kgrams
9/7/2016 12:37 EST
We are considering a month in Columbia, and are looking for your suggested itinerary.
- 1 or 2 cities?
- rent house or other?
- we have limited Spanish
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timllowe
9/7/2016 14:29 EST
There is something for everyone in Colombia. You don't say what kind of experience you are looking for. Don't let limited Spanish worry you. Colombians are generally super friendly people and it is still the only place outside the US where I don't fell more comfortable wearing maple leaf t-shirts. ;)
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mtbe
9/7/2016 14:33 EST
well...
What are your likes and interests?
Beach, Mountains, City Activities (museums, parks, shopping, etc...)
Are you coming for vacation or to get your feelings/footings for retirement?
If vacation I would go to 3-5 different areas in Colombia...no more than 3--5 days in each area. If getting your feet wet for retirement...then possibly two cities/areas.
But, we need to know more about your interests to help you out. Is it just you and spouse? Do you have kids? etc....
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novato1953
9/7/2016 15:52 EST
Don't downplay yourself. You already know some Spanish. Ortografia, for example, means "spelling" (at least if you put in an accent mark), just like in English. And Error means error. This lesson will soon be repeated, would be my guess.
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NomadKelly
9/7/2016 17:47 EST
Good point!!
We are mid 50's ... well traveled ... like beach or mountain ... hobby's are hiking, food, and meeting expats.
Have done much of Mex & C America. Starting our S America travels.
Seeing sights/day trips from 1-2 cities is quite alright for 1 month.
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testolas
9/7/2016 18:49 EST
I would go to Medellin and Cartagena. Bogota for a few days it much cooler there.
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testolas
9/7/2016 19:03 EST
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1071826?sug=50
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1011542?sug=50
I have stayed in both places.
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JasonWriter
9/7/2016 20:10 EST
It's a decent strategy, I think, to try importing any English word that ends in "-ion" as is to Spanish, with a little accent. God knows I do this all the time in a pinch, when a conversation is getting rough and I need to communicate something desperately.
"There was an interruption in my concentration due to the invasion of beautiful women in the classroom. So I failed the test."
"Hubo una interrupcion en mi concentracion porque hubo una invasion de hermosas mujeres en la clase . Asi, no paso la prueba senor. :("
Of course there are like a million ways that English and Spanish are friendly like that, making it easy to hack a lot of the language and wing it until you learn. I'm still totally learning: I admit I suck at Spanish at this point.
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mtbe
9/7/2016 20:23 EST
I'd recommend few days in Bogota on arrival or departure. Then Medillin and Cartegena, or possibly the Coffee Triangle (Pereira, Armenia, Manizales) which is really beautiful and would offer many, many day trips out of Pereira (or Armenia)
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timllowe
9/7/2016 20:53 EST
@NomadKelly - So we didn't scare you off after all. ;)
I'll put in my pitch for Cali. You won't run into a lot of gringos. We are thin on the ground. It is a large (3 millonish population) and very modern and cosmopolitan. It is close to some really beautiful country that can be accessed for a day trip or overnight. It's probably 1/3 the cost of living as Bogota (which, to be frank, is a sh*t hole of a city) and the people are really friendly and, to be honest, the best looking in the country. . Lack of Spanish is not a problem. Nobody really speaks English but they sure don't mind if you do. Drop me a note if you want to talk about it more. I can fix you up with a great hotel in a historic neighborhood for not much money and I'll be please to shot you around.
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timllowe
9/7/2016 20:55 EST
@mtbe - I wouldn't recommend Bogota to my worst enemy. (OK. Maybe to my ex-wife. The bitch.) The coffee triangle suggestion is a great one.
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mtbe
9/7/2016 21:46 EST
Not a big fan of Bogota either. But for a first timer, it is more probable their entry point and a convenient
So, check out the Gold Museum and the Salt Cathedral (catedral de sal), Villa de Leiva (I'm sure I butchered that spelling), History Museum...
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timllowe
9/7/2016 21:51 EST
That salt thing is creepy Villa Dr Leyva is pretty Disney. I say avoid the whole affair. Fly in to a different airport. Bogota's new airport is even gringo.
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cccmedia
9/8/2016 06:21 EST
A couple of previous posters on this thread are correct and I am glad to emphasize this --
don’t miss the Coffee Triangle ... especially the fresh air and Cocora Valley's magnificent views at the Salento mirador....
.... the jungle-within-the-city of Parque de la Vida (park of the life) in Armenia...
