Sachin Walls
Santiago's main airport is officially named Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, but it is also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. It is located 10-15km from Santiago, Chile's capital and largest city. The airport is Latin America's main gateway to Oceania, with scheduled flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, and Easter Island. It is one of the busiest airports in Latin America and South America by passenger traffic, handling over nine million passengers in 2008.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport |
| IATA | SCL |
| ICAO | SCEL |
| Location | Pudahuel, 10-15 km (9.3 miles) north-west of central Santiago, Chile |
| Year of Inauguration | 1961 |
| Terminals | 2 (International and Domestic) |
| Gates | 17 |
| Parking Capacity | 4,000 vehicles |
| Hotels | Holiday Inn Santiago Airport, Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport, Hotel Diego de Almagro, LQ Hotel Santiago Airport |
| Services | Bars, fast-food outlets, cafes, snack bars, restaurants, shops, duty-free shops, left-luggage service, lost property department, pharmacy, medical centre, business centre, tourist information centre, ATMs, car rentals, taxis, etc. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Santiago's main airport is officially named Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (IATA: SCL, ICAO: SCEL). It is also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. The airport is located in Pudahuel, 15 km (9.3 mi) north-west of central Santiago, Chile. It is Chile's largest aviation facility and busiest international airport, serving as a primary hub for international travel and a gateway to Chile's capital.
The airport is well-connected to Santiago's city centre, which is about 17 kilometres (11 mi) away by car. The airport is accessible via the six-lane expressway Costanera Norte (Exit # 31) and the Vespucio Norte Express Ring motorway (Exit # 18). There are several transportation options available to and from the airport, including official airport taxi services, TransVip shuttle services, and Centropuerto buses, which connect the airport with the Los Héroes station of the Santiago Metro network.
Lisbon vs Madrid: Which Airport Offers Better Value?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Location, parking, and transport
Santiago's main airport is called Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, also known as Santiago International Airport, Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. It is located in Pudahuel, 10 to 15 km (9.3 miles) north-west of central Santiago, Chile. It is Chile's largest aviation facility and busiest international airport, serving as a key transport hub for South America. The airport is accessible from central Santiago by heading west on Avenida Libertador B. O'Higgins (which turns into Route 68), then turning right onto Circunvalación Américo Vespucio. The airport is well-signposted from this route.
The airport provides parking for up to 4,000 vehicles, with designated short-term and long-term parking areas. Short-term parking is located directly outside the main terminal, while long-term parking is situated further away and is served by a shuttle bus service.
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport is easily accessible by car, with a large parking area. However, there are also other transportation options available. The airport offers car rental services from companies such as Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Econorent, Hertz, and Rosselot. Additionally, taxis are available at the airport, providing a convenient option for travellers.
Moreover, the airport has considered improving public transportation connections. There are plans to construct a light railway that would connect the airport with the Santiago Metro network. Additionally, a bus terminal has been proposed to enhance public transport accessibility. These initiatives aim to provide efficient and sustainable transportation options for travellers arriving at or departing from the airport.
Cancun Airport Taxi Services: Availability and Options
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Facilities and amenities
Santiago's main airport is the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. It is located 10 to 15 kilometres from Santiago, Chile's capital and largest city. The airport is Latin America's main gateway to Oceania, with scheduled flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, and Easter Island. It is also the longest non-stop destination for most European carriers, including Iberia, Air France, and British Airways.
Santiago International Airport has a range of facilities and amenities for passengers. The airport operates two terminals—an international terminal and a national/domestic terminal—located within the same building and connected via passageways and elevators. The international terminal has ten gates, while the domestic terminal has seven. The airport provides parking space for up to 4,000 vehicles, with separate short-term and long-term parking areas. Short-term parking is located outside the main terminal, while long-term parking is further away and served by a shuttle bus.
The airport offers a variety of dining options, including bars, fast-food outlets, cafes, snack bars, and restaurants. There is also a large selection of shops, such as gift retailers, bookshops, newsagents, wine merchants, jewellery stores, and handicraft shops. Duty-free shopping is available in the international terminal. Trolleys are provided free of charge in both terminals, and a left-luggage service operates 24 hours a day in the international terminal. A lost property department is also available to assist with missing luggage.
The airport has a range of other amenities to cater to different needs. There is a pharmacy on the third floor of the domestic terminal and a medical centre on the first floor of the international terminal. A business centre in the international terminal offers meeting rooms, videoconferencing, fax, internet, and computer workstation services. Telephones and internet kiosks are located throughout the airport. For passengers with disabilities, the airport provides visual, hearing, and tactile facilities, including wheelchair-accessible Braille lifts, telephones, and bathroom facilities.
