Getting to and Around Chile

Most flights to Chile land in Santiago, and that is only the start. The country runs north to south for more than 2,500 mi (4,000 km), so getting around Chile means domestic flights. The Atacama Desert, the Lake District, Patagonia and Easter Island are each a flight from Santiago. A good route decides early which of them you fly to, and which you reach by road or by boat.

Flights to Chile: Santiago Is the Gateway

Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) is about 9 miles from the city center. International flights use the terminal that opened in 2022; domestic flights leave from the older terminal next door.

From North America there is non-stop service from Miami, Atlanta, Houston, New York, Los Angeles and Toronto (as of October 2026). Miami is about 8 hours away, New York about 10 and a half. LATAM, the airline once called LAN, flies several of these routes.

From Europe, non-stops come from Madrid and Paris, about 13 to 14 and a half hours, and from London. British Airways flies Heathrow to Santiago in about 14 and a half hours, though the airline plans to route it through Buenos Aires from March 28, 2027. Dublin has no non-stop. From Oceania, Sydney and Auckland are 11 to 12 and a half hours away. Buenos Aires is 2 hours away and Lima about 3 and a half.

Getting Around Chile: The Domestic Flights

Chile flies the way a long, thin country has to. Routes fan out from Santiago, and Puerto Montt works as a second hub for the south. The domestic airlines are LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSMART. These are the legs our itineraries use, with typical non-stop times as of October 2026. Schedules change. Our lodge stays usually begin at a regional airport such as Calama or Balmaceda.

The north: Calama for the Atacama

Fly to Calama, then drive about 60 miles to San Pedro de Atacama. All three airlines fly Santiago to Calama, so this leg is rarely the hard part. Our Atacama Desert & Santiago itinerary flies it both ways. More in Atacama Desert tours.

The Lake District, Chiloé and the Carretera Austral

Puerto Montt’s airport serves Puerto Varas and the Lake District, and Chiloé is a road-and-ferry trip from there across the Chacao Channel. Farther south, Balmaceda is the airport for Coyhaique. Our Great Northern Patagonia Overland trip flies into Puerto Montt, drives the Carretera Austral south and flies home from Balmaceda. Different airport in, different airport out. No backtracking.

Patagonia: Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales

Punta Arenas is the dependable gateway, with daily flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt, then three and a half to four hours by road to Puerto Natales, the town outside Torres del Paine. Puerto Natales has its own small airport, closer to the park, but far fewer flights, mostly in summer. Runway works are planned there for January to March 2027; commercial flights will continue, but mostly on weekends. Our Santiago & Torres del Paine itinerary uses Punta Arenas both ways; more in Torres del Paine tours.

Easter Island: only from Santiago

Rapa Nui lies about 2,300 mi (3,700 km) out in the Pacific. The only way in is the direct flight from Santiago to Mataveri International Airport (IPC), on LATAM. See our Easter Island trips.

How We Route a Chile Trip

The network is a star around Santiago, so a trip that combines north and south passes through the capital more than once. Our Highlights of Chile goes Santiago, Easter Island, Santiago, Punta Arenas and Torres del Paine, Santiago, then the Atacama. We use those Santiago stops for a free day or a vineyard visit instead of fighting them.

The other way to save flights is to stop thinking in one country. Our co-founder Juergen Keller wrote this for Argentina, and it works from the Chilean side: “Think international!” And: “How about going from Santiago de Chile down to Patagonia on the Chilean side, cross into Argentina to El Calafate and Perito Moreno and then work your way up North.” As of October 2026 there are no non-stop flights from Santiago to Bariloche or El Calafate. Two overland crossings do the job, and our tours use both.

• The Andean lake crossing between Puerto Varas and Bariloche: three lakes (Todos los Santos, Frías and Nahuel Huapi) joined by four road sections. Puerto Varas to Bariloche takes one long day of about 12 hours, all year. Our Two Patagonias itinerary crosses from Bariloche into Chile with a night in Peulla.
• Puerto Natales to El Calafate by road: about 220 mi (350 km), four and a half hours or more depending on the border post at Don Guillermo, near Cerro Castillo. It links Torres del Paine with the Perito Moreno Glacier; our Wonders of Patagonia trip plans about five hours for it.

There is also the sea: our Patagonia cruise itinerary sails from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, October to March only. On land, Juergen’s view: “Buses in Argentina and especially in Chile are of very high standards and certainly much more comfortable than Greyhound or the likes in the US!” For the Patagonia side, see getting to and around Patagonia and our airport-by-airport guide on how to get to Patagonia.

Juergen’s advice for the whole continent: “Some routes are flown only 3 times a week and easily canceled due to bad weather and bad airport infrastructure. Leave slack in your trip!” In Chile, think of Easter Island and Puerto Natales. For the season, see the best time to visit Chile and Chile’s weather.

How Flights Fit Your Trip

Our sample itineraries are priced without flights; every tour page says “Flights priced separately.” That covers the international flight and the domestic legs, and we can quote both with your trip if you ask. We plan the sequence first: where you land, where you leave, where you cross a border and where you need a spare day. The fare comes after the route is right. Start from our Chile tours and travel guide or ask for a custom Chile trip.

Flights to Chile: Questions We Get

Which airport do I fly into for Chile?

Santiago (SCL). Everywhere else in Chile is a domestic connection from there.

How long is the flight to Chile from the US?

Non-stop, about 8 hours from Miami, 9 from Atlanta or Houston, and 10 and a half from New York or Los Angeles.

Are there direct flights to Chile from the US and London?

Yes, from five US cities as of October 2026. From London, British Airways flies non-stop until late March 2027, then plans a daily service via Buenos Aires.

Which airlines fly within Chile?

LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSMART. Santiago to Calama or Puerto Montt has all three; Easter Island has only LATAM.

How much time do I need between an international arrival and a domestic flight in Santiago?

A generous margin. You change terminals, a walk of up to 15 minutes, and on most connections you pass immigration, collect your bags, clear agricultural and customs inspection and re-check them. Entry rules are on our Chile visa page.