... and outdoor swimming at some of the reasonably priced, high-quality hotels and fincas, including Sonesta near Pereira and Allure Aroma Mocawa in Armenia.
Consider a side-trip to Calarcá, a few miles from Armenia, for the Mariposario -- the big butterfly farm.
Time permitting, you can also consider visiting the low-oxygen capital, Bogotá -- it’s almost a metaphysical certainty you’ll arrive there first coming by plane -- or some of the hotter and humider coastal places.
cccmedia from Medellín (a transformed, innovative city in an Andean valley, also worth your time)
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livinginmedellin
9/8/2016 17:52 EST
Here's two decent top 10 places to see in Colombia:
http://discoveringice.com/2885/travels/top-10-places-to-visit-in-colombia.html
http://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-colombia/
My votes would be:
1. Cartagena with a side trip to Tayrona National Park and Santa Marta for a couple days
2. Medellín with a side trip to El Peñol and Guatape
3. Salento and the Coffee Triangle/Zona Cafetera
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SunsetSteve
9/8/2016 21:49 EST
Maybe I should start my own thread but more efficient to jump in on this since it is the same basic question. I have spent several month-long visits to Panama and in fact have got my pensionado visa for Panama but have not yet retired and made the move. As Time Goes By is is getting more difficult to rely on a lower Cost of Living in Panama so I am now looking at Colombia as a potential retireme t and am impressed so far by what I am learning. So for my January-February visit this year I may well visit Colombia. But here's the thing:
Everybody seems to rave about Medellin, and for me the Climate os the principal driver (along with cost of living). But I DO NOT enjoy big city life. However, hen I look at the smaller places in Colombia I have to wonder whether there are pleasant rental opportunities available along with some basic level of expats around. Would the "Coffee Triangle" be a reasonable area to look at, with a temperate climate similar to Medellin?
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BlueSeas
9/8/2016 23:46 EST
Sunset, not an expert in small town Colombia, the smallest place I've spent a couple of months in is Santa Marta. But I have spent some time in Portobelo Panama, and that is a small town!
I was on my boat in Panama anchored off the town. I don't think there is a big difference in food costs or furnishings compared to Colombia. Don't know about rental/housing costs, but it's not Panama City. In the big picture, the difference a rounding error. So in the country/small towns not the cities, I don't think there is a huge difference between Panama and Colombia. But you should come see for yourself.
On the question of expat community, there is no doubt Panama has a far more expats (from all over, not just the USA) than Colombia. We saw that in Portobelo, but our understanding is there are even more expats on the Pacific Coast of Panama.
We picked Medellin for the climate and the fact we like urban life better than the countryside. I'm no expert on the Coffee Triangle, so others can chime in. But will speculate outside the bigger cities there, the expat count would be near zero. Expats in Colombia are a small group, but mostly centered in the cities.
Good luck in your search!
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cccmedia
9/9/2016 04:39 EST
The Coffee Triangle cities -- the three major ones -- are at the same general altitude as Medellín. The weather stats for all these cities seem to vary by website around the Internet -- my take on the consensus is that Coffee country may be just slightly cooler in the summertime due to less pollution, fewer cars and trucks and buses, and less people congestion.
The famous tourist town of Salento is only 15 minutes north of Armenia's Portal del Quindío mall, at higher altitude, and thus enjoys cooler, fresh mountain air.
There are smaller towns at cooler, higher altitudes around Medellín, as well -- Rionegro and Ceja, for instance.
Living in a place such as Ceja or Salento could give you access to busier places but without the big-city feel.
The poster who said he thinks Panama and Colombia are about the same obviously wasn’t comparing Panama City with Salento, Colombia. Weatherwise, that would be like comparing central Texas’s hottest months with summer in northern New England.
cccmedia from Medellín
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cccmedia
9/9/2016 04:42 EST
Correction: I should have said that the highway turnoff to Salento is about 15 minutes north of the Armenia mall. It’s another 10-15 minutes going east before arriving in Salento proper.
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SunsetSteve
9/9/2016 07:13 EST
CCC, I took Blue Seas to be referring to cost of living more so than climate in his comparison. From what you say it seems that from a climate point of view, Colombia offers a greater variety of possible towns (really only three in Panama). So I wonder whether some or any of those towns offer a congenial environment for an expat.
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livinginmedellin
9/9/2016 08:30 EST
Reply to @SunsetSteve
Pereira is a viable and lower cost alternative to Medellín. I would describe it as a mini-Medellín that hasn't yet been discovered by many expats.
