Santiago Airport Guide (SCL)

(Santiago) Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport

Casilla 79 Correo Aeropuerto Internacional, Santiago, Chile

SCL

56

(02) 690 1752/3

2

GMT - 3 (GMT - 4 from last Saturday in March to second Saturday in October)

The airport is located 10km (6 miles) northwest of Santiago.

The National and International Terminals are housed in the same building and are internally connected by a passageway, lifts, stairs and hallways.

The best route from downtown Santiago is west on Alameda Street (the main avenue in Santiago which turns into Route 68), then right onto Circunvalación Américo Vespucio, where the airport is located. There are plenty of signs signalling the entrance to the airport. From uptown (east) Santiago, the best route to the airport is Circunvalación Américo Vespucio North.

Short- and long-term car parking (tel: (02) 601 9168) is provided at the airport. The long-term car park is served by a shuttle service that transfers passengers directly to the terminal building. Short-term car parking is located directly in front of the terminal building.

Car hire companies include Alamo, Avis, Econorent and Rosselot. Car hire desks are located on the first floor of the airport in two areas: Arrivals (just before baggage reclaim) and the west side of the airport’s public area.

Road
Bus: Buses serve uptown and downtown Santiago. The CentroPuerto bus (tel: (02) 490 7500) stops at the Los Héroes bus terminal, close to the Los Héroes subway station, runs from both terminals. The Tur-Bus (tel: (02) 601 9573; website: www.turbus.cl) stops at the Alameda bus terminal and downtown Santiago (journey time - 30 minutes). Minibuses departing from the airport offer a door-to-door service throughout Santiago and are operated by Tur Transfer (tel: (02) 677 3600) and TransVip (tel: (02) 677 3000; website: www.transvip.net); representatives are stationed throughout the terminal and tickets can be purchased in the domestic and international arrivals areas.
Taxi: Official taxis (tel: (02) 690 1381), marked blue with 'taxoficial' identification, are available from outside the airport’s ground floor at both terminals, running to destinations such as Providencia, Las Condes, Viña del Mar and Santiago city centre.

The airport has two information desks (tel: (02) 690 1752/3), one on the first floor (Arrivals) and another on the third floor (Departures). A number of airport ‘ambassadors’ are also available to assist passengers. They walk around the terminal dressed in corporate colours. For real-time online flight information, visit the airport’s website or view the screens located throughout the airport. Only estimated times of arrival and departure can be obtained by telephoning the airport. A tourist information centre is located on the Arrivals floor of the International Terminal.

Money and communications: The airport has ATM machines and bureaux de change located throughout the building. It also has three full service banks. The post office is located on the first floor. Telephones and Internet kiosks are situated throughout the airport.
Eating and drinking: Licensed bars and restaurants, fast-food outlets, coffee shops and snack bars are located throughout the airport.
Shopping: There are gift shops, book shops, newsagents, wine shops, and jewellery and handicraft stores, as well as duty-free shops in the International Terminal and duty-paid shopping in the National Terminal.
Luggage: Trolleys are available in both terminals free of charge. Left-luggage is available 24 hours in the International Hall (tel: (02) 690 1319). For lost property call (02) 690 1707.
Other facilities: There is a pharmacy on the third floor of the National Terminal public area and a medical services centre on the first floor of the International Terminal.

A business centre equipped with a meeting room and cafe is located in the International Terminal. Videoconferencing, fax, Internet and computer workstation services are available. There are also four Internet access points located throughout the building. In addition, a large meeting room that can accommodate up to 40 people and offers a private bathroom, video, TV and transparency facilities is available for hire (tel: (02) 690 1752/3). A press room can also be hired. United Airlines, Lan Chile, American Airlines and Pacific Club all have VIP lounges.

The airport building is designed with visual, hearing and tactile facilities for disabled passengers. These include wheelchair-accessible Braille lifts and telephones, adapted bathroom facilities and elevators with speakers and emergency lights. Wheelchairs are available on request from individual airlines; passengers should inform their airline prior to travel.

The 118-room Holiday Inn Santiago - Airport (tel: (02) 799 9900; website: www.ichotelsgroup.com), which opened in 2007, is located immediately in front of the airport entrance. The Hotel Diego de Almagro Aeropuerto (tel: (02) 230 5600; website: www.dahoteles.com) is just five minutes' drive away.