Is there a metro to Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport?

SCL has no direct metro station. Use airport buses to connect with the Santiago Metro, and use [Santiago Subway Map](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/santiago-subway-map/id6478421565?uo=4) for city rail planning.

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) Guide: Santiago, Chile

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport is Chile’s main international gateway and the hub that ties Santiago to the rest of South America, North America, Europe, Oceania, and nearly every important domestic route. SCL is a serious airport: modern terminals, heavy LATAM traffic, useful buses, controlled taxis, and enough hotel demand that planning the first transfer matters.

This guide is written for travelers who want the useful details first: the real airport name, where it sits, how much to budget for transport, what to expect in the terminal, where to search for flights, and which services to arrange before landing. Prices and routes are updated for June 2026 and should be treated as practical planning ranges rather than fixed promises.

Quick airport facts

Item	Details
Full airport name	Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Short codes	SCL / SCEL
Also searched as	Santiago Airport, Arturo Merino Benitez Airport, Nuevo Pudahuel, Pudahuel Airport, SCL Airport
City and country	Santiago, Chile
Practical address	Avenida Armando Cortínez, Pudahuel, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile; coordinates -33.393002, -70.785797.
Distance to city	About 15-20 km northwest of central Santiago; buses take about 35-55 minutes to metro-linked stops and taxis usually take 25-50 minutes.
Updated	2026-06-15

Best for: Santiago, Valparaiso/Vina del Mar connections, Chile domestic flights, Andes trips, wine regions, and long-haul South America travel.
Main route logic: Chile domestic trunk routes, Lima/Buenos Aires/Sao Paulo/Bogota, North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, and Easter Island.
Airport style: large two-terminal hub with buses, official taxis, transfer vans, car rental, lounges, hotels nearby, duty-free, restaurants, and shops.
Planning rule: use official transport channels; combine airport buses with Metro only if you are comfortable with luggage.

Address and location

Use Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) for flight searches and Santiago Airport, Arturo Merino Benitez Airport, Nuevo Pudahuel, Pudahuel Airport, SCL Airport as backup search wording in maps, hotel messages, and taxi conversations. The practical address is:

Avenida Armando Cortínez, Pudahuel, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile; coordinates -33.393002, -70.785797.

About 15-20 km northwest of central Santiago; buses take about 35-55 minutes to metro-linked stops and taxis usually take 25-50 minutes. For a serious itinerary, save the airport coordinates offline, download the city area in Google Maps or Organic Maps, and keep your hotel address in both English and the local language where possible.

How to get from the airport to the city

Option	Typical time	Approximate cost	Best use
Centropuerto/Turbus airport bus + Metro	35-60 min	Often CLP 2,000-3,000 bus plus metro fare	🚌 Best budget city plan.
Official taxi to central Santiago	25-50 min	Often CLP 25,000-40,000	🚕 Best direct hotel transfer.
Shared/private transfer van	35-70 min	Often CLP 10,000-45,000+	✅ Good for first arrivals and groups.
Rental car	40-180+ min by route	From about CLP 35,000-90,000/day	🚗 Better for wine valleys/coast than downtown.

SCL is not directly on the Santiago Metro, but airport buses connect with metro stations such as Los Héroes and Pajaritos. That makes bus-plus-metro practical by day and less attractive with heavy bags at night.

Transport tips

🧾 Confirm the fare before loading luggage, especially when there is no visible meter or posted rate.
📍 Save the exact hotel pin offline; airport drivers may know districts better than street names.
💵 Carry small local cash for the first transfer, baggage carts, snacks, or phone calls.
🌐 Install an eSIM before departure so you can message your driver immediately after landing.

Public transport and metro

SCL has no direct metro station. Use airport buses to connect with the Santiago Metro, and use Santiago Subway Map for city rail planning.

Where public transport exists, it is usually best for daylight arrivals with light luggage. For late flights, family travel, heavy bags, or first-time visits, a taxi, hotel transfer, or pre-booked private driver is usually worth the extra cost.

Taxi prices and transfer strategy

Taxi prices around airports are rarely as neat as an official table. Time of day, luggage, driver availability, fuel prices, and whether the destination is inside or outside the central city all matter. The ranges above are realistic planning budgets, but the best practice is simple: agree the fare before moving, keep your phone map open, and avoid changing money with random drivers.

For smoother arrival logistics:

🚕 Use official taxi ranks or a hotel-arranged driver where available.
🧳 Pre-book a transfer if you land late, carry equipment, or travel with children.
🚗 Compare rental cars before arrival with DiscoverCars if you need regional freedom.
🏨 Use Expedia to check hotels near the airport and in the city before choosing a transfer.

Airport facilities, shops, and restaurants

Large international and domestic terminals with duty-free, restaurants, cafes, lounges, banks/ATMs, official taxi desks, transfer counters, car rental, hotels nearby, Wi-Fi, and accessibility services.
LATAM’s hub operation makes SCL the key airport for domestic Chile connections and long-haul departures.
Immigration and baggage queues can build around Europe/North America arrival banks.
Domestic-to-international transfers need buffer time because terminal movement and security can take longer than the map suggests.

