Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

Buenos Aires Ezeiza customer review :  18 July 2010 by D Gollan   (USA)

Customer Rating :  5/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

I wish more airports offered the excellent Customer Service that Aeropuertos Argentinas does at Ezeiza, with fully manned desks and helpful staff. During my trip this month, I ran into delayed flights, cancelations and even a strike by Aerolineas Argentinas staff. Speaking little Spanish I couldn't have managed without this superb organization. I have used them on arrival to have porters available as my wife and I can no longer handle heavy luggage.

Buenos Aires Ezeiza customer review : 9 June 2010 by Kenneth Mackie   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

EZE has been upgraded over the years and arrival experience is much better than before. Luckily arrived this time at 1130 with TAM and into an almost empty immigration hall. It can be chock a block when several flights from Europe / USA arrive at once, but my worst wait was no more then 30 minutes. Baggage claim straightforward. A word to the uninitiated - do not consider changing money in the arrivals hall or area immediately outside, other than at the Banco de la Nacion. BNA offered usd $1 for ARS $3,90, the going rate. I saw the other places offering $3,30. Taxi Ezeiza (safe,reliable and prepaid at the kiosk ) is ARS $118 into town but only ARS $88 for the return. Do not consider a verbal offer from anyone in the arrivals area. Departing processes are straightforward, again depending upon time of day, and the Duty Free shopping is quite good. Toilet facilities airside could do with modernisation, but are clean.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review :  22 September 2009 by Penny Ashworth   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  2/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Arrived 3 hours prior to international flight and no queues at check-in, but then it was a 2 am flight. Little security at xray but we found out why later. As we arrived at 10pm the few shops were shutting. Old, sparse seating, which was shiny with dirt. nothing to do except eat in a small expensive restaurant which was totally out of place. Went to board flight and got our bags emptied by stupid desk clerks who thought they knew what they were doing (explains lack of previous security, desk clerks cheaper than security who might actually know what they are doing). Made us drink all water before getting on plane despite policy of allowing beverages on a plane that have been purchased after security (didnt make people drink alcohol!). Took my anti-bacterial handgel off me as said it was flammable, pointed out global pandemic (and flying Aerolineas Argentinas it is essential!), she stated there was no pandemic any more! Couldn't be bothered arguing the point of alcoholic drinks and flammability. Other terminal is slightly better but only arrived there and out again. Baggage area is small, but getting a taxi to hotel easy, but dont go with luxury cars in immediate arrivals, go to taxi desk in arrivals hall, cheaper and very efficient, set price too so no nasty surprises.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review :  14 August 2009 by G Liwszyc   (Finland)

Customer Rating :  5/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Late evening check in for my FRA bound flight took 3 minutes. This is a remarkable fact since this is prime time at EZE airport with many long haul flights departing for SE Asia, the Americas and Europe. No need any more to go to another window to pay the mandatory airport tax, which saves some minutes/hassle. This is included in your fare if ticket has been purchased after March 2009. No queues/delays at security. Even when at least 100 people where waiting in line for passport control, it took no more than 10 minutes in an ever moving queue since all 20 booths were manned and moving fast. Take that Miami airport! Inside the terminal relaxed feeling due to its spaciousness, public areas, etc.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 9 April 2009 : by N Soderman

Customer Rating : 4/5

I have flown in and out of EZE a handful of times in the last couple of years as I have family in Argentina, and cannot remember any problems. Ok there were horrible queues once as I was departing, and not a lot of places for sitting down, the cafes are getting expensive, but other than that I'd say it's good. I have flown Iberia and TAM so not sure if that's part of the equation. I would agree that Tierra Leon is good for transport to and from the airport but if there's two or more adults, you get a taxi for the same price. (Tierra Leon don't charge for two year olds, and indeed, free transfer from where they stop in the city to Retiro, from where you can catch a long distance bus- and these are good! Can get one leaving a few hrs, or sooner, after you get there, for a decent price!) In fact, long distance coach travel all over South America is good in my experience, but that belongs under a different topic obviously.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 21 January 2009 : by Barbara Connors

