Corporate trips managed by COCHA Corporate grew 8% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025, and 85.6% were within Chile, up from 83.3% a year earlier. Calama is the most-booked domestic destination, followed by Antofagasta, Concepción, Copiapó and Iquique: four of the five are linked to mining. The figures were published by El Mostrador on 10 November 2026.
The figures cover one agency's operations, not the whole country. To size up each route, this article cross-checks them with the passenger numbers reported by Chile's Civil Aviation Board (JAC) for January to September 2026.
View the data as a table
| Growth in trips | +8% |
| Trips within Chile | 85.6% |
| Booking lead time | 10 days |
| Events managed, May to June | +112% |
Business travel in Chile: the most-booked domestic destinations
The industries generating the most trips are Engineering and Construction, Forestry, Pulp and Paper, Food and Beverages, Retail and Energy. "Behind every ticket there is a specific business need: supervising projects, carrying out maintenance, meeting suppliers," said Juan Pablo Amenábar, COCHA's Corporate manager (El Mostrador). Santiago-Calama is also the busiest route in the country: 1,691,679 passengers from January to September, according to the JAC.
| COCHA rank | Destination | Santiago-destination passengers, Jan-Sep 2026 (JAC) | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calama | 1,691,679 | -0.7% |
| 2 | Antofagasta | 1,525,118 | -2.5% |
| 3 | Concepción | 1,019,756 | +3.2% |
| 4 | Copiapó | 503,483 | +5.6% |
| 5 | Iquique | 1,014,016 | -6.3% |
Sources: destination order from COCHA Corporate, first half of 2026 (El Mostrador); route passengers from the JAC monthly reports, added up by Viajando Chile. Details for every route are in Chile's busiest air routes.
Abroad, Buenos Aires overtook Lima
For business trips abroad, Buenos Aires moved into first place, overtaking Lima, followed by São Paulo, Bogotá and Mexico City. The top three are also the international routes with the most passengers from Santiago, although all of them fell in 2026.
| COCHA rank | Destination | Passengers from Santiago, Jan-Sep 2026 (JAC) | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buenos Aires | 1,151,628 | -5.1% |
| 2 | Lima | 1,145,170 | -8.8% |
| 3 | São Paulo | 1,066,886 | -7.1% |
| 4 | Bogotá | 554,279 | -0.9% |
| 5 | Mexico City | — | — |
Sources: El Mostrador (ranking) and JAC (passengers). Santiago-Mexico City is not among the ten busiest international routes summarized in our article, so it has no figure.
How business travelers move around Chile today
Fuel now accounts for about a third of airlines' operating costs, which pushes fares up. Companies book a little earlier: the average lead time rose from nine to ten days. The report also measures traveler fatigue with the COCHA Pulse index.
| Indicator | H1 2025 | H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic trips as share of total | 83.3% | 85.6% |
| Average booking lead time | 9 days | 10 days |
| Travelers at critical fatigue level (COCHA Pulse) | 10.9% | 9.9% |
| Share of negative impact from weekend travel | — | 42% |
Source: COCHA Corporate Insights 2026, via El Mostrador. The report warns about flights before 06:00 and after 23:00: a cheap itinerary can prove costly if it means leaving at dawn or flying back on Sunday night.
View the data as a table
| Domestic | International | |
|---|---|---|
| H1 2025 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| H1 2026 | 85.6% | 14.4% |
Santiago, a destination for business travel and events
Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism is also growing. At the World MICE Awards 2026, presented on 27 October, Sky Costanera, the observation deck on floors 61 and 62 of the Gran Torre Costanera, was named Latin America's best MICE event venue, and Santiago the region's best corporate retreat destination. Between May and June, events managed by COCHA rose from 17 to 36, a 112% increase; over the half-year, its meetings and events area handled more than 50 deals with 16 holdings, led by the automotive sector (32.2% of sales) and power generation and energy (16.5%).
What business travel means for tourists
For leisure travelers, corporate demand explains why early-morning and Monday flights to Calama and Antofagasta fill up, and why hotels in mining cities are busy from Monday to Thursday. Conversely, weekends usually have more availability there. Check hotel occupancy by region and, if you combine work and leisure in the capital, things to do in Santiago or the climb up Cerro San Cristóbal.
Frequently asked questions
How much did business travel in Chile grow in 2026?
By 8% in the first half of 2026 in COCHA Corporate's operations, compared with the same period of 2025. It is not an official nationwide figure.
What is Chile's most-booked business destination?
Calama, followed by Antofagasta, Concepción, Copiapó and Iquique. Santiago-Calama is also Chile's busiest domestic air route: 1,691,679 passengers from January to September 2026, according to the JAC.
What award did Santiago win for business tourism?
At the World MICE Awards 2026, Santiago was named Latin America's best corporate retreat destination and Sky Costanera the region's best MICE event venue.
