How do I get to Santiago?

Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) sits 17 km northwest of downtown Santiago, in the suburb of Pudahuel. Chile funnels all international traffic through this single gateway. That's roughly 24 million passengers a year. A new international terminal opened in stages from 2022, and the newer concourse feels more open than the cramped older domestic wing. Worth noting, the airport sits on a valley floor. Winter mornings from June through August bring fog that can delay arrivals by 1-2 hours. You'll catch the cool, dry smell of the Central Valley the moment you step off the jet bridge. Immigration lines move in 20-30 minutes for most nationalities, and US, UK, EU, Australian, and Canadian passport holders don't need a visa for stays under 90 days. Chile eliminated its reciprocity fee for Americans and Australians in 2014.

LATAM and American Airlines own the US corridor. Miami to Santiago is 8.5 hours nonstop, the most competitive route, with round-trip economy fares of $500-900. American flies nonstop from Dallas (DFW) at about 10 hours. LATAM flies nonstop from JFK in 10-11 hours, and economy round-trips on that route typically run $600-1,100. From Toronto, Air Canada runs a direct flight in roughly 11 hours for CAD 800-1,400. That said, connecting through Lima on LATAM or through Panama City on Copa Airlines can drop fares by $100-200, though you'll add 3-6 hours of travel time. Copa tends to run $50-100 cheaper on the Miami corridor, but the layover at Tocumen stretches things by 4-6 hours. West Coast travelers might save $100 by routing through Lima (LIM) on LATAM from LAX rather than connecting through Miami. Peru's hub adds 5-6 hours of total flying.

Madrid (MAD) is the sole European city with consistent nonstop service to Santiago. LATAM and Iberia both operate the route, around 13 hours each way. Expect to pay €600-1,100 for an economy round-trip on either carrier. From London, Paris, or Frankfurt, you'll connect through Madrid or São Paulo, adding 4-8 hours for €550-900 total. From Australia, the best routing runs through Auckland on LATAM's trans-Pacific service, about 11 hours from AKL to SCL. The full journey from Sydney takes 18-20 hours and runs AUD 1,500-2,500. Several South American capitals have multiple daily frequencies. Buenos Aires (EZE) is a 2-hour hop on LATAM or Aerolíneas Argentinas for $80-200. Lima runs 3.5 hours at $100-250. São Paulo (GRU) takes 4 hours for $150-350. These short regional flights mean Santiago pairs well with Lima or Buenos Aires on a 2-3 week South American circuit.

Low season for Santiago flights runs May through August, Chilean winter, when fares drop 20-30% from peak. Mind you, winter in Santiago stays surprisingly mild. Temperatures hover around 8-15°C, and the occasional drizzle carries a damp, earthy chill, but the city functions normally. The expensive window is December 15 through mid-February, when US round-trips can hit $1,200 or more. At the airport, skip the exchange counters in arrivals. They'll cost you 5-8% against the downtown rate. ATMs in the baggage hall dispense pesos at the interbank rate, and Banco de Chile machines tend to have the lowest foreign-card surcharges. If you land on a red-eye from Miami or Lima (several flights touch down between 5:00 and 7:00 AM), you'll find espresso at the terminal café for about 2,500 CLP. Step outside at that hour and the pre-dawn air feels sharp and metallic, carrying dust from the dry hills around Pudahuel. Bring a jacket.