Here's a decent comparison:
http://medellinliving.com/medellin-vs-pereira/
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timllowe
9/9/2016 08:55 EST
Really? Of the three coffee triangle cities, Pereira, to me, comes in a distant 3rd. You know what people in Cali say about it...
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livinginmedellin
9/9/2016 09:12 EST
I personally prefer Pereira out of the cities in the Coffee Triangle.
Manizales is too small of a city for me, It’s also way too hilly so not very walk-able. It also has a colder climate and it doesn’t have all the shopping and restaurant options found in bigger Pereira
To me Armenia feels more like a big town than city. Armenia is far more slower-paced than Pereira or Manizales - perhaps Armenia is a place for someone retired. It also doesn’t have all the shopping and restaurant options found in bigger Pereira. Quite a few buildings in Armenia were destroyed in the 1999 earthquake but the city was rebuilt. However the center of the city looks pretty makeshift to me.
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timllowe
9/9/2016 09:21 EST
All three are McCities. That's for sure. I like the terrain in Manizales but I understand it's not for everyone. I have to say all the times I have been in Periera, it's charms are totally lost on me. All I remember is constant hassles with beggars. Armenia's best asset is it's airport. The city itself ain't much. The coffee triangle is a wonderful place but I find the cities perfectly avoidable. Mostly city hassles with few of the advantages.
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SunsetSteve
9/9/2016 10:36 EST
If we assume no car, then what options are there in the coffee triangle other than the three cities?
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timllowe
9/9/2016 10:54 EST
Absolutely! There are many great small towns. Just hear Armenia I would recommend Salento (kind of hip and a little toursity. lost of euro-backpackers. The nearby Valle Cocora is must-see IMHO) and Filandia (less touristy but very nice for a visit.) Both can be accessed by very inexpensive bus rides from the Armenia terminal. Note that the terminal in any Colombian town or city is not the greatest place in town. Think of it as cultural immersion. But the terminal in Armenia is clean and friendly. Just be aware that in all terminals, you have to pay to pee. ;)
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testolas
9/9/2016 12:04 EST
The coffee triangle is high up so tends to be cooler and more rain. If weather more important to you then Medellin is a better spot. Just try them both out for youself.
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SunsetSteve
9/9/2016 20:30 EST
Weather is important, but more so is my total lack of interest in city living. So I am trying to focus on smaller towns and cities before actually visiting.
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cccmedia
9/9/2016 22:38 EST
Replying to Sunset’s question.....
I find Colombians wonderfully welcoming and friendly.
An Expat who speaks Spanish -- or is even working at it -- can expect to be warmly greeted by most Colombians in the cities and towns mentioned on this thread.
cccmedia from Medellin
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Kee
9/10/2016 07:58 EST
Sunset Steve, small is relative. For many people Armenia, with a population around 300,000, feels like a town. For a small town boy like myself it is a city.
It depends on what amenities you have to have. The two habits I haven't kicked yet are Belgian beer and bowling. My wife enjoys a few modern things like shopping malls. I haven't found those sorts of things in a pueblo yet.
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SunsetSteve
9/10/2016 08:24 EST
Yes, small IS relative. I live in the country several kms from our village of about 1,200, 45 minutes from a city of $125,000. For 20 years I lived in Toronto and enjoyed it, until I stopped enjoying it. So it would not take a "city" of large pop. to seem large to me!
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livinginmedellin
9/10/2016 09:47 EST
In reply to @timllowe: "Armenia's best asset is it's airport."
The airport in Armenia is very small with only 4 destinations and only a handful of flights each day. Plus the Spirit flights in Armenia to/from Ft. Lauderdale are not every day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ed%C3%A9n_International_Airport
In comparison from Pereira's busier airport you can fly to 10 destinations and there are over 25 daily flights. Pereira's airport is the busiest airport in the coffee triangle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateca%C3%B1a_International_Airport
There is also a small airport in Manizales. But the runway at Manizales' airport is so short it can only handle turbopropeller aircraft and it only operates during daylight hours. It also sometimes shuts down due to fog, rain or winds. So better to fly from Pereira instead of Manizales.
Aeropuerto del Café being built in the coffee region in Palestina (Caldas) looks to be a huge white elephant project that may never complete. Plus this planned airport would have weather problems just like the airport in Manizales.
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Kee
9/10/2016 11:33 EST
Someone flying every couple of weeks may find avoiding that connection in Bogota important. I doubt that I'll be flying more than 3 or 4 times a year (if that much), so that 45 minute flight from El Eden Aeropuerto is not bad at all.
