Aerolineas Argentinas is a bit of a running joke in Argentina. They are usually late – if they fly at all. There are often work stoppages. They have been hemorrhaging state money for years. People try and find any other airline to fly if they can. Well, things may be looking up…
I had previously written about using Delta SkyMiles to fly Aerolineas Argentinas to Buenos Aires and how there was a ton of award availability with Aerolineas. I finally had the chance to fly business class (Club Condor) on their new(ish) JFK to EZE route last month and was pleasantly surprised. (I did have to tell my wife it was a Delta flight, as she was worried about me flying Aerolineas Argentinas.)
Both flights were on time, and the one from JFK to EZE even got in at least an hour early. Supposedly they have an excellent on-time record for this route.
The new Airbus A330-200 planes that they’re flying on the EZE to JFK route are really nice. The business class section has soft blue lighting, built-in entertainment centers and lie-flat seats. I can honestly say that these were the most comfortable business seats I have flown in so far (vs Delta, American and AeroMexico). I was able to lie on my side, partially curl up and sleep for a good 5-6 hours, which is pretty impressive for a flight.
The food was good. Nothing to write home about, but perfectly acceptable. Service started a bit slowly as they did not offer drinks at boarding, but the flight attendants were around regularly once the flight was in the air.
A great benefit of flying business class is that you can use the British Airways lounge at JFK as Aerolineas does not have their own. This lounge was spacious with a self-serve bar, including draught beer on tap. If only I had known, I would have gotten there earlier! On the Ezeiza side, I opted to visit the new American Express Centurion Lounge rather than the Aerolineas Lounge which I had been to before. The American Express Lounge is great, but way too crowded. On the two times I have been there, I had to wait to find seats both times.