In addition to the on-site facilities, there are several hotels located near the airport that offer additional amenities. The Holiday Inn Santiago Airport and the Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport provide meeting facilities, and the latter also features a fitness centre, indoor swimming pool, sauna, and business centre. The LQ Hotel Santiago Airport is currently under construction and will be the first LQ Hotel in Chile.
Delhi Airport Metro: Running Smoothly Now
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Airlines and destinations
Santiago's main airport is the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (IATA: SCL, ICAO: SCEL), also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. It is located in Pudahuel, 15km (9.3 miles) northwest of central Santiago, Chile. It is the country's largest airport and one of South America's key transport hubs, serving Chile's capital and largest city. Santiago International is among the top 10 Latin American airports in terms of passengers and movements, and it is one of only two airports on the continent with direct connections to Oceania.
Santiago International Airport offers domestic and international services to destinations in Europe, Oceania, Africa (cargo only), Asia, and the Americas. LATAM-group carriers and most national carriers in the region provide connections to all Latin American capitals. Direct North American and European services are also available. Santiago International is the longest non-stop destination for most European carriers, including Iberia, Air France, and British Airways, which fly from Madrid–Barajas Airport, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, and London–Heathrow Airport, respectively. The airport also serves as Latin America's main gateway to Oceania, with scheduled flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, and Easter Island.
American Airlines operates a widebody aircraft maintenance facility at the airport, which opened in November 2018. The airport is also the headquarters of the Chilean Air Force II Air Brigade and hosts the 10th Aviation Group facilities, which provide various services, including strategic air transportation and emergency medical air transport.
Santiago International Airport has two terminals: an international terminal with ten gates and a national/domestic terminal with seven. The airport provides parking space for up to 4,000 vehicles, with separate areas for short and long-term parking. A shuttle bus connects the long-term parking area to the main terminal.
The airport offers a range of facilities for passengers, including restaurants, fast-food outlets, cafés, bars, shops, and duty-free stores. Other amenities include a left-luggage service, a lost property department, a pharmacy, and a medical centre. A business centre with meeting rooms, videoconferencing, and internet access is also available.
Airport Outfit Ideas: Comfortable and Stylish Travel Looks
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Expansion and development
Santiago's main airport is the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (IATA: SCL, ICAO: SCEL), also known as Santiago International Airport and Nuevo Pudahuel Airport. It is located in Pudahuel, 15km (9.3 miles) northwest of central Santiago, Chile. Santiago is the country's capital and largest city.
In 2008, the airport handled over nine million passengers and was ranked as the ninth busiest airport in Latin America. To accommodate growing demand, the Chilean government approved a terminal improvement project in October 2008. This included the construction of a new gate at the national terminal, expansion of waiting rooms, and other service enhancements. The project also included the construction of a bus terminal to improve public transportation and the re-arrangement of traffic routes. An aeronautical museum, a terrace, and additional access areas were also added.
In June 2013, the Chilean Ministry of Public Works initiated Phase 1 of the airport's expansion. In February 2015, the consortium "Nuevo Pudahuel," formed by French and Italian companies, won the bidding process to manage and develop the airport for 20 years. The main goals included renovating existing installations, redesigning and extending the current terminal, and constructing a new 175,000-square-meter terminal to increase passenger capacity. The expansion will allow the airport to accommodate 19 million passengers by 2024 and up to 50 million by 2045.
To support the expansion, the airport's main terminal building will be expanded from 90,000 square meters to 200,000 square meters, with 25 new gates and an enlarged parking area. However, challenges such as local residents' concerns about contamination due to the expansion have been encountered.
Additionally, the airport has seen the development of various hotels in its vicinity, such as the Holiday Inn Santiago Airport, Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport, and the upcoming LQ Hotel Santiago Airport. These hotels offer various amenities, including restaurants, meeting spaces, gyms, and swimming pools, catering to the needs of travellers.
Exploring Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal 15
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Santiago's main airport is officially called Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, but it is also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport.
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport is located in Pudahuel, 10 to 15 km (9.3 miles) north-west of central Santiago, Chile.
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport has numerous bars, fast-food outlets, cafes, snack bars, and restaurants. There is also a large selection of shops, including gift retailers, book shops, newsagents, wine merchants, jewellery and handicraft stores, as well as duty-free shops in the international terminal. The airport provides parking space for up to 4,000 vehicles, with separate areas for short and long-term parking.