The smart rule at SCL is to treat the terminal as a transfer point rather than as a shopping destination. Eat before arriving when possible, keep a refillable bottle where security rules allow, and bring a small power bank. If you have a long delay, an airport-area hotel or city hotel is usually more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airlines and where the airport flies

SCL is Chile’s main route map. Search Buenos Aires, Lima, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota, Miami, New York, Mexico City, Madrid, Paris, London, Rome, Sydney/Melbourne-style Oceania links, Santiago domestic routes, Calama, Antofagasta, Concepcion, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, and Easter Island.

LATAM is the anchor airline. Sky Airline, JetSMART, Avianca, Copa, Aerolineas Argentinas, Gol, American, Delta, United, Iberia, Air France, British Airways, KLM-style partners, Qantas-style Oceania links, and regional carriers appear by schedule.

Cheap routes to check first

Santiago to Calama, Antofagasta, Concepcion, or Puerto Montt: core domestic fare benchmarks.
Santiago to Lima, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, or Bogota: strongest regional comparison set.
Santiago to Madrid, Miami, or New York: long-haul benchmarks where baggage-inclusive fares matter.

Cheap airport strategy is different from simply sorting by lowest fare. Always compare the final cost after checked baggage, seat selection, payment fees, transfer costs, and missed-connection risk. A slightly more expensive flight into the correct airport can be cheaper than a low base fare that forces a long taxi ride or overnight hotel.

Where to buy flights and hotels

Start with broad searches, then verify the exact airport code before paying. This is especially important in cities with more than one airport or with airport transitions.

Need	Recommended booking link	Why it matters
Internet on arrival	🌐 Yesim eSIM	Install before flying so maps, airline apps, WhatsApp, and hotel messages work as soon as you land.
Flights and hotels	🏨 Expedia flights and stays	Useful for comparing nearby hotels, airport overnights, and onward tickets in one search.
Tours and transfers	🎟️ Viator tours and airport transfers	Best for guided city tours, day trips, private arrival transfers, and skip-the-line activities.
Rental cars	🚗 DiscoverCars	Compare local and international rental agencies before accepting a walk-up airport rate.
Travel medical insurance	🛡️ SafetyWing	Check coverage, exclusions, and country wording before travel, especially on complex itineraries.
Support this airport-guide project	🤝 Patreon: HEDONISMcloud	Helps keep airport guides updated with fares, route changes, and city transport notes.

eSIM, internet, insurance, and car rental

🌐 Internet: install Yesim eSIM before the flight. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, blocked by SMS verification, or unavailable exactly when you need maps.
🛡️ Insurance: compare policy wording with SafetyWing. Read exclusions for the destination, adventure activities, medical evacuation, political/security events, and pre-existing conditions.
🚗 Cars: compare vehicles on DiscoverCars before arrival. Airport counters can run out of automatic cars or quote higher walk-up rates.
🎟️ Tours: use Viator for airport transfers, city tours, day trips, and guided experiences when independent transport is inconvenient.

Practical arrival checklist

Before you fly	Why it matters
Check the IATA code on the ticket	Prevents booking a hotel or transfer for the wrong airport.
Save airline, hotel, and driver contacts offline	Messaging apps may not work until data is active.
Carry local cash	Useful for taxis, snacks, and small airport expenses.
Recheck live departures	Regional schedules can change more quickly than major-hub schedules.
Keep insurance documents accessible	Helps at medical facilities and during airline disruption.

Safety and travel notes

Use official taxis or known transfer desks, watch pickpocketing around bus terminals and metro interchanges, and leave a buffer for demonstrations, rush-hour traffic, and Andes winter delays.

The most reliable traveler is the boringly prepared traveler: documents printed, data working, transport confirmed, hotel address saved, and enough time between every moving part of the itinerary.

Short airport excursion idea

If you have a long layover or an overnight stop, choose one simple plan rather than trying to see everything. Stay close to the city center or a known hotel district, keep the return transfer booked, and avoid cutting the return to the airport too close. In smaller airports, a missed flight may mean waiting a day or more for the next practical departure.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport from Santiago?

About 15-20 km northwest of central Santiago; buses take about 35-55 minutes to metro-linked stops and taxis usually take 25-50 minutes.

How much is a taxi from SCL airport?

Typical taxi planning ranges are shown in the transport table above. The safest method is to confirm the price before loading luggage and to use a hotel-arranged driver when arriving late or visiting for the first time.

Are there restaurants and shops at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport?

Yes, but the depth of choice depends on the airport size and operating schedule. Expect practical cafes or snack options at smaller airports and a better range at major hubs. Carry backup snacks and water for delays.

Which airlines should I check first?

Is there a metro to the airport?