My current DCIR29 has a transit in SCL, but has a relatively tight 2 hr connection time (fly in from IPC, fly out to LIM). In the event I miss the last flight for the day and need to kill time until the next flight next morning is it possible for me to crash at the LAN lounge (or any other OW lounge) o/night? Or will I be forced to find accommodation outside the airport (think SYD debacle with Jetstar, etc.,) Anyone know what the operating hours of the lounges are? I couldn't find much information from LAN's website...

Both lounges close. You can't spend the night.

Lounge, no. SCL, yes. It's just not very comfortable.

The good news is that Lan's ontime record is really good, not that a few fiascoes can happen from time to time. Sometimes the departure immigration lines get long (depending on your flight time, which I'd imagine to be at about 22:00). I've never missed a Lan connection, and I've only had 2 flights ever with considerable delay (out of maybe 40 to 50 segments).

Hopefully it is better in SCL than it is here in SYD or AKL.

I have a couple options:

LA834 from IPC-SCL arrives SCL 1750 which should have enough connection time with LA530 SCL-LIM @ 2005 (on B767) or failing that LA632 SCL-LIM @ 2110 (on A320)...only thing this connection only works on Mon, Thurs (LA834 operates only on those days)

LA842 (operates the other days LA834 doesn't) from IPC-SCL arrives SCL 1930 which cuts the connection time considerably. I'm guessing the LA530 is out of the question, which leaves the LA632?? I'd like to have 4 days in Easter Island but that would require a Fri flight and hence this connection adventure. Anyone with experience in connecting flights in SCL with a similar timeframe? I'm presuming that as I'm coming from IPC I can stay airside (no need to go through immigration and collect bags, etc.,), have my luggage checked through to LIM and a chance at the LA530? Is that being too optimistic?

And how is the business service on 767 vs the 320's? i'm guessing there'll be no lie-flat seats given the regional flights...

Some 320s are comfortable "business" seats (more comfortable than many US-style 2 cabin F seats) and some 320s have been converted to Business Express seating (ala euro-business) - 1 cabin planes, seating wise, middle seats blocked. I think those are all LP flight #s for now, but unsure.

I don't think this is true (at least it wasn't when I flew IPC-SCL). IPC is a domestic flight into SCL, but from what I was told, it goes through a different arrival check as other domestic flights. Our 767 was parked in the international area of the airport (even though this wasn't one of the PPT-IPC-SCL flights), we skipped immigration checks, but we were taken to the customs area where all our bags (including carry-ons, we had no checked bags) were passed through x-ray machines. I was told this was to prevent certain pests from entering the mainland, but I don't know if this is true. Maybe there was a way to go to the transit lounge directly, but if wasn't obvious, and we were terminating at SCL that day anyway.

Going the other way (EZE-SCL-IPC), I asked everywhere if it was possible to just transit, and was told no every time, so after immigration, we had to go through customs, then out and back up to the international departure area, after having our boarding passes stamped "Isla de Pascua" so we could access the lounge. IIRC, because this flight went SCL-IPC-PPT it was sort of boarded from both sides, with those going to PPT or with lounge access on the Int'l side, and those going to IPC without lounge access, on the domestic side.

When I flew IPC-SCL-(LIM-)LAX I had to clear customs at SCL as a domestic pax, and then go back through immigration to get airside for my onward flight.

But EZE-SCL-IPC I was able to avoid immigration and stay airside*. AFAIK it depends on whether the international transit is open or not.

* note this caused me a problem at IPC as I failed to enter Chile at SCL I self-declared I needed to enter the country. If I'd kept my mouth shut I probably would have had an issue at SCL on the way back for not legally entering the country.

I flew GRU-SCL-AKL-SYD a few years ago, the flight out of Sao Paulo was very delayed, more than the 2 1/2 hour connection time for the Sydney flight. LAN bussed all the passengers who missed the connection to a hotel somewhere in Santiago, and then brought us back to the airport the next morning for the flight. Not sure if they'd do something similar for intra-continental flights.

It looks like the Pacific Club is open 24 hours. It is a Diners Club and Priority Pass lounge. It is probably pretty spartan (I've only been in the Pacific Clubs on the domestic side, in PUQ and PMC). I don't know the cash charge, but I think it is about US$20 if you don't otherwise have access.

Airport: santiago - C. Arturo Merino-Benitez International, International Terminal
Lounge: salones vip pacific club

Location: Airside - go through Passport Control and Security. The Lounge is located in front of Gate 18.

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

So let's recap. You arrive on time at 1930, then before 2100, you get your bags and clear Customs as a domestic pax, go back up to the ticketing/departure level, deal with the Friday evening rush to recheck your bags (if you are a Lan premium pax or have OW status, go to Lan's separate First/Business/elite section at the far left end of the terminal) and then the evening rush to get back through Immigrations (Lan premium pax have their own Immigrations checkpoint). Sounds stressful but it may work out.

If not, it's been a while since I was in the Pacific VIP Cub at SCL international side so some aspects that follow may have changed but aside from the fishbowl aspect (you are on the same level as the gates, shops, etc. and can be scrutinized by the passer bys) it was comfortable. Has wifi, bartender operated bar not serve yourself, no snack selection like the Lan or AA lounge, computer terminals, a shower, reading materials, TV, etc.

The other option is to to stay at the new Holiday Inn directly across from the terminal.

hmm...to throw a spanner in the works...

i've checked the current OW timetables and there is no scheduled fri flight from IPC-SCL! well, there was one when i went through all the planning earlier this yr! can anyone confirm if this is true? e/flyer doesn't show it (but i know not everything is 100% correct there...) i was after the LA842 and the Fri flight was additional service effective 4 Jan - have they now scrapped it?

otherwise it's going have to be thurs or sat flights...is 3 days enough in easter island? (more like 2 n 1/2 days since i arrive from PPT @ 10am)

True, but I see the flight coming back in July, if that helps.

I'm definitely in the minority here but in my opinion 3 days in IPC is 2 days too many.

dinersclub.com:

Pacific Club Salones VIP
Hours Open: Daily: 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.

So it's not 100% it's a 24h lounge.