Customer Rating : 3/5

I was dreading returning to the States via the Buenos Aires Airport after reading the reviews. While the airport is inefficient and the processes disorganized, the actual experience was not as horrible as I thought it would be. I think I got there just before the big crush of people for the evening flights back to the States which undoubtedly helped. My advice: It's a waste of time to check in on-line for a Delta flight. The Delta staff insist on printing boarding passes and just won't accept the on-line version. Contrary to what you may hear, there are no automated check-in machines at the airport. I was told there were 2 for Delta - there are actually none. Security is convoluted and not reassuring. You go through luggage "security" prior to getting in line to get your boarding pass at the main passenger desk. I saw no value in the process but they dig out the paper print out they have for your reservation and hand it to you to take with your luggage to the desk. Fortunately, the check-in line was short but had lengthened by the time I finished. You get your boarding passes at the main desk and they check in your checked baggage. No problem with this part of the process and my luggage arrived just fine at JFK. You next pay your $18 tax to exit Argentina. The tax booth is now in the middle of the international airlines main passenger service area so very convenient. Less than 5 minutes but again, the line had grown and I think I just lucked out. There was a tax window upstairs as well but it didn't look staffed. You next fill out your immigration form and take it, your receipt for your tax payment and your carry-on baggage to go through Security. One station operating and over a 100 people in line. But don't worry, it's not very thorough so the line moves quickly - less than 30 minutes. Fast but not a feeling of confidence. You find your departure gate after walking through an expansive duty- free area - don't bother buying water at this point as they won't let you take it through the next security check. You clear a mini-security as the final step prior to boarding. Very quick - line again moves quite fast. If you need to leave gate area to use bathroom, you have to re-clear this security check. But it's fast. Refund of VAT - I didn't go through this process as I didn't buy much so I can't comment. Overall I found the people friendly and helpful - the entire process took about 1 hour 15 minutes but I believe that if you arrive at 7 or 8pm, the process could take the 3 hours you read about.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 21 January 2009 : by Paul Harvey

Customer Rating : 3/5

Flew in and out December - January to and from Europe. I was prepared for a hard time in an airport which has not attracted good (or even adequate) reviews but it was not too bad. Upon arrival (mid morning), my only comment would be that Immigration was heavily overloaded although they did their best to process us as fast as possible. Luggage delivery time was quite reasonable. We arrived early for departure having read all of the comments about delays - it took us about 45 mins to check in, pay our tax and get through security and immigration. I think this time could be very much longer at peak times since the queue snaked a long way at a reasonably quiet time of the day.

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 7 October 2008 : by C Jordan

Customer Rating : 3/5

I have flown into and out of Ezeiza several times in the last 2 years. I just arrived in BA yesterday, and the immigration, baggage claim, and customs area seem to have been re-done and are a lot more efficient. I enjoy the fact that you can duty-free shop entering Argentina! Departure is less organized, but I check in using the business class queue (American Airlines) which usually takes only 10-15 minutes, at the worst (the economy queue is always very long). Taxi Ezeiza is always a safe bet for transport into the city, a kiosk right in the center of the floor when you exit customs. They are fast and efficient, at a published rate that is always cheaper than the remises (and they offer a cheaper rate from the city to EZE - call to make an appointment when you leave).

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 7 August 2008 : by Mark Street

Customer Rating : 2/5

I've traveled through EZE a couple of times in the last month. Arrival is no problem and I had no problems getting a reasonably cheap taxi to the centre from the kiosk outside the terminal. Where EZE is lacking is at check in. I've checked in on different occasions for flights to the US with Delta and to Europe with Lufthansa. In both cases I arrived with a good 3 hours to spare and had to queue for at least 1.5 hours to check in for Economy. In both cases the queue snaked outside the roped off area and down the terminal! They really need more staff and more open check in desks for Economy. With less than 1 hour to boarding there was till a massive queue for a 747 flight - which ended up leaving late. Don't forget you have still to queue to pay airport tax, security screening and passport check, So arrive early folks!

BUENOS AIRES AIRPORT review : 29 April 2008 : by S Koenig

Customer Rating : 3/5

Most comments are concerning EZE, the international airport outside of town. The domestic airport, near the city center, is smaller and simpler, but relatively modern, with plenty of dining options. Do beware of theft: my digital camera was stolen from next to me when my back was turned. There was no place to report this within the security area (woman at the info desk suggested I look for someone outside of security, and when I later, at another airport, asked an Aerolineas Argentinas rep about asking whether a camera had been turned in, she essentially said kiss it goodbye). Back at EZE, one point is that the most obvious money exchange places as you exit give the lowest rates. The national bank branch giving the best rates is outside of security and a couple of turns to the right. Not at all obvious. Ditto on taxis: those easiest to find are very pricey. For cheaper ones you need to hunt a bit outside.

