VINCI Airports opens new international terminal at Santiago Chile

Santiago International Airport’s (SCL) new international terminal served its first passengers on 28 February 2022.

The state-of-the-art terminal acts as a crucial international hub for South America, with an estimated increased capacity of 38 million passengers per year. Furthermore, the investment of $990 million (€860 million) in this terminal will further strengthen the airport’s long-term commitment to Chile’s economic growth, through the development of air connectivity.

Main features of the new terminal include:

• Total surface area of work executed: 454,700 square metres of which: 248,400 square metres for the international terminal, 130,400 square metres of car parks and boulevards, 15,700 square metres for extension of the existing terminal (Pier A), and 16,740 square metres of interurban bus station
• Airport capacity increased from 16 to 38 million passengers per year
• Gateways increased from 18 to 67
• Boarding gates increased 31 to 76
• Five year of works and 3,800 jobs created at the peak of works
• 40 per cent reduction in carbon footprint by 2030.

Overall passenger experience will be improved, with the considerable reduction of waiting times due to 96 automatic check-in kiosks, 64 bag drop counters, 40 per cent more immigration counters for borders controls, and a new baggage handling system. The terminal also includes new commercial, restaurants, and services areas, such as a nursery room and an exhibition hall.

Santiago Airport is one of the first in South America to join Level 2 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) delivered by Airports Council International (ACI). 10,336 airport LED lights have been settled, reducing lighting energy consumption by 70 per cent. Emissions from land transport are also reduced due to six new electric buses that entered service July 2021. More than seven hectares have been reforested on the airport ground and more than 600 trees have been donated to the municipality of Pudahuel.

This dynamic will be further strengthened in coming months of 2022. With the commissioning of a photovoltaic plant with a capacity of 826KW, set on the roof of the existing terminal. Finally, the global objective is to reduce the airport’s carbon footprint by 40 per cent in 2030 and achieve net zero emission by 2050.