Chile

Chile is over 4,000km from north to south, which means the country contains deserts, vineyards, cities, glaciers, and fjords. Most international visitors arrive at Santiago (SCL), which serves as the base for exploring in every direction. The Andes form the eastern border with Argentina, and crossing them by air on the Buenos Aires to Santiago route offers some of the most spectacular views from any commercial flight.

Key airports

Santiago (SCL) - main international gateway

Best months

Oct-Apr (spring/summer). Jun-Sep for skiing.

Time zone

CLT (UTC-4, UTC-3 in summer)

Currency

Chilean Peso (CLP). Cards widely accepted in Santiago.

Visa

Visa-free for UK, Ireland, US, Canada, Australia (90 days)

Santiago itself is worth more time than most people give it. The neighbourhood choice genuinely shapes your experience, the food and wine culture is exceptional, and the day trips - Valparaiso, wine country, the Andes - are some of the best in South America. The city caught me off guard. I had expected a sprawling capital to endure rather than enjoy.

I visited Santiago, explored multiple neighbourhoods, took day trips to Valparaiso and the wine valleys, and flew in from Buenos Aires before continuing onward to Auckland. The logistics are straightforward by South American standards, and the infrastructure for visitors is solid.

The Best Time to Visit Chile

Chile's length means there is no single answer on timing. Santiago has a classic Mediterranean climate - dry summers, mild winters, four distinct seasons. The figures below are Santiago averages, which cover the central valley and wine-country trips. Summer (December-February) is hot and bone dry - 28 to 32°C, clear skies, very manageable. This is also the season for Patagonia: Torres del Paine is accessible November to March; outside those months, trails can be impassable.

I was in Santiago in late October - temperatures around 22°C, no rain, a cold Andean wind in the mornings. Spring feels like the sweet spot: the vineyards around Casablanca and Maipo are green, the days are long, and it is not yet peak-season busy. Winter (June-August) in Santiago drops to single figures at night, with daytime highs around 14°C. Chileans treat it as genuinely cold; I found it mild.

The Atacama Desert is different again - altitude around 2,400m, nights cold year-round (0 to 5°C), days bright and dry regardless of season. The best stargazing window is March to May and August to November, when summer haze has cleared. Avoid December-January if you want the night sky at its sharpest.

30°C☀

Jan

29°C☀

Feb

25°C☀

Mar

20°C⛅

Apr

15°C⛅

May

12°C🌧

Jun

11°C🌧

Jul

13°C⛅

Aug

16°C⛅

Sep

20°C☀

Oct

24°C☀

Nov

28°C☀

Dec

Mediterranean in the centre, desert in the north, sub-polar in the south. Santiago temps below. Patagonia is best November-March; Atacama is year-round but cooler shoulders are better for stargazing.

Getting there

Select your origin to see the best routing options.

No direct flights from the UK or Ireland to Santiago. Madrid and Sao Paulo are the most practical connection points. Expect 17-22 hours total travel time depending on the routing.

Carrier	Route	Type	Flight time	Notes
Iberia / LATAM	LHR - MAD - SCL	1 stop	17-19h	The most common UK routing. Madrid connection is well-timed. Iberia and LATAM codeshare on the transatlantic leg.
LATAM	LHR - GRU - SCL	1 stop	18-20h	Via Sao Paulo. Useful if combining Chile with Brazil. Connection times at GRU can be tight.
Air France / KLM	LHR/DUB - CDG/AMS - SCL	1 stop	18-20h	Good option from Dublin via Amsterdam or Paris. Frequencies vary seasonally.
British Airways	LHR - GRU - SCL	1 stop	18-21h	Via Sao Paulo on BA or oneworld partner. Less direct than Madrid but works for Avios redemptions.

Plenty of nonstops to Santiago from Miami and New York, plus hub options.

Carrier	Route	Type	Flight time	Notes
American	MIA/JFK - SCL	Direct	~9-11h	Daily nonstop from Miami and New York.
LATAM	MIA - SCL	Direct	~9h	Daily from Miami; the home carrier.
Delta	ATL - SCL	Direct	~10h	Via the Atlanta hub from most East Coast cities.
United	IAH - SCL	Direct	~10-11h	Nonstop from the Houston hub; East Coast cities connect via IAH.

No nonstop from the West Coast - connect via a US hub (Miami, Houston) or Lima.

Carrier	Route	Type	Flight time	Notes
LATAM	LAX - LIM - SCL	1 stop	15-17h	Via Lima; strong South America connections.
American	LAX - MIA - SCL	1 stop	16-18h	Via Miami.

Chile is Australia's gateway to South America - the only continent pair with a nonstop.

Carrier	Route	Type	Flight time	Notes
Qantas	SYD - SCL	Direct	~12h 30m	The only nonstop between Australia and South America.
LATAM	SYD - AKL - SCL	1 stop	~14-16h	Via Auckland (the LA800/801 routing).

Where to go

Santiago →

Seven distinct neighbourhoods, excellent metro, and day trips to vineyards, coast, and mountains. Everything you need for getting to, around, and settled in Santiago.

Tested routes

2024LATAM Economy: Santiago to AucklandAdequate→

Planning the logistics?

The facts above are the short version. The full libraries - every carrier, every port - live one level down under Getting There.

Flights to Chile →Cruise ports in Chile →