From my LanPass statement:

Freshen up after your flight!
If you fly First Class or Executive Class, you can now freshen up completely using the showers in our Neruda VIP Lounge when you arrive at Arturo Merino Benítez airport in Santiago.

You need to freshen up after paying the "reciprocity" tax on entry (unless that has been dropped by now?).

It hasn't but. fortunately, you only need to pay it once for the remaining life of your passport. On the bright side, Aussie's only pay about US$35 while U.S. passport holders now pay US$100.

This reciprocity thing really hits U.S. travelers to several countries, as the U.S. keeps raising its own visa fees.

I flew to SCL two weeks ago and asked about the fee being for the "life of your passport", and was told that as I held an Australian passport the "stamp" was only valid for 90 days.

So it looks like paying $100 as US citizen ends up cheaper in the long run.

Dani

So does this access extend to those with status (OW Saphire or Emerald), or just those on paid Business and First class tickets? Alternatively, is there another lounge on the domestic side - from reading through the Lan Chile website I haven't been able to quite work that aspect out. Happy to hear from anyone that's been through down that way.

Only time was going to easter island where they set up a sort of odd situation in which they made me go through the domestic terminal and ask someone who would then let me through to the intl side and into the lounge. Don't know if it's the same or if there is a lounge, but I have been told that there is.

Would also like to know - South America is all too poorly served by this board

Well, here is the link to the article and you can decide for yourself. I don't personally think so. It seems to be only First and Biz. The fact that they are offering it is a Lan Chile amenity not a Oneworld amenity. I can't remember offhand, but I think the BA arrivals lounge is the same in London. Otherwise, I don't remember any other place I have been that has offered an arrivals lounge at all.

I hope they don't, incidentally. Why should they offer a service that no other Oneworld carrier offers, save London, and then be forced to allow all the Oneworld flyers in it? Departures, I can understand. LA flyers get reciprocity with other airlines, so LA should provide the amenity. But until AA, CX, QF, IB, EI, and AY start ponying up for an arrivals lounge, the arrivals feature should be limited to whoever Lan Chile (or BA) believes should get the amenity. Just one flyer's opinion.

http://www13.lanchile.com/lanpass/ne.../en_un/321.htm

Correct. The BA arrivals lounge is for BA/QF First/Business class passengers, plus BA Gold and Qantas top tier frequent fliers only.

Having said that, I did once manage to blag my way in on a CX Diamond in transit between a CX J arrival (in T3) and a BA Club Europe departure in T4.

There are also AA arrivals lounges in London (Heathrow at the airport, Gatwick at a nearby hotel) and Paris (at the airport). In all cases they are restricted to AA passengers who arrived in first or business class. No oneWorld partner passengers. Status won't get you in.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that there are more, but I don't know about them.

There is a lounge on the domestic side, but it is not a LanChile lounge.. it is a VIP lounge. I had to pay $20 to get in; it had internet access and comfy sofas with booze and snacks.

Here's the SCL scoop. The lounge is available only in the secured departure area. Once you clear immigration it is TOO LATE. This is despite a detailed email from Lan prior to a trip in 12/01 in response to my inquiry - when they told me to get my luggage first, etc... If you are connecting to another int'l departure you are fine.

The national flight side has Pacific Club Salon VIP (not too far past security). Entry is approx. CL$10.000 or $11.000. They are currently Diners Club affiliated, but that comes and goes. Certain other credit cards get you in from time to time, but each trip, its a different story. In any event they have a shower room which is spartan but clean, no hair dryer, etc. Free drinks but no snacks to speak of.

They are also Priority Pass associated, but if you are on a pay per visit PP membership, the PP fee is higher than the actual fee if you just pay there.

Pacific Clubs Salones VIP have a network of lounges around various airports in Chile. I have been in 3 or so of them. They all have dialup internet terminals, free drinks, and your snack is "nuts with raisins." You can also buy a membership for a single lounge, or multi city access.

While they are nice and peaceful and quiet, so are most departure areas in most airports in Chile most of the time. żVale la tarifa? A veces.

I provide all this info because despite my previous FT inquiries, and no one having any good info, I learned it on my own.

Suerte

That's certainly some useful information to have, I guess I'll have to plead my case on arrival (and before immigration) if I want to shower off for free - otherwise I pity the poor soul seated next to me on the leg out to Easter Island!

Was searching on this and a couple questions came up. Figured I should ask them before my SCL trip this week.

It's clear the Neruda arrivals lounge is prior to immigration. That's really helpful. What I'm not clear on is whether or not I can reclaim luggage prior to going in there (ala arrivals lounge at Heathrow, outside luggage and customs). This would make a difference (for obvious reasons like clothing). Since I'm flying straight on to IPC afterwards not entirely sure how the luggage/customs process works...

Thanks!

[This message has been edited by Toofewmiles (edited Feb 06, 2004).]

Luggage claim is after immigration at SCL. The SCL-IPC flight is considered domestic so you may have to clear immigration/customs at SCL anyway. As I recall, when you check in for the IPC flight the LA staff walks you around the customs exit process. (That was a few years ago so it may have changed.)