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timllowe
9/10/2016 11:41 EST
In my professional life, I was in and out of ORD at least 4 x week. I love Eden (aptly named). Almost never more than one flight at a time. Easy in. Easy out. And a really cheap way to get to the US.
The new terminal in Bogota looks suspiciously like ORD terminal 3.
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Andresen
9/10/2016 11:43 EST
Tim. Trivia question. Do you know what ORD stands for? It sure doesn't sound like Chicago or O'Hare!
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timllowe
9/10/2016 11:59 EST
Unaided by google or a life line:
Orchard Field.
My grandfather who worked for Fairchild in MD used to fly planes there on test runs all the time.
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timllowe
9/10/2016 12:06 EST
WW II. He was a draftsman and said he did a lot of drawing for the wooden bow-truss roof hangers the military built there. Now, long gone. You know, as a road warrior based in Chicago how much time I've spent in O'Hare? Years. There's not much I don't know about it. ;)
Are we off topic here? That never happens around here....
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timllowe
9/10/2016 12:20 EST
Which, if I recall, was "1 Month in Colombia." Who the hell spends one month in Colombia? It's barely enough time to get your head around people who actually eat arepas....
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livinginmedellin
9/10/2016 13:41 EST
Cheap way to get to the US?
You get what you pay for. Spirit is the most hated airline in the U.S. with charges for everything.
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/04/27/spirit-airlines-is-most-hated-airline-in-us.html
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jonrod888
9/10/2016 14:03 EST
I fly Spirit all the time. I must be part of the 62% in the article who are satisfied ... use to fly Delta 1st Class for business but when the $$$ come out of my pocket I don't need to pay hundreds of $$$ for a drink, snack and smile.
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timllowe
9/10/2016 14:33 EST
Spirit sucks. So do all the others. At least you feel less ripped off on Spirit.
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livinginmedellin
9/10/2016 18:18 EST
JetBlue doesn't suck. Neither does Avianca. I used to fly Spirit to Colombia and had countless problems.
Once JetBlue starting flying to Colombia I never flew Spirit again and I have never experienced a problem on JetBlue.
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timllowe
9/10/2016 18:50 EST
First of all, you're wrong. All airlines suck and pretty much suck equally. I have had a few problems making my connection Miami/Chicago and Spirit paid for hotel/meals/transportation without blinking. Good incentive to fix the scheduling problem. Which they did. I don't have a Jet Blue option but I'd certainly try it.
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timllowe
9/10/2016 18:51 EST
Oh. And Avianca totally sucks. I've never had such rude and inept service in my long life, traveling constantly for work. I refuse to fly them.
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SunsetSteve
9/10/2016 20:15 EST
IMO Copa Air does not suck - and I would very possibly come via Panama City. Other than that I would not consider airport locations to be a big factor in deciding where to live.
I am trying to figure out what sort of accommodations would make sense to spend a month or so in the coffee area in order to get a well-rounded perspective on the cities and towns as a place I might want to settle in. The thought od spending a lot of time based out of a small hotel room is not appealing! Are there other reasonable-cost options out there?
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timllowe
9/10/2016 20:26 EST
I took Copa through P-city once and it was great. The problem is their prices fluctuate wildly. They can't figure out if they want US/Colombia business or not.
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livinginmedellin
9/10/2016 20:51 EST
I travel on Avianca all the time for work and pleasure and never have experience any problems. They have decent free food on longer flights compared to Spirit's junky snacks you have to pay for. Plus free movies and entertainment in the seats.
Helps being part of the Avianca Elite LifeMiles (Silver, Gold or Diamond), which enables upgrades to business class if available, access to VIP lounges, priority boarding and priority baggage handling. Plus an extra checked bag and extra carry-on for free with Gold or Diamond LifeMiles.
Try finding a Spirit VIP lounge...
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timllowe
9/10/2016 21:16 EST
I think the forum censored my initial response. I'll rephrase. WHAT A STUPID POST. An airline is to get you from point A to point B without crashing. If you want to pay more to feed your fragile ego, go for it. God, I hate gringos.
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BlueSeas
9/10/2016 21:47 EST
I don't think it's that simple to say A to B without crashing. That's a given. No airline wants to crash, it's not good for the bottom line!
I flew as a captain for a fractional airline (corporate) it was part of my job to know if the passengers preferred regular or decaf coffee and strive to provide that.
