If you’re planning to hop around Latin America, get ready for a wild ride, sometimes literally. From surprise gate changes to airline-level breakfast surprises, here’s a no-nonsense, slightly chaotic but totally unforgettable recap of the airlines I flew with on my recent South American adventure.

1. São Paulo to Mendoza with LATAM

Let’s start with LATAM, our gateway from Brazil to Argentina. Terminal 3 at GRU (São Paulo Guarulhos) is surprisingly compact, and immigration was lightning-fast—both on arrival and departure. Outside the arrivals area, there’s a designated Uber pick-up point, super convenient and well-marked. Bonus: Uber is ridiculously cheap here. We paid just €16 for a nighttime ride into the city and €15 for a 5AM ride back to the airport. Early birds rejoice!

Now, back to the flight: LATAM didn’t even glance at our bags—no weighing, no measuring, no nothing. In fact, there wasn’t even a bag-measuring stand at the gate. The gate number changed about five times (because, why not?), but once onboard, the experience was surprisingly comfy for a 4-hour hop. We got a solid breakfast, plus a pillow and blanket. Not bad for a regional flight!

2. Mendoza to Buenos Aires with Aerolíneas Argentinas

Next up: Aerolíneas Argentinas. The airport in Mendoza is tiny—like, blink and you’ve passed security tiny. There’s an Uber pick-up area literally right outside arrivals, so zero stress there.

As for the flight? Gate changes were again the theme of the day, and, once again, no one checked our bags or even our passports—just the booking code was enough. Security felt almost optional. Onboard, we were treated to a quick snack, and the whole flight took just 1 hour and 15 minutes. Short, sweet, and very chill.

3. Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) to Rio de Janeiro with FlyBondi

This one was… an experience. Aeroparque is a small airport right in the city, which makes it very convenient. Security and passport control were fast, and we sailed through even with liquids in our carry-ons—nobody batted an eye.

Enter FlyBondi: no frills, no inflight service, no menu, not even a leaflet to order from. Just you, your seat (a well-worn one), and a winged prayer. The plane looked like it had seen better decades, but hey—it got us to Rio.

Arrival at RIOgaleão International? Much smoother. The airport is massive, and there’s a specific Uber pick-up point about a 5-minute walk to the left as you exit arrivals. Signs are posted, so you won’t get lost unless you’re trying.

4. Rio to São Paulo with Azul

Final flight: Azul from Santos Dumont Airport in Rio. This airport is tiny and wonderfully low-key. No one measured bags, liquids are totally fine through security, and the crowd level was minimal. Passport control was efficient—they just asked for our accommodation address and didn’t even stamp our passports. Cabify (yes, it’s still a thing) and CBA rides are easy to arrange from here, too.

Final Thoughts

Flying around Latin America is a bit like dancing salsa—fast, unpredictable, and oddly thrilling. Be ready for last-minute gate changes, relaxed security vibes, and surprisingly generous inflight perks (or, in FlyBondi’s case, none at all). But the flights are affordable, the airports are manageable, and the Uber prices are borderline magical. So pack light, stay flexible, and enjoy the ride!

Drop us a comment bellow

Check out our other stories