Santiago International Airport Reviews
What do we know about Chile aside from the origin of its name “Chilli” which is a Mapuche word for “Where the land ends” and also another way of calling a bird “cheele-cheele”? But did you know that Chile is actually the longest country in the world? (from North to South at 2,647 miles). In case you didn’t notice, the Chilean flag is similar to Texas’. It’s because of the design suggestion by U.S. Envoy Joel Roberts Poinsett.
It’s the 5th largest exporter and 9th largest producer of wine with over 100 wineries in the country. Have you ever wondered about their tourism? Transportation? Getting to the point.
In this review, let’s witness the largest aviation facility and busiest factory in Chile: Santiago International Airport (SCL).
Aesthetics
As the biggest airport in Chile, of course, there are a lot of facilities throughout the airport and these include restrooms and shower rooms in the lounges. SCL has two information desks which are located on both first floor (Arrivals) and third floor (Departures). Tourist information centers are located in the arrivals area of the international terminal.
For medical assistance, Farmacias Cruz Verde is found on the third floor of the domestic terminal and a medical centre on the first floor of the international terminal.
Fast food, coffee, pastries, sandwiches, fruit juices, salads, desserts, and ice cream are served in a large number of restaurants, cafes and bars in all areas of the terminal (public zone, domestic flights and international flights). There are 24-hour food concessions in the International Terminal such as Dunkin Donuts in the airside area and Gatsby in the landside.
There is a large selection of shops at Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. These include gift retailers, book shops, newsagents, wine merchants, jewellery and handicraft stores, as well as duty-free shops in the international terminal. SCL also offers a range of shops selling souvenirs, perfume, jewellery, Chilean crafts, music, accessories, wine, and liquor.
ATM machines and foreign exchange desks are located on the central domestic and international hall while ATM machines are available in all levels of the central international hall; currency exchange is found on the first and third level.
Since the airport is 24 hours operational there’s a way to keep travellers connected with the airport’s free unlimited WiFi, though for other means of communication, telephones and internet kiosks are situated throughout the airport
Driving Directions
Starting from downtown Santiago, go west on Alameda Street (the main avenue in Santiago which turns into Route 68), then turn right onto Circunvalación Américo Vespucio, where the airport is located. Plenty of signs signalling the entrance to the airport are available along the road.
From east and north Santiago, the best route to the airport is Circunvalación Américo Vespucio Norte.
From south Santiago, take the Circunvalación Américo Vespucio Sur northwards.
Location – Traffic – Service
Santiago International Airport is more commonly known as “Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport” which is located 15 km (9.5 miles) northwest of central Santiago. Being Chile’s largest airport and one of South America’s key transport hubs, and a primary hub for LATAM, Sky Airline, One Airlines and Aerocardal, SCL operates from 2 asphalt runways and serves the country for public and military services. In 2015, statistics shows that last year, SCL was able to accommodate a total of 17,251,406 passengers.
Airport/Terminal Map
News and Facts
The 2020 master plan at the airport is underway that includes the new detached passenger terminal buildings for international and domestic flights, additional commercial areas and the construction of a light railway connecting the airport with the Santiago Metro network.
Just so you know, the airport is owned by the state of Chile and operated by Nuevo Pudahel since October 2015 while the air traffic control is handled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (Chile).
Contact Information:
- Airport Code: SCL
- Phone Number: +56 2 2690 1752
- Website URL: http://www.nuevopudahuel.cl/?language=en
- Address: Pudahuel, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Conclusion
To get to know more about Santiago International Airport, you can also check their official website. Though their official website is in Spanish by default, the language is interchangeable to English. This feature appears on the top right of the page. According to Santiago International Airport reviews, the airport is fine with their overall rating score of 5/10 on Skytrax. SCL was even ranked the 6th best airport and best airport staff in South America in the 2015 World Airport Awards.
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