Let Me Help You Travel to Buenos Aires
I have spent a lot of time in Buenos Aires, and I want to teach you the best tips and tricks to navigate this city for the first time.
Travel to Buenos Aires, since it is a top tourist destination for good reason. It’s relatively affordable (for those from the global north). It’s rich in culture and history. The food is fantastic. The locals are fun and friendly.
The country of Argentina is super diverse- from the desert in the north, sweeping mountain ranges in the south, wine and thermal baths to the west, wildlife and oceans to the east, and of course great cities- the largest of which is the capital city, Buenos Aires.
I’ve been creating Argentina content for a few years now, and have traveled extensively across the country. I want to help you do the same. I’ve created this blog post to connect you directly with what you want and what will make your life so much easier. You can also check out these other blog posts for things you should know before you travel to Buenos Aires and Argentina.
Nicki on YouTube: Let me help you Travel to Buenos Aires
If you prefer a video version of this blog post, check out the video below. I also have dozens of videos about travel in Argentina on my YouTube channel.
Insure Yourself Before You Travel to Buenos Aires
Let’s start with insurance. You never know what can happen when you travel, and the worst thing is to have something happen and you find yourself stuck. My personal favorite travel medical insurance company is SafetyWing as it is made specifically with nomads in mind with lots of flexibility.
SafetyWing is a travel medical insurance that was created by nomads for nomads. You can purchase a policy even if your trip has already started. You can pause and resume coverage with flexibility. 185 countries are covered and you don’t need to let them know about your itinerary in advance. Perfect for people like me who don’t know where they’ll be next month! Check out their website here.
Before I flew down to Argentina I made sure to cover myself with SafetyWing and never regretted it.
Flights to Buenos Aires
You’re reading this, so you are probably considering heading down to Argentina soon. One of the first steps is to buy a flight. Don’t just buy the first flight you see. Do a little research to find the most affordable flight you can.
Skyscanner
Whenever I’m looking for flights, the first thing I do is consult Skyscanner. The reason I like Skyscanner so much is that you can very easily select your desired location and then visually see the prices for the entire month. That will easily help you to make a decision about the best time to travel.
Hopper
Download the Hopper app to check when prices are best for buying. Hopper will tell you if you should wait or buy now. It gives estimates of when prices will drop or increase. I usually create “flight watches” and then get notifications when the price changes. This has saved me a ton of money.
If you join Hopper, use my code nicholep4jh and we’ll both get $20 in hotel vouchers.
CheapOair
This is a discount flight aggregator. It scans through several airlines looking for the best price for you.
Fly for Free
One of the best ways to travel to Buenos Aires for free is to have a credit card that rewards you. If you’re going to be spending money anyway, why not get something back? There are several travel credit cards out there with varying yearly prices and various rewards.
Some credit cards don’t even charge you a fee for the first year; you just need to spend a certain amount of money within a certain amount of time and then you’re rewarded with points. So if you’re thinking of going to Buenos Aires in the next several months, get started now to accumulate those points.
My favorite credit card for international travel is the Chase Sapphire Card. I’ve used my points to pay for international flights, and most recently a 3-night stay at a hotel in downtown Guadalajara.
Going to Argentina soon? Get Ready at a glance:
Get travel medical insurance with SafetyWing.
Book your stay with Booking.com.
Check Flights with Skyscanner or Hopper.
Rent a car with RentalCars.com or Discover Cars.
Download the Airalo app and get an Argentine eSIM.
Purchase the Ultimate Buenos Aires guidebook.
See all my Argentina guides on the Thatch app.
Take a tour with GetYourGuide or Viator.
Have a 1:1 consultation with me in advance!
Private Driver When You Travel to Buenos Aires
One of the biggest worries people have is- “how am I going to get from the airport to my hotel/Airbnb?” Well, there are a few options for transportation in Buenos Aires: Taxi, city bus, Tienda Leon (shuttle bus), or private driver.
