American Airlines Offers a Big Fare Sale to Brazil and Mike Tyson sings. Related?
Sorry about the headline. I know it’s kind of corny. And while there’s no connection between American’s new fare sale to Brazil and Mike Tyson, I’ve been waiting a few weeks for a Brazil related bonus offer just so I could share this video. It’s Mike Tyson singing “The Girl from Ipanema” on a Brazilian television program.
I saw the excellent documentary “Tyson: a film by James Toback” a couple of years ago, so when I came across the video over at Open Culture, I had to watch.
He’s actually pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSXO6XG5irU
Moving on….
American is offering some of the lowest fares to Brazil that I’ve seen since for some time. And it’s not for off-peak travel, the fares are good during the peak of Brazil’s summer travel season:
American Airlines is offering discount airline tickets to Brazil. Purchase your tickets by January 19, 2012, for travel to Brazil February 22, 2012, through April 29, 2012. All travel needs to be complete by July 28, 2012.
One way fares start at $405 from 44 U.S. cities to these destinations:
Belo Horizonte (CNF)
Brasilia (BSB)
Recife (REC)
Salvador (SSA)
Rio de Janeiro (GIG)
Sao Paulo (GRU)
You can even find cheap round-trip tickets from Honolulu to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo for $1,369 including taxes (if you’re curious, travel time is about 32 hours each way and will earn you 17,802 round-trip AAdvantage Miles).
If you’re interested in maximizing the redemption value of your miles, these long flights to Brazil present a great opportunity to redeem your miles (25,000 miles plus a $350 co-pay) for an upgrade to Flagship Business Class (a ticket that often cost more than $3,100 one-way ).
Using Expert Flyer, I was able to find decent upgrade availability in early and late March, and much of April. There were fewer dates in February, but considering that that it’s mid January and summer in Brazil, it’s remarkable that there were any at all.
Fares are valid any day of the week, but there are some restrictions:
Fares are not valid for travel March 31, 2012, through April 9, 2012.
A 3-night or Saturday-night minimum stay is required, based on travel days.