Spirit is safe. But if you don't want to pay for oxygen to survive the flight, fly another airline. Jet Blue is essentially the same price from FLL to MDE if you have carry on or checked luggage.
It's not a fragile ego thing for the airlines. They must meet the needs of their customers, and some percentage of the demand to Colombia desires more than Spirit service. Count me as one of those. And I saw lots of Colombians in the "even more space" seats on my recent trips.
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NomadKelly
9/10/2016 21:55 EST
Nice to know others have the same inquiry!! We are checking out Columbia and Ecuador this year.
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NomadKelly
9/10/2016 22:11 EST
.... but it is a start.
We did 1 month for 3 years in Hong Kong!! Also Mexico and Honduras. Relatives keep us visiting Canada.
Looking for that next '1month' place.
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livinginmedellin
9/11/2016 16:31 EST
@timllowe said “I think the forum censored my initial response. I'll rephrase. WHAT A STUPID POST. An airline is to get you from point A to point B without crashing. If you want to pay more to feed your fragile ego, go for it. God, I hate gringos.
That post doesn’t provide any value. Please respect that others can have a different opinion.
The entire purpose of a site like this is to get different folks opinions and there is no need to say something like “WHAT A STUPID POST” when someone expresses a different opinion.
All I did was offer my opinion, which differs from yours “I travel on Avianca all the time for work and pleasure and never have experienced any problems.”
I have traveled on Avianca for many years throughout Latin America and in my opinion they have better service than other options like Copa and LATAM.
For travel from the US I used to travel on Spirit but will never again with cramped seats and charges for everything plus bad customer service in my experience. JetBlue prices can be around the same when you factor in Spirit’s other costs and you get better service in my experience.
When I fly JetBlue from the US to Colombia most of the passengers are Colombians. I also use Avianca sometimes if traveling to NYC due to a direct flight with service that can be better than JetBlue.
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timllowe
9/11/2016 16:39 EST
"Helps being part of the Avianca Elite LifeMiles (Silver, Gold or Diamond), which enables upgrades to business class if available, access to VIP lounges, priority boarding and priority baggage handling. Plus an extra checked bag and extra carry-on for free with Gold or Diamond LifeMiles.
Try finding a Spirit VIP lounge..."
I stand my by characterization of your post.
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livinginmedellin
9/11/2016 18:13 EST
@timllowe said “stand my by characterization of your post.”
I also stand by my characterization of your post – “That post doesn’t provide any value.”
All I did is mention my opinion about Avianca’s LifeMiles program that has some good features. I'll add that LifeMiles is part of Star Alliance so you earn and can use miles so many ways.
Across almost all frequent flyer programs, you can earn 100% of miles flown for economy flights – not on coin-operated Spirit.
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SunsetSteve
9/11/2016 18:22 EST
so-o-o-o -o-o ..... however I end up getting there (probably Copa YYZ to PTY to PEI) - it seems to make sense to book a week at a VRBO apartment/chalet of some type in each of the target cities with day trips out to surrounding towns. It seems there are plenty of low-cost appealing options available. So the question of transportation arises. I was watching a few vids of Pereira and what struck me was the large number of motorcycles zipping arpund on the streets. Both my wife and I were avid motorcyclists in the past. Does anyone know whether there are moto rentals available bond the typical small scooters? Because car rental rates seem high.
Or recommendations of accoms???
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timllowe
9/11/2016 18:35 EST
Look buddy, You are so full of yourself I'm surprised you can walk let alone squeeze into an airline seat. I flew an average of 6 times a week for 40 years. I have lifetime elite status on 5 airlines. That's > 1,000,000 miles x 5. There is no airline I have not flown. And I can tell you with certainty, they are all alike. You can look down your nose at Spirit if you want to. Makes you feel rich and smart, I suppose. Good for you. I'll tell you what a former client of mine said when I asked him if he had a good flight. You've probably heard of the guy. Founded a software company in Redmond. He said,"The plane didn't crash." And that about the best flying experience you can expect. I assume your favored airlines don't crash either and I hope you keep flying them. I won't get stuck in the seat next to you.
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bigjailerman
9/11/2016 18:36 EST
Trust me my friend, not only motto rentals can be difficult to dueling up lines, no thumbs up, no respect of any rules etc etc.. If you can't ride aggressively, you can get swallowed up by the swarms...
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testolas
9/11/2016 19:02 EST
I have use all the airlines and I have found for me that Avianca is the best. They seam to run the older airplanes from San Francisco to Bogota. When flying in South America they seam to run the new airplanes. Air New Zealand is my favorite when flying down under.