My ideal option is getting a private driver. There is nothing worse than arriving at an international destination for the first time, groggy and tired, and then having to sort out transportation. For me, it’s worth paying just slightly more to have someone waiting for me at the airport. Someone I can trust who will deliver me and all my belongings safely.
Well, I have that person for you. I have used his services several times, as have my friends and family. I have also referred many other people to him without complaint. His name is Emilio, and you can contact him via WhatsApp. Let him know that Nicki referred you.
Emilio
+54 9 11 5905 8226
Sim Card in Argentina
It’s normal that you would want to be connected right away when arriving in a new country. You want to let your friends and family know you made it safely. You want to use maps to get around the city. But sometimes it can be tricky to know where to go to get a sim card without already having data.
When I travel, I use a combination of Airalo, local E-Sims, and Google Voice to keep my US phone number.
This is my suggestion to you:
- Purchase an Esim for the shortest amount of time available. Airalo has several plans in Argentina. Compared to local prices in Argentina, this is more expensive, but it’s worth it to give you peace of mind when you first arrive.
I suggest purchasing a plan for 3-7 days. This will give you a few days to settle in and have data before you can make it to get a local SIM card. If you use my Airalo link, you can get $3 off your first purchase. Download the Airalo app and follow the instructions to install your new Esim. - Find a Claro store. Claro is the phone company I recommend as it is super easy to get a SIM card with them. The prices at Claro are much more affordable than Airalo, so this is the best option for longer-term SIM use.
At Claro, you can purchase the tourist package for 30 days. As of October 2024, the tourist package was $15 for 25 GB of data for 30 days. After 30 days, you can go to any kiosk to add money to your SIM card.
Things to note about charging a SIM card at a kiosk:
- Make sure you know your local phone number.
- Check the maximum amount you’re allowed to add at one time.
- If you need to add more than the maximum amount, you should wait 5-10 minutes before doing the second transaction (otherwise it won’t work).
- When you add money to your SIM card, you will receive a text message with a link.
- To purchase a SIM package, click on the link and select from the available options.
Housing for Buenos Aires
If you want to read more about housing in Buenos Aires, I wrote a whole blog post about it here.
The short of it is this: If you’re planning to stay short term (a couple weeks or less), it is worth it to pay slightly more with a hotel or Airbnb for the convenience.
If you’re looking to stay longer term, like 3 months or more, you can contact my friend Guido’s assistant. He has many connections and can assist in finding you rental contracts for 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.
When you contact him, please let him know your preferences for: neighborhood, budget, personal demographics (age, nationality, gender identity), and interests. Contact him via WhatsApp and tell him Nicki referred you.
Martin
+54 9 11 3394 7767
Money in Argentina
When you travel to Buenos Aires, you might hear a lot of talk about money. The biggest change in the last few years is that FINALLY, people can use their credit cards. Previously, using your credit card would get you the official exchange rate, effectively losing you HALF of your purchasing power.
The official exchange rate and the blue dollar are now pretty equalized, making it possible to use your credit card and not lose money.
Now, you can use your credit card (Visa and Mastercard) to receive the MEP rate. All three rates are constantly fluctuating, but usually at similar rates.
That said, there are still a TON of places that are cash-only. One fact you have to accept about traveling in Argentina is that it is largely cash-based. That is why most people use the Western Union. You can read my blog post about how to create a Western Union account here.
Click here to open a Western Union account. If you create an account and send yourself at least $100 within the next 30 days, you and I will both get a $20 gift card to Amazon.
Buenos Aires Guide Book on Amazon
I have spent a ton of time in Argentina and the bulk of it was spent in the capital city of Buenos Aires. I found that there was a lack of real, solid, up-to-date information in the online guidebooks that I found. So, I wrote my own. I knew that I had a lot of insight to offer, and I really want to share that with you.
I have even created a 2nd edition with updates from 2025. You can purchase my updated 2025 guidebook here. It is available in both Kindle/eBook and paperback formats.
Argentina Guides on MindTrip
In addition to the Buenos Aires city guide I wrote, I also created several other guides on the Thatch app. Over the past 3.5 years, I sold dozens of guides on the Thatch app to help travelers make their way around the country with expert advice.