Buenos Aires Airport review by Barry McKay

15 April 2008   Customer Rating :

Buenos Aires airport can be somewhat frustrating but compared to transiting through Washington Dulles en route to Canada it is a breeze. Upon arrival it takes some time in the queue to clear Immigration. You will be given a copy of your Immigration declaration, put this away somewhere safe as you may be asked for it on departure. However, the real problem , unless you can carry your baggage manually, is the shortage of luggage carts. They are provided free of charge but there just aren't enough of them. I had to wait 30 minutes before airport staff finally arrived with some, but friends who arrived later never did get one and had to man-handle their luggage to Customs. If you do have to wait for a cart, you can use the opportunity to exchange US dollars at the bank that is adjacent to the Customs exit area - it's the one that airline staff use and they give a fair exchange rate. Clearance through Customs posed no problems once I got a cart but, if you are taking a taxi downtown, be extremely cautious. Do not under any circumstances accept the offer of taxi touts outside the airport offering to get you a cab - you can get badly burnt. Use only those yellow cabs parked at the official rank which you will see on exiting the airport. When leaving the best bet is to book a "remise" - a car that will pick you up and charge a pre agreed amount. In my case it cost 70 pesos from downtown to the airport. Airport departure procedures are more complex and frustrating than arrival. First you need to queue to obtain a boarding pass and the time this takes seems to vary from day to day. I went through in about 15 minutes but my friends took far longer than that. Next, if you are going to claim a tax refund on purchases you will need to queue at the Customs booth - same ground floor level as the airline desks - to get your tax forms (the ones provided by the stores where you made your purchases) stamped. Next, go upstairs to the tax refund office and queue once more to obtain your refund. This should not take more than 10 minutes. You will have the option of immediate payment in Argentine pesos or dollars which can be credited to a credit card. I took the cash as I will be returning to BA again. Next, you have to queue once more to pay your airport departure tax - adjacent to the tax refund office. This can be paid in US dollars ($18.00), the equivalent in pesos, or by credit card. When this is done you will go through initial screening, next to the airport tax counter. Once inside you will next have to queue to pass Immigration. There is a form that has to be filled out - available at airline check-in desk - and you may possibly also be asked for the Immigration form you were give when arriving. Once this is done you are basically done until boarding time whan your hand luggage will be manually examined prior to boarding. To be sure of getting through all these procedures on time one should allow 2 1/2 hours to be on the safe side. And best eat before leaving for the airport as there is nothing much available at the airport in the way of food.

Buenos Aires Airport review by Byron Scott

15 April 2008   Customer Rating :

I connected from SCL to ORD via EZE. I concur with the comment that prices are obscenely expensive. I bottle of soda was 7.50 Arg. pesos. There is really only one place to eat after security in the international (non-AR) terminal. There's a fair amount of shopping, but food and beverage options are very limited.

Buenos Aires Airport review by M Marchesoni

26 March 2008   Customer Rating :

EZE airport is clean, modern, european style. Only downside is that the it is extremely expensive, the prices are too much, It seem that the airport operator has a monopoly and they control all the shops. I loved the airport, the people and the city but that the prices are too much.

Buenos Aires Airport review by Barry O'Hagan

2 March 2008   Customer Rating :

My wife and I took the Manuel Tienda Deleon coach from the airport to Buenas Aires last Wednesday. Some 20 minutes after we were dropped at our hotel, I received a phone call to my room from the Manager of the coach company. It seems the driver had noticed that I had inadvertently given him $100 along with the $10 tip I had intended. He immediately returned to the hotel with the $100. Let's say I was a very happy camper and very impressed with the driver's honesty. A great first impression of Buenas Aires.

Buenos Aires Airport review by G Hillier

28 February 2008   Customer Rating :

I visit Buenos Aires 2 or more times per year and while the city remains great, Ezieza Airport is becoming more of a mess each time I visit. In all fairness, arrivals are usually OK - in January I deplaned, went thru Immigration, claimed my bags, and was on my way within 30 minutes. Try that in Chicago or JFK ! Now for the bad news: departures are a disaster - I would recommend arriving 3 hours early, even if flying First/Business Class. I took nearly an hour to get checked in for a Business Class passenger, then you pay the airport tax and head upstairs to security (a breeze) and Argentine Exit Stations (slow) . Boarding Areas are filthy and feature broken down chairs! A final cursory search of your hand luggage occurs at boarding - then you have an 8-11 flight back to the USA. What a mess.

