Now that I've shared the big news that I'm heading back to Colombia at the end of June, it's time to book the airfare.
I looked around on individual carriers' sites, and again, found Kayak delivered reliable results.
For a 1-way ticket from New York City to Cartagena, it costs (tax included):
- $235 on Spirit Airlines (if I want to depart at 6:40 am)
- $267 on Spirit Airlines (if I want to depart in the evening, and spend a night in Fort Lauderdale airport)
- $472 on Delta Airlines (if I want to leave at 8 am)
As you can see, the difference between Spirit Air and Delta is $200+. The choice would seem obvious, even with the $30 international checked baggage fee I'd pay with Spirit Airlines, right?
But there's a twist.
There is a contract dispute happening right now with the Spirit Air pilots, and if it's not resolved by June 12, they're going on strike, which would leave me in limbo (camped out on my brother's couch, to be specific). The news clips indicate the airline hopes to resolve the dispute before June 12, but of course they'd say that so as not to affect ticket sales.
So this is where you, dear readers, enter the picture.
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Have you looked into other airlines like http://www.aires.aero/ or http://www.aerorepublica.com/Sites/co/es/Pages/… ?
Try CheapoAir.com
I don't know when you want to leave but I found tickets for June under $250 from JFK to Bogota or under $350 from JFK to Medellin.
Book on Spirit Airlines, and then spend another $30 to get travel insurance that would cover this eventuality. Still cheaper than Delta, and you'll be set either way.
I'm flying Spirit on June 9th and again on June 26th and potentially again on July 14th. I have “trip insurance” so I am not too worried about it right now. Maybe call this a trip and get some trip insurance yourself so if something does happen it isn't that big of a deal?
Hey Jason – yes, I looked up the Colombian airlines, including Avianca, and all are listing prices around $500+ which is more than double Spirit Air.
I was planning to get World Nomads coverage, so this might be a good idea. I'll just have to verify the fine print as it relates to airline strikes. Thanks!
Be sure to check Mexicana Airlines… I just booked an unpublished sale fare from Chicago to Bogota for $264 r/t including taxes.
We're going in November, so I'm looking forward to reading your posts once you're there!
April – thanks for the suggestion. Looks like Mexicana is quite a bit more expensive and doesn't have daily flights on the route I want.
Hope you intend to include Medellin on your itinerary. If you want to read about my early experiences in Colombia, you can check the archives on Go Backpacking (country = Colombia) or go over to the whole new blog I started, http://medellinliving.com and look at the posts from February to July 2009.
So much fun!
I'm looking to fly June 29th to Cartagena, as I want to spend a few weeks on the coast. If I go to Bogota again, it's likely to be on my way out of the country later in the year as Spirit Air doesn't allow you to book 1-way flights out of Colombia (lame).
Honestly, Spirit is a hit or miss. I got a super cheap red eye to Vegas on Spirit but it bugs me that you have to pay for literally everything: drinks, headphones, checked bags. But I guess it's stupid to complain if fares are so cheap.
Sounds like an absolute bargain of a fare. I didn't know it was that cheap to get to Columbia!
I'd gamble, book with Spirit, and camp out on your bros couch if it comes down to it. The insurance might not be a bad idea just in case. Through fate to the wind …
Guys, do you actually see an issue taking a backpack (70l) along?
They state a size (length+width+height <= 158cm) and weight (<=23kg) limit on their webpage.
Can I be certain that they take my backpack along when staying within those limits or will they claim that it's not a suitcase and ask for more money?
Guys, do you actually see an issue taking a backpack (70l) along?
They state a size (length+width+height <= 158cm) and weight (<=23kg) limit on their webpage.
Can I be certain that they take my backpack along when staying within those limits or will they claim that it's not a suitcase and ask for more money?
I don't think you can ever be certain, but I've never been asked to check my backpack for it being too big. It might not fit exactly in the metal racks they have at airports to illustrate maximum dimensions, but it's in the right ballpark.
Thanks for your article! I learn a lot from you about this.