Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [263]
Do compare prices on the airlines’ websites and fare-compare sites like www.zuji.com.au. If you prefer a bricks-and-mortar travel agent the following offer the cheapest fares and have branches throughout Australia and New Zealand:
Flight Centre ( in Australia 133 133, in New Zealand 0800 243 544; www.flightcentre.com)
STA Travel ( in Australia 1300 733 035, in New Zealand 0508 782 872; www.statravel.com)
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Canada
Air Canada offers a daily nonstop service between Toronto’s Pearson Airport and Bogotá El Dorado for around C$900. You may also find discounts if you’re willing to fly via New York or Miami.
A good choice for student, youth and budget airfares is Travel Cuts ( 866-246 9762; www.travelcuts.com).
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Central America
Colombia has regular flight connections with most Central American capitals. Sample round-trip airfares include: Guatemala City–Bogotá US$400 to US$500, San José (Costa Rica)–Bogotá US$380 to US$420 and Panama City–Bogotá US$220 to US$270.
There are no flights to Nicaragua due to the ongoing diplomatic dispute over ownership of San Andrés and Providencia. For other Central American destinations it may work out cheaper to go via San Andrés and then get a domestic flight to the Colombian mainland. Click here for details.
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Continental Europe
A number of airlines, including British Airways, KLM, Air France and Iberia, link Bogotá, Medellín and Cali with European cities. Colombia is one of the cheapest South American destinations to reach from Europe. Expect to pay in the ballpark of €1100 for a 90-day return fare from Madrid, and around €1400 from Paris.
Some recommended agencies:
Anyway ( 0892 302 301; www.anyway.fr) French travel agent.
CTS Viaggi ( 06 462 0431; www.cts.it) Italian company that specializes in student and youth fares.
NBBS Reizen ( 0900 1020 300; www.nbbs.nl, in Dutch) Branches in most Dutch cities.
Nouvelles Frontiéres ( 08 25 00 07 47; www.nouvelles-frontieres.fr, in French) Many branches in Paris and throughout France.
STA ( in Paris 01 43 59 23 69, Frankfurt 069 430 1910; www.statravel.com) Branch offices across Europe.
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South America
Airline tickets in South America are expensive. If you are traveling to Ecuador, Venezuela or Brazil, you will find it cheaper to fly domestically to the land border (Ipiales, Cúcuta or Leticia, respectively), cross the land border and take another domestic flight to your final destination.
That said, there are plenty of intercontinental flights flying out of Bogotá, plus a few out of Cali and Medellín. You can fly Bogotá–Quito (US$400), Cali–Quito (US$350), and Cali–Lima (US$450). Plenty of flights also connect Bogotá and Caracas (U$450).
Further afield, a flight to Santiago, Chile, will set you back around US$700, and to Buenos Aires US$800. Expect to pay around US$1000 for São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
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DEPARTURE TAX
The departure tax in Colombia is one of the highest in South America. Tourists spending more than 60 days in the country pay US$65 (or the peso equivalent, adjusted twice per month). If you spend less than two months in country the tax is US$33, which is often included in your airline ticket price. Payment is accepted in both dollars and pesos.
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UK
Compared to other European cities, London has reasonably priced fares to Bogotá. You’ll find plenty of deals listed in the travel sections of weekend editions of London newspapers. Advertisements for many travel agents appear in the travel pages of the weekend broadsheets, such as the Independent on Saturday and the Sunday Times. Look out for free magazines, such as TNT, which are widely available in London.
Prices for discounted flights from London to Bogotá start at around UK£350 one way and UK£450 return. Bargain hunters may find lower prices, but make sure