with Flybondi. Ultra-low-cost model. Check both.

Aerolineas Argentinas -- Full service to regional destinations. More expensive but more included and more reliable for connections.

LATAM -- Good for Brazil, Chile, Peru connections.

Buquebus ferry -- Buenos Aires to Montevideo or Colonia by boat. Not a flight, but it's scenic, social, and a genuine experience. Highly recommend.

Gateway Strategy

Montevideo: $50-100 — Uruguay, quick escape
Santiago: $100-200 — Chile, Pacific coast
Sao Paulo: $150-300 — Brazil, Europe connections

Sample Budget Routes

Uruguay Quick Trip (4 days) AEP to Montevideo ($70 Aerolineas) or Buquebus ferry Total: ~$70-120

Chile + Patagonia (3 weeks) EZE to Santiago ($130 JetSMART) -- Atacama -- Torres del Paine -- EZE Total flights: ~$250

Brazil Highlights (2 weeks) EZE to Rio ($200 Gol) -- Sao Paulo -- Iguazu -- EZE Total flights: ~$380

Andean Circuit (5 weeks) EZE to Santiago ($130) -- Lima ($180) -- Cusco -- La Paz -- Uyuni -- EZE Total flights: ~$450

Argentina Domestic Prices

EZE to Mendoza: $50-150
EZE to Bariloche: $60-180
EZE to Ushuaia: $100-280
EZE to El Calafate: $80-220
EZE to Iguazu: $70-180

Flybondi usually cheapest. JetSMART close second. Aerolineas for reliability on tight connections.

6 Things I Learned Flying Out of Buenos Aires

1. The airport confusion will get you if you let it. EZE and AEP are 45+ kilometers apart. Confirm which airport. Then confirm again. Getting this wrong is not recoverable -- there's no quick way between them.

2. The peso situation is... complicated. Argentina's economy makes exchange rates unpredictable. The "blue dollar" parallel rate affects what things actually cost. Research current rates before planning your budget.

3. Flybondi is Argentina's Ryanair. Not luxurious. Occasionally chaotic. Very, very cheap. For domestic hops and regional flights, it's transformed what's possible.

4. Buquebus to Uruguay is a vibe. The ferry to Colonia del Sacramento or Montevideo is scenic, social, and fun. Faster than you'd think. I'd take it over a short flight any day.

5. Eat the steak before you leave. Buenos Aires has some of the world's best beef. A proper parrilla dinner with Malbec is the right way to fuel up before a long-haul flight. Don't rush this.

6. Late-night flights work here. Buenos Aires culture runs late. Dinner at 10pm, tango at midnight, and a 4am taxi to Ezeiza. The city's schedule actually aligns with red-eye departures.