Top 12 Airlines for Your Trip to Peru
1. American Airlines
As the largest airline in the world, American Airlines offers unparalleled connectivity from the United States to Peru, making it a top choice for reliability and options.
Hubs: Miami (MIA), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Extensive flight options, Oneworld alliance benefits, and modern aircraft on key routes. The AAdvantage program offers excellent value for award travel to South America.
The Nomad Hack: Always try to book your connection through Miami (MIA). The MIA-LIM route often uses the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which offers superior comfort with better cabin pressure and humidity—a significant perk on overnight flights. For about $70-$100, upgrading to Main Cabin Extra provides extra legroom and early boarding, a worthy investment for a 6-hour flight.
2. Delta Air Lines
Delta is synonymous with reliability and a premium travel experience, ensuring you arrive on time and well-rested for your Peruvian adventure.
Hubs: Atlanta (ATL), New York (JFK)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Consistently high on-time performance is crucial when you have non-refundable tours or co-working space bookings. Their updated fleet features reliable WiFi and power outlets, letting you stay productive in the air.
The Nomad Hack: If you value comfort, the Delta One business class on the JFK-Lima route is a game-changer, featuring fully-flat beds. For a more budget-conscious upgrade, Comfort+ offers extra legroom and priority boarding. Their partnership with LATAM simplifies booking connecting flights to Cusco and other domestic destinations.
3. LATAM Airlines
As South America's largest airline and Peru's home carrier, LATAM offers the most comprehensive network for exploring the country and beyond.
Hubs: Lima (LIM), Santiago (SCL), São Paulo (GRU)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Unbeatable domestic connectivity. If you plan to explore beyond Lima, LATAM is essential for routes like Lima-Cusco. Their deep local knowledge ensures smoother operations within the region.
The Nomad Hack: When flying into Lima with plans to continue to Cusco, book a morning flight for the domestic leg. Mountain weather is more stable in the mornings, reducing the chance of delays. Booking a domestic Premium Economy ticket on the Lima-Cusco route offers a more relaxed experience for a small price increase.
4. JetBlue Airways
JetBlue has carved a niche by offering a superior economy experience and one of the best-value business class products in the sky.
Hubs: New York (JFK), Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Free, high-speed Wi-Fi that actually works. This is a massive perk for entrepreneurs who need to stay connected. They also offer the most legroom in standard economy.
The Nomad Hack: JetBlue's Mint business class is arguably the best way to fly to Peru. Available on the Fort Lauderdale-Lima route, it features private suites with closing doors and lie-flat beds, often at a fraction of the cost of competitors. It's a luxury experience without the exorbitant price tag.
5. Aeromexico
For a unique route with a cultural twist, Aeromexico offers a great connection through its Mexico City hub, perfect for the perpetual traveler looking to add another stamp to their passport.
Hub: Mexico City (MEX)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Their free stopover program allows you to explore Mexico City for a few days without increasing your airfare. It's like getting two destinations for the price of one.
The Nomad Hack: Mexico City's airport (MEX) can be chaotic. Give yourself a layover of at least 2.5 hours to navigate immigration and connections stress-free. Look for routes using the 787 Dreamliner for a more comfortable long-haul flight.
6. Avianca
With a robust network across Latin America and a powerhouse loyalty program, Avianca is a strategic choice for savvy nomads.
Hubs: Bogotá (BOG), Lima (LIM)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Competitive pricing and flexible routing through its dual hubs. The LifeMiles program is one of the best-kept secrets in travel.
The Nomad Hack: The LifeMiles program frequently runs promotions to buy miles at a deep discount (e.g., 1.3 cents per mile). This allows you to book a business class ticket with a fully-flat bed for less than the cost of an economy cash fare. It's the ultimate travel hack for flying in style on a budget.
7. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
For European nomads, KLM provides a seamless and stylish connection to Peru through its world-class Amsterdam hub.
Hub: Amsterdam (AMS)
Why It's Great for Nomads: The Amsterdam Schiphol airport is famously efficient for transfers. KLM's stopover program lets you explore the canals of Amsterdam for a few days at no extra flight cost.
The Nomad Hack: Fly on the 787-10 Dreamliner (flights KL755/KL756) to experience their newest World Business Class seats, which all feature direct aisle access. Their loyalty program, Flying Blue, also offers regular promo awards that can cut the mileage cost for a business class seat by up to 50%.
8. Air Canada
Canada's flag carrier offers a comfortable and reliable year-round service to Peru, making it a great option for Canadians and those in the northern U.S.
Hubs: Toronto (YYZ), Montreal (YUL)
Why It's Great for Nomads: As a Star Alliance member, its Aeroplan loyalty program is incredibly versatile and powerful, with competitive redemption rates and minimal fuel surcharges.
The Nomad Hack: A Premium Economy ticket offers a significant upgrade in comfort (wider seats, more recline, better meals) for the 8-hour journey without the full business class price. If connecting in Toronto, Star Alliance Gold members can access the Maple Leaf Lounge for superior dining and even shower facilities.
9. Spirit Airlines
For the budget-conscious nomad who prioritizes the destination over the journey, Spirit offers an unbeatable low-fare option from the U.S.
Hub: Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Rock-bottom base fares (sometimes under $300 roundtrip) mean more money for experiences on the ground. You only pay for what you need.
The Nomad Hack: The "Big Front Seat" is the ultimate Spirit Airlines hack. For an extra $70-$90 each way, you get a seat with legroom and width comparable to a domestic first-class seat on a legacy carrier. It's the best of both worlds: a low fare with a comfortable ride.
10. British Airways
Offering a touch of British polish, BA connects Peru to Europe and beyond via its London hubs, with a focus on comfort and class.
Hubs: London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW)
Why It's Great for Nomads: A free stopover in London is easy to add. The afternoon arrival time in Lima is also convenient, allowing for a relaxed check-in and dinner before starting your adventures.
The Nomad Hack: Aim to fly on BA's newer A350 aircraft to experience their industry-leading Club Suite in business class, which features a sliding door for ultimate privacy. For award bookings, it's often cheaper to book BA flights using miles from a partner airline like American Airlines to avoid BA's high surcharges.
11. Copa Airlines
Copa is the master of connectivity, bridging North and South America through its hyper-efficient "Hub of the Americas" in Panama City.
Hub: Panama City (PTY)
Why It's Great for Nomads: Copa allows you to bypass the chaotic mega-airports in the US for a seamless, quick connection. Their on-time performance is among the best in the world.
The Nomad Hack: The entire PTY airport is designed for fast connections. A 90-minute layover is typically more than enough time, making your total travel time shorter and more efficient. As a Star Alliance member, it’s a great way to earn and burn points.
12. Air France
For those who believe the vacation starts the moment you board, Air France brings Parisian flair, exceptional dining, and a sophisticated touch to the long-haul flight to Lima.
Hub: Paris (CDG)
Why It's Great for Nomads: The food and drink service is a cut above, even in Economy (complimentary champagne!). A stopover in Paris can easily be added to your itinerary.
The Nomad Hack: Book a flight on their refurbished Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The new business class seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, ensuring every passenger has a fully-flat bed with direct aisle access—a must for productivity and rest on a 12-hour flight.