Buenos Aires Airport review by R Wolf

15 January 2008   Customer Rating :

Our experience at EZE was the worst airport experience I have had. It took 2.5 hours to check in at Delta. The line stretched the entire length of the terminal and was right next to the LAN line. Trying to keep in the right line was a major challenge. The area is so narrow that passers-through were stymied. When we finally got to the Delta check-in area, we presented our passports. An airport official went over to a file folder and took out pieces of paper that had been pre-printed. One page per passenger. We were given this and sent to the next station where the young girl asked for our passports and then wrote our information on a form. Then another line to get to the ticket counter. Even the Delta employee couldn't get it right when we asked for a change in seat assignments for our connecting flight. When we asked if we needed the paper we were given at the entrance, we were told no. Inefficient does not begin to describe the situation. It was 95 degrees F in BA that day and the airport A/C could not keep up. The terminal had to be at least 85. Then, of course the same stuff about lines - to pay the tax, to verify you have paid the tax, passport control, security. Finally we walked through a very long concourse back to the old terminal, passing through the smoking section filled with puffers. At the gate, another hand check of carry-on.

Buenos Aires Airport review by William Rigali

1 January 2008   Customer Rating :

Beware: departing Buenos Aires on an international flight is a nightmare. I would allow at least 2.5-3 hours arrival ahead of your flight time. The first problem occurs after you have checked in at the airline counter, all passengers must move upstairs in an unstructured, chaotic line that appears to be heading to the first of many stops. From the far away distance of the first "choke point", it appears you are in line only to pay the "airport tax". In fact there are 2 separate lines: the one on the left is to pay your $18USD per ticket tax (come on can't they figure out a way to include this in your ticket price like every other tax you already pay?; The line on the right leads to all gates and is simply to verify that your tax has been paid (they couldn't accomplish the same thing by paying your tax and allowing you to enter at the same location, with the same personnel?? Come on). If you make the mistake of not independently paying your tax first, you must once again get back in the long snaky mass of passengers to re-enter the line immediately next to the "tax" line and show them you have indeed paid the tax. Unless you simply cut back in line as most people who want to make their flight do by keeping a family member near the "all gates" line. No signs or airport personnel are nearby to inform you of the 2 distinctive lines. Everybody just waits to cram into the double door opening and get to the next stop. Once you pass the tax and the "I paid my tax" line, you then move to security. Once again the lines were tremendously long and relatively slow. It turned out to be the best run part of the stressful airport process. You now think you are on your way to the gate area only to enter the next large room with serpentine lines for Passport Control. The lines continue to be long and here they move exceedingly slowly. Oh, by the way I hope you haven't forgotten the second half of the Argentinian entrance form that you filled out and turned in the one portion to Immigration upon your entry to the country. Once again, no one informs you of this requirement, but this will be problem at Passport Control if you do not have it. We had ours by luck of the draw (we never throw anything out). The lines were extensive once again and no signage indicated anything needed to proceed except your passport. After finally getting past the first 4 stops, you are relieved to be heading to your gate - but you need to be interviewed again as to the whereabouts of your bags (where the hell else would they be in the controlled environment you have been in since paying your fees?), if someone gave you anything, ad nauseum. Then you must be wanded, asked to remove your shoes, and finally, your carry on bags must be opened and searched in the privacy of the gate area immediately in front of your gate.

Buenos Aires Airport review by Ian McCready

21 November 2007   Customer Rating :

Ezeiza is one of the more civilized Airports in Latin America ( although Carrasco at Montevideo is fast catching up ), but always seems to be busy with queues for everything. I agree with others that the Airport Tax is a real scam. On one of my visits I asked what this Tax was for and was told that it was for the use of the Airport facilities. I don't know about anyone else but all I ever do at any Airport is arrive and leave and to pay US18 for the privilege seems crazy - let's be honest it is just a way of paying for the Airport and it's upkeep by scamming money from the public rather than other sources. In comparison with other Airports, particularly those in the United States and the U.K. I have found Ezeiza's Immigration to be reasonably fast and efficient and even friendly - a real plus after a long flight.

Buenos Aires Airport review by Brett Watson

4 October 2007   Customer Rating :

Arrival smooth and quick: few flights at the time we arrived making things easier. Arrivals cleary under renovation so very dark and dull. Immigration done smoothly and bags arrived quickly. Breezed through customs. Easy to find tranport to city before leaving controlled area with reasonable prices and short transport times. Departure is a different experience with a modern and bright terminal. Check in efficient and no queues to pay airport tax. Smoth run through security; immigration moved reasonable quickly. Duty free shops offer a good selection and cheap prices. Overall, arrival and departure are different experiences aesthetically. Both were smooth and without any problems.