Unfortunately, the Thatch app has recently ended, and all the previous guides have moved over to MindTrip. Take a look at the guides on their website.
Buenos Aires Tour Guides
Buenos Aires can be tricky if you don’t speak the local language. Therefore, I have gotten in contact with several English speaking tour guides for just this purpose- to help you out and make things easy. If you contact any of these tour guides, please let them know that Nicki sent you, so they know how you found them.
Marcela Fernandez
WhatsApp: +54 9 11 3605 1739
She has many years of experience with several different tour companies in BA, with various excursions.
Caro
WhatsApp: +54 9 11 3429-0730
Instagram: @labandadebuenosaires
She has been giving tours for many years in BA.
Ezequiel
WhatsApp:+54 9 11 3674 0390
Email: ezequiel.b.nazer@gmail.com
He does walking tours, bicycle tours, or particular neighborhoods
Marcela Santos
WhatsApp: +54 911 4915 1963
Email: marcelaestangasantos@yahoo.com.ar
She has many years of experience giving tours in BA, especially with Dutch tourists.
YouTube channel
If you’re a visual person, well don’t you even worry. I have a ton of videos about my travels in Argentina on my YouTube channel, as well as several playlists broken down into regions if you’re looking for a particular area.
My viewers often tell me that I consistently provide useful information and valuable content. I work really hard on these videos, and I hope you’ll find them useful as well.
This blog
If you prefer to read blogs than watch videos (it me!) than this blog that you’re reading right now can be a really useful tool for you. I have an entire page dedicated to Buenos Aires content. I also have several other pages dedicated to the rest of the country.
If you’re planning a trip throughout Argentina, make sure to check out what other blog posts I have for you.
Consultations (email & Google Meet)
If you have read through the blog posts, and watched the videos, and think to yourself- but I have more questions! Then fantastic. I want to meet you. Let’s chat! I offer 1×1 consultations. We can discuss the specifics of your trip, your itinerary, what to do in Buenos Aires or the rest of Argentina, when to come, what to do, etc.
There are 30-minute and 60-minute consultations available via Google Meet. If you aren’t into video chats, I also have email consultations available. For further information on how to book a consultation, click here.
Social Media
If you want to have a visual idea of what several of these places in Argentina look like, find me on Instagram or TikTok. I have several years’ worth of Argentina and Buenos Aires content. Posts, stories, reels. This content is informative, educational, and fun. You can definitely find something useful.
Other Instagram accounts
So you’re ready to go to Argentina, but looking for more inspiration? Check out these other accounts:
Erin at Sol Salute: Instagram and blog
Martin at Buenosaires.ar
Mica at CoolBuenosAires
I hope this information will give you a good head start on your trip to Buenos Aires, and get you feeling a bit more comfortable to head to the City of Fury!
TRAVELING SOON?
INSURANCE: Cover yourself with travel medical insurance by SafetyWing.
FLIGHTS: Get the best flight deals with Skyscanner and set flight alerts with Hopper.
STAYS: Check out hotels and apartments with Booking.com and Vrbo.
RENTAL CARS: Get the best deal on rental cars with Discover Cars or RentalCars.
GOING HIKING? Get a 30% discount off your yearly AllTrails+ Account (code: nickiposts30)
eSIM: Get an international eSim with Airalo.
CITY GUIDES: Save time and purchase pre-made city guides with Thatch.
CITY TOURS: Book your tour with GetYourGuide and Viator
LUGGAGE: Get the best carry-on suitcase here.
CREDIT CARD: Start earning travel points with the best travel credit card.
BUENOS AIRES GUIDE: Purchase my Buenos Aires travel companion here.
CONSULTATION: Book a 1:1 travel consultation with Nicki here.
SUBSCRIBE: Get the Nicki Posts Travel Stuff newsletter every month.
TRAVEL BETTER: Check out my Travel Tips and best Travel Resources pages.
MORE? Check out more on my LINKS page to find me in more places!
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