Planning a trip to Peru?  With a large mix of ancient Inca heritage and strong Spanish and European influences, Peru is one of the most popular countries in South America.  From desert and sand dunes on the west coast to the Amazon rainforest towards the east, and the colonial architecture throughout, the sights to see and activities to engage in are endless!  Long-distance travel throughout the country to experience everything each town has to offer will be a necessary part of your travel itinerary.

There are several options in Peru to travel from point A to B.  As with all big and beautiful countries with dramatic landscapes, public transport can be time-consuming and difficult.  If like us, you don’t have much time in the country, we highly recommend you consider domestic flights.  Unfortunately, there are no trains from Lima to Cusco, but for those with more of a relaxed time schedule, there is a bus or coach option.  Because we did not have unlimited time in Peru, we opted to take the more efficient route, and flew Sky Airline, styled as SꓘY, from Lima to Cusco on day two of our trip.

Sky Airline is the second-largest airline in Peru and the first to operate under a low-cost model.  They are based out of Santiago, Chile, and have international routes to Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay.  They also offer charter flights in Chile and domestic flights in Peru.

We booked our flight through two of Sky Airline’s digital marketing managers, Tiziana Herrera, and Maria Jose Romero who made the process smooth and simple. We arrived at Jorge Chávez International Airport at about 13:00, approximately two hours prior to our flight’s departure, and we prepaid for one checked bag, and one personal item each to carry on.

At the check-in counter, our agent did not speak much English but was proficient enough to get us through the process smoothly. We handed over our passports as well as our checked luggage in return for two paper boarding passes we would later need to get on the plane.

We grabbed a double shot of espresso each and logged online to get a bit of work completed prior to our time in Cusco. Before beginning the embarking process, Sky Airline had passengers line up based on priority and row number. Agents began to board the plane starting from the back rows moving forward. Although we loved this logical procedure, and honestly don’t understand why more airline companies don’t follow suit, we were in row five which meant we had a long way to go before we would be able to get settled in our seats. Due to our seat position, we were nearly last to board the aircraft, but luckily the process was quick and efficient, and before we knew it, we were en route to Cusco only about fifteen minutes behind schedule in which we made up for in air!

Since we were well aware we were traveling with a low-cost carrier, we didn’t expect any inflight entertainment or food/beverage service, especially for such a short flight. To our delight, once at altitude, attendants made their rounds offering snacks and drinks to all passengers for a nominal fee. I was still content from our delicious and filling breakfast offered at our hotel in Lima, but Shannon opted for a sandwich de carne, ground beef in a bolognese sauce with cheese and tomato, and a Coca-Cola. Sky’s onboard menu offered select combination deals, and this one was fairly priced at 16 sols, or about $4.75 USD. She said the meal reminded her of a warm meatball sub and was fully satisfied with her choice. 

Comfort was sufficient, especially for the length of the flight, and the aircraft was sparkling clean. Seats did not recline, which wasn’t an issue in the slightest for us given the duration we were aboard. Each seat came equipped with a USB charging port which was a nice added bonus, as well as a small-sized attached head pillow and pillow cover for sanitary purposes. 

Our experience with Sky Airline was pleasant and hassle-free.  They were friendly, helpful, and much less expensive than others.  We would highly recommend choosing them as your carrier for travel not only throughout Peru but also in the other countries in South America they serve.

Thank you Sky Airline for making our roundtrip journey from Lima to Cusco a smooth, simple, and stress-free one!

Sky Airline

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5

Overall Rating

5.0/5

Highlights

• Friendly staff
• Great food selection even for shorter domestic flights
• Low cost carrier
• Many flight schedule options

Challenges

• Boarding was a little confusing and announcements were made in Spanish only

Sky Airline