Eastbay1K

If you are on time, plenty of time.

jlarroulet

Like Eastbay1K says, 1:35m is well within MCT for SCL on an INT-INT connection, provided you arrive in SCL on time. You will need at worst some 30 minutes to get from gate to gate, including transit security

Zembla

Soon I've got a GRU-SCL-PMC coming up. This means I'll have an international-domestic connection in SCL. I have a 1 hour 35 minute connection time. I do suspect that this should be enough, especially because this is an early afternoon connection. But I've never done a connection in SCL before. Is there anything I should be aware of to make this connection run smoothly? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated

SenSCL

You will have to clear Immigration and Customs in SCL and this means that you will have to collect your luggage and take it to the check.in / bag drop of your airline for the domestic leg to PMC (take the lift from the arrivals to the departures area), even if it has been tagged to your final destination.

I agree, given an arrival / connection in the early afternoon, 1.35 h sounds doable, but if for one reason or another, there is long queues at Immigration or Customs or the baggage delivery is delayed, this could turn into a more sportive endeavour.

If all flights are one single itinerary, you should be safe though, as worst case, you would be booked on a later flight to PMC. There are probably a few more leaving that same day.

FairDinkumMate

Both immigration & customs have had long lines the last few times I've flown in to SCL. The staff are efficient, there just don't seem to be enough of them!

If the international immigration line is long, keep an eye out to see if the locals line is empty. If it is, you'll notice that every few minutes they open the cord about halfway through the international queu & let 20 or so from the middle of the international line through to the other side. If they are doing that, you can usually linger in the right spot to go through there & save a good half an hour or so at immigration!

AlicorporateUK

Hi, Folks.

First post here — apologies if this has already been asked & answered thousands times.

I will be flying Alitalia to SCL (arriving 9:45AM) and onwards to LSC on Latam at ~1:30PM, hand baggage only. Will I need to exit or is there a way I could just clear passports and head to my next gate? Also, I’m assuming that 3 hours plus would guarantee (all being on time, needless to say) a plain sailing connection?

Ta very much,

G

Eastbay1K

You are entering Chile. You need to clear all formalities, then go back upstairs through security for your national flight (right side of terminal when you get upstairs). 3 hours should be plenty.

AlicorporateUK

@Eastbay1K,

Thanks a lot - much appreciated.

G

Zembla

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. The connection will be on the same itinerary, and I'm quite confident I'll make it as long as the flight arrives on time. I'll report back here after the flights how it went.

Zembla

I can report that this connection was easy and quick. I even had half an hour left air side in the domestic terminal before boarding started. There were just a few people at immigration. I noticed that immigration is a relatively slow process, and I saw the snake-line facilities. I can imagine it can be a long wait during busier hours. Still 1:35 minutes international to domestic connection is very doable.

Ardecos

I arrived in SCL yesterday (4/4) and initially there was no service at immigration because the cleaners were cleaning the desks and the immigration officers would not move them on. Fortunately, I was at the front of the queue and did not have an onward connection.

sunyafei

Hi folks - question about connection in SCL under separate tickets:

Will fly IPC-SCL-DFW in November - first segment booked on LA (J) and second booked on AA (PEY). IPC-SCL flight is scheduled to arrive SCL at 9:25PM, and SCL-DFW flight departs at 10:30PM. Did this because the SCL-IPC round-trip in J was only $530 when I booked on LATAM Chile website. I know the connection is legal because I could book the entire itinerary on LATAM website. Does anyone know if LATAM staff at IPC will be able to issue boarding passes for AA under separate ticket? Will the AA counter be closed when we arrive SCL? Will we be able to make the AA flight if we arrive SCL on-time? We will have hand luggage only.

Thanks in advance!

07L 25R

No, LATAM staff seem quite strict and they wouldn't even issue me their own boarding passes on separate tickets... that said, they are friendly once you get to the transfer desks at SCL.

Maybe try to check in online with AA and get a mobile boarding pass? Provided you get to SCL on time, then you should be able to make it - just. International immigration was rather slow last time, and if I'm not wrong, that's quite a peak hour for flights to USA to depart... maybe beg your way to the front of the queue?

sunyafei

Thanks 07L 25R. I think AA will need to check our passports before issuing boarding passes to us. Good thing is I just checked AA's counter operation time in SCL lasts till 10:35pm in the summer time. Shouldn't have problem getting boarding passes but as you said, probably need to beg our way through the lines.

Do you think AA staff will help us cut the line? Or if we let LATAM flight attendands know our situation on IPC-SCL flight, the pilot will miraculously let AA ground staff at SCL know our situation like some FFers mentioned in this thread?

OskiBear

I believe you need to check-in with AA at least 1 hour prior to departure time. If you wait until you arrive at SCL, you might be cutting it too close and they can potentially release your seat.
If you have all your info filled out in advance on your AA reservation (passport, etc), you should be able to check in online or via the app. I'd recommend trying to get this accomplished starting at the 24 hour mark while you're still on Easter Island. Even if you can't print out your boarding pass, you've at least checked yourself in. Then it's just heading over to the gate to get your boarding pass prior to boarding/departure at SCL.