Hello, I am heading for Buenos Aires via Brazil. This is the situation if you go via Brazil. You need a visa as a standby passenger. I was told too that I have to go through customs in Brazil even though I am connecting to Argentina because of my standby status. I wonder if I can just get away with going straight to the other carrier gate? They tell you one thing here, but it will probably be different there. The Brazilian visa cost 100 dollars for Americans, and it is good for 5 years, but you must use it within 90 days for it to apply.
So if you're heading to Argentina, I suggest you bypass Brazil, take a flight that goes straight there. I am going via Brazil, because my airlines goes a direct shot from Houston, plus the connection to Buenos Aires is great. I got a RT ticket from SAO PAULO to BUENOS AIRES for 60 bucks. But here is the kicker. AFTER TAXES, and ADD ON FEES, it ran me 108 dollars. Still better than paying full fare however, be aware that going through Brazil will set you back with visa's and air fare roughly over 400 bucks if you're taking someone else. We plan to stop in Brazil for two nights on the way back so that visa is not going totally to waste. Then, within the next 5 years that our visa is good, maybe we can hit CARNIVAL. We tried connecting out of COPA one time out of PTY, but they were full and we got bumped, this way looks like a sure thing. Later