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timllowe
9/11/2016 19:22 EST
@testolas - I had one just really awful experience with Avianca the soured me on them for life. They fly hourly Cali/Bogota during the week and my flight at 8an was cancelled for equipment issues. I watched the 9, the 10 the 11 leave. The agents were rude and indifferent about my connecting flight. Others on my flight got on those flights. Someone I was sitting beside in the terminal suggested that they had seen gringos get the same treatment. I and the only other gringo finally got on the noon flight. Now I am not an obnoxious customer. I know full well that a smile and "can you help me?" gets you what you want.
Anyway, I spoke to the customer assistance agent when I finally got to Bogota. Told her what had happened and that I had missed my connection. More indifference.
So, I'll wait until the trains start running again before I fly Avianca. I know several others who hold the same opinion after similar customer service treatment.
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bigjailerman
9/11/2016 22:12 EST
If you use Spirit, you have to be smart to save.. I use it if I can travel light without luggage (only carry on). If you check luggage be aware of the weight, it's less than most other airlines, 40lbs vs 50. If you can splurge for the big seat it's very comfortable. Some regular flights have horrific on time stats, you just need to check. Also out of countries like Colombia that require an exit fee, Spirit doesn't add that cost to your ticket and you have to add it and pay it yourself. That lessens the apparent savings. Just takes you a little time to pay it and isn't difficult, UNLESS you didn't know it and after you wait on a long check in line, then you have to go pay it yourself. and then return can be a bit of a hassle. Pay it as soon as you get into the airport before checking in. Spirit prices are pretty close to Jet Blue after you add everything in. Including paying for snacks and water and soda etc.
Interior of Colombia I try to stick with Viva Colombia, huge savings. Also ADA jump flights. Those are my choices most of the time.
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pocopelo
9/12/2016 05:34 EST
@bjm actually the only way to avoid baggage fees with Spirit is to travel with a personal item that will fit under the seat. They will charge you for a "carry on" bag that stows overhead. IIRC the exit fee you mention only applies if you've stayed over 90 consecutive days. It used to be that you had to line up for the exemption from the exit fee. That has largely been done away with. No more long lineups at Aeronautica Civil. In Bogota that is.
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jonrod888
9/12/2016 07:56 EST
Spirit charges the Colombia exit tax in the price of the ticket ... when you are online and get to the login page, look at the government cut of the price of the ticket. If you started your trip outside Colombia you will see a Colombia airport tax and a Colombia tourist exit fee of $15. If you started your trip from Colombia, you will see a Colombia airport tax, a Colombia resident stamp tax of $26.89 and a Colombia IVA tax. To make sure that they don't try to charge me again at check-in, I make a copy of this breakout. All tourists are charged the exit tax on their tickets and need to request a refund at check-in if they stayed less than 60 days. For baggage I have a bag that fits under the seat with everything that I need si no extra bag fee. But I do have US clothes in my residence there and don't carry toiletries. Last time I flew to US it cost me $220 round trip and that is not just to Ft. lauderdale.
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Andresen
9/12/2016 11:19 EST
FYI. My son just flew Spirit from Chicago. He booked it on Father's Day for $496.98. He arrived on August 31 and left yesterday. He paid no exit tax but checked his carryon for about $30. He said if he carried it on it would have cost him a few bucks more.
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timllowe
9/12/2016 11:24 EST
True. They actively discourage carry on. Slows pouring passengers in and out of the plane. Perk is you board first. The other trick with Spirit is to never pay for a seat. I always get an exit row that way.
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Andresen
9/13/2016 14:38 EST
I was just rereading some old posts and I want to clear up a mistake I may have made. If I said that the price I gave for my son's flight was to Fort Lauderdale, that was just for his layover. He was returning to Chicago.
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timllowe
9/13/2016 14:45 EST
Right now the bare fare (your butt in a seat) one month out, for RT ORD/AXM/ORD is about $370USD.
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timllowe
9/13/2016 14:52 EST
Actually, I just tried a few different dates in November and got a RT fare as low as $331.35. And they still don't charge to use the bathroom! ;)
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jonrod888
9/13/2016 15:07 EST
Acutually, for fun, I searched and you can fly Armenia to Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip on Spirit for $227.55 US on Oct. 4 return Oct. 18. There is a 99PCT promotion until tomorrow. This includes Colombia airport tax, Colombia resident stamp fee and Colombia IVA.
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