If you’re planning to travel inside of Argentina, it’s likely you’ll be considering a flight with Aerolineas Argentinas. Although currency fluctuations can sometimes make them an expensive choice, they offer a good network throughout the country.
As we seem to be spending more time in Argentina, it’s being fun to explore the country outside of Buenos Aires. For this trip, we were travelling with Aerolineas Argentinas on a 737 in Economy to Bariloche. We’ve been here before, and I highly recommend making the trip, and perhaps I’ll share some recommendations in another post! Domestically, Aerolineas Argentinas utilise a fleet of mainly Boeing 737s. We were travelling in Economy, although they do offer a Premium Economy cabin as well. This is similar in style to First in North America, with a 2-2 layout.
Aerolineas Argentinas 737 Economy Check-in
We were departing from Aeroparque, Jorge Newbery. I’d highly recommend trying to fly from here if you’re travelling domestically. While Aerolineas Argentinas also fly domestically from the larger Ezeiza Airport, the domestic terminal at the airport leaves a lot to be desired. It’s also a far more inconvenient option if you’re staying in central Buenos Aires.
We decided to check-in online as we weren’t planning to check-in our bags. Most fares with Aerolineas Argentina include a checked bag. The exception to this is discounted ‘Promo’ fares, which do not. We booked a Base fare, which includes a 15kg checked bag. As Aerolineas Argentinas is a SkyTeam member, you’ll also enjoy an additional checked baggage allowance if you hold Elite or Elite Plus status.
The online check-in process seemed to be going well, until we were advised it wasn’t possible to download our boarding pass, and should instead visit the check-in desk. As it happened, this was because we had been assigned emergency exit seats, which apparently required a manual check-in. This said, it was a fairly quick process and Aeroparque works efficiently. I wouldn’t recommend arriving at the airport more than 90 minutes before your flight – there isn’t a huge amount of need.
There are two lounges available at the airport. The first is located before security. Holders of Aerolineas Argentinas Diamond Status, or holders of an Argentinean Amex card can enter for free. The second lounge opened in January 2024, and we were able to review it on it’s second official day of opening! It’s located after security in the domestic departures area. You can access this lounge with Priority Pass or DragonPass. It’s worth noting if you have SkyTeam Elite Plus, you won’t be able to enter for free – as lounge access isn’t a benefit of the programme if you’re travelling domestically.
Service
Boarding was an efficient process, and there was a priority lane for SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus. The 737 used for our flight was approximately eight years old, and looked slightly dated. This said, seat comfort and legroom was fine. In fact, I managed to sleep for the majority of the flight, which is unusual for me.
Food and Drinks
Aerolineas Argentinas still offer complimentary food and drinks in economy. However, the offering is rather limited, so don’t expect much. Shortly after take off we were offered a soft drink, as well as a cereal bar. While better than nothing, it’d have been nice if they’d offered something like an Alfajor instead.
Aerolineas Argentinas 737 Economy Conclusions
Our Aerolineas Argentinas 737 Economy flight was fairly unremarkable. We arrived on time, and everything worked as expected. To key destinations such as Bariloche, Mendoza and Córdoba the airline offers a number of services daily, so it’s usually possible to find a schedule that works. While I’ve only flown with them on a handful of occasions, they’ve always been on time and a reliable choice – and I’d choose them over other carriers such as FlyBondi.
