CORNERFLICK
Argentina’s run to the World Cup final has triggered a rush for flights to New York, with search traffic for tickets to the city up 6,000 per cent in the hours after the semi-final ended.
Despegar, the travel company, said demand spiked almost immediately after the result, while state airline Aerolíneas Argentinas sold out both of its special Buenos Aires-to-New York services by Thursday morning. All 540 seats were taken.
Economy fares on those flights were priced at about $5,000, with business class around $10,000, far above normal rates.
Aerolíneas Argentinas said its website showed no seats available on New York services until 21 July. The airline also said flights to Miami were fully booked, with south Florida serving as a transit point for fans trying to reach the final.
Other carriers were still offering seats on Thursday, although many of the available options were connecting flights rather than the direct routes preferred by supporters. The final, against Spain, kicks off at 22:30 on Sunday night in New York.