Chile’s president inaugurated new $20 million terminal at Santiago Airport

Credit: Santiago Airport

A new Terminal building (T1-A) at Santiago Airport (SCL) was inaugurated, 6 September 2024, by the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric; along with the Minister of Defense, Maya Fernández, the Minister of Public Works, Jessica López, the Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela. “Millions of Chileans will be able to visit, as a result of the material progress of our country, the beautiful corners that our country has. This is reactivation, it is dynamism of the economy, it is work, it is happiness for families who travel, it is good news for Chile,” said President Boric. This expansion significantly enhances the capacity of the Domestic Terminal and cost $20.2m.

What is this new T1-A building and what impact will it have?

The new Santiago airport T1-A building is part of the T1 modernisation project. This plan includes the refurbishing of various spaces, such as boarding and arrival zones, and a new baggage claim area, as well as an expansion of capacity, from 22 to 40 boarding gates when the works are completed, at the end of next year. The T1-A building will also incorporate four stores, restaurants, services, children’s games and art.

Along with the new T1-A, the authorities also put into operation the new western boarding area, which will operate with eight security control machines and six PDI document checking booths for flights to Eastern Island.

“After the delivery of a new international terminal in 2022, we are proud to offer Chilean domestic passengers a brand-new facility with modern and spacious infrastructure and state-of-the-art equipment. The T1-A building will provide an enhanced quality of service immediately, especially for travellers on the move for Fiestas Patrias, Chilean national holidays. With this new achievement, VINCI Airports continues fulfilling its commitments towards Chile, in the framework of the concession contract signed in 2015,” says Valerie Vesque-Jeancard, Chairwoman of the board of Nuevo Pudahuel and managing director of VINCI Airports.

The new building begins to operate in advance of the next National Holidays (September 18 and 19), which will set a record with more than 700 thousand passengers, according to airline projections. The boom is due to the fact that this year there will be an additional holiday (Friday, September 20), which will allow the celebrations to be extended until Sunday, September 22.