Day 0: Introduction -> My quest for Machu Picchu and why I chose Mexicana + Avianca + LAN Peru
Day 1: Los Angeles to Bogota via Mexico City on Mexicana + Bogota to Lima on Avianca
Day 2: Lima to Cusco on LAN Peru + Cusco
Day 3: Cusco to Aguas Calientes on Peru Rail + Climbing Putucusi Mountain
Day 4: Machu Picchu + Aguas Calientes to Cusco on Peru Rail
Day 5: Cusco to Lima on LAN Peru + Lima + Lima to Bogota on Avianca
Day 6: Bogota + BOG-MEX-LAX on Mexicana in Elite Class
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Day 0: Introduction: My Quest for Machu Picchu and why I chose Mexicana + Avianca + LAN Peru
In 2008 I booked a $236 r/t Avianca ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) to Cusco, Peru (CUZ) that I planned to use in October 2008. For years I had dreamed of visiting Machu Picchu and this seemed like the golden opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, a scheduling conflict prohibited me from taking the trip, but I promised myself that I would find a way to make it down to Peru on another occasion.
That occasion arose when Mexicana filed a $318 r/t from LAX to Bogota, Colombia (BOG) in Business Class. Now with tickets to Bogota, I only had to find a way down to Cusco. Surprisingly, I was able to use the residual value of my Avianca ticket from last year toward my ticket to Cusco. Although I still had to pay over $400 for the Economy ticket, I bit the bullet and finalized the booking. The total cost for airfare would be nearly $500 more than I could have gone to Cusco for last year, but at least I would get four international flights in Business Class.
My final airline routing:
LAX-MEX-BOG on Mexicana
BOG-LIM on Avianca
LIM-CUZ-LIM on LAN Peru
LIM-BOG on Avianca
BOG-MEX-LAX on Mexicana
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