Chile's government will launch a stopover programme in 2027 that will let passengers connecting in Santiago stay a few days in the city and then continue to their final destination without paying a new boarding fee. Undersecretary of Tourism María Paz Lagos explained it in an interview with Pulso, of La Tercera, published on Saturday 14 November 2026.
"If your final destination is Magallanes, you can stop in Santiago for two days and not pay a new boarding fee to get to Magallanes," Lagos said. According to the estimate she quoted, about 800,000 passengers pass through Santiago airport without leaving it, heading north, south or abroad. The goal is for some of them to stay to eat, explore the city and take trips to the snow, the beach or the wineries.
What we know about the Santiago stopover
View the data as a table
| Passengers who connect in Santiago without leaving the airport | 800,000 |
| Chile's air traffic in 2026 | -1.9% |
| Promotion budget proposed for 2027 | $13,000 M |
| Of the budget for co-op campaigns | 30% |
| Question | What the Undersecretariat said | Status |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A connection in Santiago with a longer stay and no new boarding fee for the next leg | Announced |
| When? | "During next year" (2027) | No exact date |
| Who for? | Connecting passengers, domestic or international | No regulations published |
| How many days? | The official example mentions two days | No limit published |
| Which airlines? | Not disclosed | Pending |
The measure is the most advanced of the Air Competitiveness Table, which brings together the Undersecretariat of Tourism, the Civil Aviation Board, the Airports Directorate, the Transport Ministry, airport operator Nuevo Pudahuel, Latam, Sky, JetSMART and industry associations, according to La Tercera. There are no public rules or list of participating airlines yet, so wait for the official announcement before building an itinerary around a stopover.
Why the Santiago stopover is coming now
Chile's air traffic fell for 14 months in a row before rebounding in September, and so far in 2026 it is down 1.9%, according to La Tercera. We explained it in detail in our story on Santiago airport passengers in 2026. The Undersecretary also said 2026 will close with about one million fewer foreign tourists than 2025, because fewer Argentines are coming.
Data from the Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur confirm it: from January to August 2026, 3,308,873 foreign tourists arrived, 19.1% fewer than in the same period of 2025, with Argentine arrivals down 41%. Long-haul markets, whose visitors stay longer and spend more, are growing instead.
| Australia | 23,474 | 42,914 | 82.8% |
| China | 24,499 | 30,408 | 24.1% |
| United States | 148,388 | 163,265 | 10.0% |
| United Kingdom | 34,781 | 37,847 | 8.8% |
| France | 39,305 | 41,779 | 6.3% |
| Germany | 39,734 | 41,491 | 4.4% |
| Spain | 46,225 | 47,948 | 3.7% |
| Brazil | 499,146 | 510,492 | 2.3% |
Australia stands out, with 82.8% more arrivals through August, followed by China (+24.1%) and the United States (+10%). Together with Brazil, Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, these are the priority markets where the government will focus promotion. See every country in our profile of foreign tourists in Chile by country.
How a stopover works: Portugal's example
The best-known model is TAP Air Portugal's. Its Portugal Stopover programme lets travellers add a stop of up to 10 days in Lisbon or Porto, outbound or inbound, at no extra fare, with discounts at more than 150 partner hotels, restaurants and activities, according to TAP's official page. Chile has not said whether its programme will include benefits of that kind.
| Feature | Portugal Stopover (TAP) | Santiago stopover (announced) |
|---|---|---|
| Extra fare | None | No new boarding fee on the next leg |
| Maximum length | Up to 10 days | Not published (official example: 2 days) |
| Cities | Lisbon or Porto | Santiago |
| Benefits at destination | Discounts at over 150 partners | Not announced |
| Start | Already running | 2027 |
Sources: TAP Air Portugal, checked on 14 November 2026, and La Tercera.
What to do on a two-day Santiago stopover
The Undersecretary stressed that Santiago is "an hour from the snow, the beach and wine tourism destinations". In two days you can combine a city day (San Cristóbal Hill, Barrio Lastarria, the Central Market and museums) with a trip to the Cajón del Maipo or a winery in the Maipo or Casablanca valleys. To choose, see our guides to things to do in Santiago and the best wineries to visit near Santiago.
The other measures: promotion, air routes and investment
The Air Competitiveness Table is studying incentives to reward airlines that open routes or add frequencies, such as relaxing fare requirements for new airlines or reducing boarding fees on empty seats on new routes. Lagos hopes to apply some of them in 2027-2028, but their design has not been defined. She also hopes a new airline will commit to flying to Chile in 2027, according to La Tercera.
- Sep 2026Air traffic grows againAfter 14 months of decline.
- 12 Nov 2026Plan to double promotionAbout 13 billion pesos, subject to the 2027 budget.
- 2027Santiago stopoverMulti-day layover without paying a new boarding fee.
- 2027-2028Incentives for new air routesUnder evaluation, not yet defined.
- 2030Tourism investment targetUS$ 1.600 M
On promotion, the government proposed doubling the budget to about 13 billion pesos in the 2027 Budget, as we reported when covering the projection of 733,000 tourism jobs this summer, with 30% going to co-op campaigns with airlines (already done with Iberia, Latam and Sky). The Undersecretariat also tracks 20 tourism investment projects, with about US$ 400 million under way and a target of US$ 1.6 billion by 2030.
Frequently asked questions
What is a stopover?
A long layover, of one or more days, in the connecting city of a trip, without buying a separate ticket. In Chile's programme, the announced benefit is not paying a new boarding fee for the next leg.
When will stopovers in Santiago be available?
The Undersecretariat of Tourism said it will be implemented during 2027. There was no exact date or published regulation as of 14 November 2026.
How many days can I stay in Santiago?
The official example mentions two days. The final limit has not been published.
Does it apply to domestic flights?
The Undersecretary's example is a trip ending in Magallanes, so it would include connections to southern and northern Chile as well as flights abroad.
