Deal alert: Flights to Peru from $190 round-trip through spring 2021
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Editor's note: As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials' guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.
If South America is on your post-pandemic travel bucket list, listen up. Peru is slowly restarting international flights and flights from the U.S. are available at new lows.
You can currently book flights to Lima (LIM) from cities like Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR) and Los Angeles (LAX) from just $190 round-trip. The low fares are available for travel from November 2020 (assuming flights from the U.S. resume by then) through June 2021 and are being offered by airlines like Aeromexico, Copa and JetBlue. This deal was first spotted by Secret Flying.
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Peru is filled with plenty of wonders. While Machu Picchu takes the prize for the most well known, there's plenty more to experience from the Sacred Valley to the floating islands of Lake Titicaca to the "poor man's Galapagos" of Islas Ballestas. And if you don't find low fares for your preferred dates, keep in mind that there are plenty of ways to get to Peru on points and miles.
Should I book travel now?
There is a risk with booking travel now, especially to Peru, which was among the hardest-hit countries by the outbreak. In addition to the CDC still having a strong warning against any nonessential travel to Peru, it's unclear whether the flights featured in this deal will even operate. While Peru allowed select international flights to start operating again on October 5, flights to and from the U.S. haven't resumed yet. If the situation doesn't improve by the time of your flight, you could be forced to cancel your ticket.
Assuming flights resume, you'll need to sign a sworn statement agreeing to comply with the mandatory 14-day quarantine and attest that you are symptom-free of COVID-19 upon entry. In addition, you must present a negative molecular COVID-19 test (within 72 hours of arrival) to be allowed entry.
Related: Peru is restarting international flights — here's what you need to know
When booking your flights, pay close attention to the cancellation and rebooking policies. Many airlines now allow new tickets to be changed or canceled for no fee. If rebooking, you may need to pay a difference between the original and new fare. If you cancel, you'll typically get flight credit that can be put toward a new reservation.
Peru flight deals currently available
Airlines: Aeromexico, Copa and JetBlue
Routes: FLL/ORD/DEN/IAH/EWR/LAX to LIM
Cost: $190+ round-trip in economy class
Travel Dates: Nov. 2020 – June 2021
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline; starting Jan. 1, 2021 earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare booked directly with the airline or amextravel.com) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Sample itineraries
Here's a look at some of the best deals you could book. This isn't an exhaustive list, so you may be able to find deals between other cities as well.
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Lima (LIM) for $190 round-trip nonstop on JetBlue:
Chicago (ORD) to Lima (LIM) for $272 round-trip on Aeromexico:
Denver (DEN) to Lima (LIM) for $292 round-trip on Aeromexico:
Houston (IAH) to Lima (LIM) for $341 round-trip on Aeromexico:
Newark (EWR) to Lima (LIM) for $323 round-trip on JetBlue:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Lima (LIM) for $351 round-trip on Aeromexico:
How to book
There are no tricks to find these fares. Just head to Google Flights, plug in your desired departure city and Lima (LIM) as the destination. Then, use the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you and then click through to book with the airline directly or an OTA such as Expedia or Priceline.
Maximize your purchase
Don't forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases).
Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.