If you are planning a trip to the south of the country, we detail how to get to Chilean Patagonia from Santiago, based on air travel.
If you want to know the great attractions of the Chilean Patagonia from Santiago de Chile, here we leave you all the available options of airports and what to see nearby.
Whether you are traveling from Santiago de Chile to visit Torres del Paine, take the Carretera Austral, or visit the volcanoes and lakes, there are many options to get there by plane.
In this article we have left aside the question of arriving by car or bus, since the distances from Santiago de Chile are very long (more than 10 hours at least) and if you really want to enjoy Chilean Patagonia to the fullest it is best to take a flight.
On the other hand, the geography of Chilean Patagonia makes it impossible to connect by land the area of the Carretera Austral with the southernmost part of the country, that is, Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas. You have to cross over to Argentina.
🔎 Check out our guide to travel to Chilean Patagonia with tips, best times, must-see destinations and more.
Table of Contents
how to get to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales from Santiago by plane
The Puerto Natales airport is the ideal place to arrive if what you want to do is Torres del Paine and make the excursion to the Balmaceda and Serrano glacier.
To get from Santiago to Puerto Natales, there are flights from Sky and Latam airlines that operate from September to April each year, that is, during the Chilean spring and summer. In some cases they are direct and in other cases they make a stopover in the city of Puerto Montt.
To get from the Puerto Natales airport to the city, you can hire a cab or transfers.
To get from Santiago to Punta Arenas there are direct flights all year round with Latam, SkyAirline and JetSmart airlines. It is the option to get to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine in the Chilean autumn and winter months.
From the Punta Arenas airport or from the city center, there are frequent daily buses that make the 3-hour trip to the Puerto Natales Bus Terminal. There are also direct transfers from the Punta Arenas airport.
how to get to Balmaceda in the Chilean Patagonia from Santiago by plane
Balmaceda airport is ideal to visit most of the major attractions of the Carretera Austral in a few days. It is the closest airport to visit Coyhaique, Queulat Park with its hanging snowdrift, the Marble Chapels in Puerto Rio Tranquilo, make an excursion to the Exploradores Glacier, tour Caleta Tortel, and even reach the end of the Carretera Austral in Villa O`Higgins.
There are direct flights and with stopover in Puerto Montt from Santiago de Chile to Balmaceda airport. The route is operated by Latam and SkyAirline airlines.
how to get to Puerto Montt from Santiago by plane
Puerto Montt airport is the most important airport in Chilean Patagonia, with many direct flight frequencies from Santiago de Chile, and also with flights departing from this airport to destinations further south such as Punta Arenas and the Carretera Austral (Balmaceda airport).
The three main airlines operating in Chile have direct flights from Santiago de Chile to Puerto Montt, namely Latam, SkyAirline and JetSmart.
The Puerto Montt airport is ideal for visiting nearby natural attractions such as the Osorno volcano, the city of Puerto Varas and its surroundings, and the island of Chiloé.
how to get to Osorno from Santiago by plane
Another option further north of Puerto Montt is the Osorno airport, small but with direct flights from Santiago with Latam and SkyAirline. It is also another option to visit the Lake District, the Osorno Volcano and the Puyehue National Park.
how to get to temuco from santiago by plane
La Araucanía International Airport near Temuco is another of the main airports in Chilean Patagonia, ideal for visiting various points in the northern part of Chilean Patagonia.
It has a high frequency and direct flights by SkyAirline, Latam and JetSmart airlines from Santiago de Chile.
It is ideal for visiting the Villarrica National Reserve, the Villarrica Volcano, Pucón hot springs and Caburgua.
how to get to Valdivia from Santiago by plane
Another option for touring the Pucón area is to arrive at the Valdivia airport, which has direct flights with SkyAirline and Latam from Santiago de Chile.
Nearby Valdivia you can also explore its beaches and the Valdivian Coastal Reserve.
We hope these options on how to get to Chilean Patagonia from Santiago by plane have been useful for you. The information has been written based on our experience visiting Chilean Patagonia on several occasions.