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Flying from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama

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My Sky Airlines plane at Santiago's International Airport
My Sky Airlines plane at Santiago's International Airport

[L]ast May, I boarded a Sky Airline flight from Santiago to Calama, in northern Chile.

Calama is the nearest airport to San Pedro de Atacama, a small pueblo in the middle of the Atacama Desert.

The first flight took an hour and twenty minutes to go from Santiago to Copiapo. After a brief layover, we then flew another hour further north to Calama.

My flights delivered me from Santiago to Calama in two and a half hours, whereas the bus, though cheaper, takes 24 hours.

And from what I've heard, it's tedious and boring (you're driving through the desert after all), so do yourself a favor and spend the extra money to fly.

View of Santiago during take off
Taking off from Santiago was the only time in five days that I had this good a view of the snow-capped mountains surrounding the Chilean capital
Chamonate Airport outside Copiapo
My first flight landed halfway between Santiago and Calama, at the Chamonate Airport which services the city of Copiapo
Airport terminal
The airport terminal's roof is shaped like waves, or perhaps they're meant to mimic sand dunes, as we were clearly in the desert by this point. A yellow sign toward the right spells “Atacama.”
Snow-capped volcano
Passing a snow-capped volcano as we near Calama in northern Chile
Descending toward the Martian landscape
As our plane descended, along with the sun, the ground glowed a brilliant orange-red. It felt as though we were about to land on Mars.
The otherworldly Atacama desert landscape
The otherworldly Atacama desert landscape
Wing transformation
As we approached the runway at Calama's El Loa Airport, the wings and engines transformed in a way I'd never seen before
Passengers walk off the Sky Airlines plane on the tarmac at El Loa Airport at sunset
Passengers walk off the Sky Airlines plane on the tarmac at El Loa Airport at sunset
My first sunset over the Atacama Desert, as seen from the tarmac at El Loa Airport in Calama
My first sunset over the Atacama Desert, as seen from the tarmac at El Loa Airport in Calama

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About Dave

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 65 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Originally from New York, Dave now calls Austin, TX home. Find him on Instagram and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Dave says

      Thanks Kieu, I’d still like to see Santiago in the Winter, when there’s less smog and clearer mountain views.

      This time around, I had to take what I could get!

  2. Sam says

    These are some lovely pictures; especially the view over Santiago and the landing in the Atacama, which really does look like Mars!

    • Dave says

      Thanks Sam. Aside from the time factor, I think it was more fun to arrive by air into this landscape than having spent at least 12 hours on a bus driving through it.

  3. Nick (theboywander) says

    THose photos are incredible, especially the one of the Santiago and the snow-capped mountains behind it.

    • Dave says

      Thanks Nick, I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world quite like it.

  5. Arthur Gilles says

    Really breathtaking image of Chilean mountain ranges.
    So much awesome. You must not miss the traditional events in Santiago like pattaraday festival, and the patupat in Bannawag, the station of the cross in balintokatok.

  6. Laurence says

    Great pictures!
    Leaving to Calama on the 21st of December and have a question: do you remember how long it took you to get off the plane and collect your luggage?

    Thanks!

  7. RB says

    Dave,
    I am currently in Vina Del mar. If you had 4 days (max) remaining before you had to fly out of Santiago, would you recommend using them for Atacama? Hopefully you get this quickly. If not there, where would you recommend in Chile. came in on Cruce De Los Lagos and saw the Puerto Varas area. Check out my blog http://www.richtrek.com … and lm, cheers man!

  8. Carrie says

    Fantastic photos! I’m currently planning my own South America trip, and will be doing this flight in reverse – Atacama to Santiago. My question is: how did you get from the town of San Pedro to the airport in Calama?

    • Dave says

      Thanks Carrie. I took the local airport shuttle. I can’t recall if I arranged it through the hostel, but it wasn’t a problem.

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