New South America flight options for West Coast travelers

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

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Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

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If you’re headed south from the West Coast, here’s another option: LAN Peru is introducing new direct service between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil, later this month. The inaugural direct flight will depart on March 22, launching a four-times-a-week schedule.

To kick off the new service LAN Peru is offering introductory fares starting at $499 round-trip to both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. San Francisco departures to those same cities will also start at $499 for a limited time.

Having more options to choose from is inherently good for travelers, and in this case it means both increased route competition and some frequent flyer choices. LAN partners with American, so you can earn either AAdvantage or LANPASS miles on these flights. I’ve also flown LAN to South America in the past and found the airline’s economy service surprisingly roomy compared to its competitors.

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