Renting a car at Santiago airport costs more than in the city: in the sample rates Discover Cars showed on November 6, 2026, a Nissan March cost CLP 15,628 a day at the airport and CLP 12,878 at an office in Las Condes, about CLP 2,750 less. Sixt, for its part, adds a 10% surcharge to every rental that starts at a Chilean airport. To drive, a foreign tourist can use their home licence for the length of their tourist stay, under article 5 of Chile's Traffic Law.
This guide compares where to pick up the car, which documents rental companies ask foreigners for, how the TAG and Santiago's motorway tolls work, and what you need to cross into Argentina. If you plan to tour the country, pair it with our routes: Route 5 from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama, the Carretera Austral and the Central Valley wine country road trip.
View the data as a table
| Airport pick-up surcharge (Sixt) | 10% |
| Economy car in Las Condes, per day | CLP 12,878 |
| Minimum card deposit (economy, Sixt) | CLP 400,000 |
| Permit to cross into Argentina, 1-6 days (Sixt) | CLP 55,000 |
Car rental in Santiago: airport or city
Arturo Merino Benítez airport (SCL), in Pudahuel, hosts the desks and parking lots of the big rental companies. It is the easiest choice if you land and head straight to the coast or the south. The city is usually cheaper and makes sense if you spend your first days in Santiago, where the metro and ride-hailing apps make a car unnecessary.
Discover Cars, Santiago airport (SCL)
Shows rates without picking dates, with each company's rating and pickup type.
- Per day, Nissan March (sample rate)
- Pickup by the arrivals hall
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Discover Cars, Santiago (city)
The lowest sample rate in the guide: in Las Condes there is no airport surcharge.
- Per day, Nissan March in Las Condes (sample rate)
- Office hours
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Rentalcars, Santiago airport (SCL)
Gathers many Chilean and international companies at the airport and in the city; prices appear once you search with dates.
- Price depends on your dates
- Local and international companies
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| Criterion | Santiago airport (SCL) | City office |
|---|---|---|
| Sample price, economy car | CLP 15,628 a day (Discover Cars) | CLP 12,878 a day in Las Condes (Discover Cars) |
| Location surcharge | 10% at Sixt (premium location fee) | No such fee |
| Opening hours | Desks next to arrivals | Office hours; check Sundays and holidays |
| Best if… | You leave Santiago as soon as you land | You stay in the city first or leave a day later |
| Watch out for… | Surcharge and high-season queues | Traffic getting out of Santiago and urban tolls |
Sources: sample rates from Discover Cars on its airport and city pages, checked on November 6, 2026 without choosing dates, and the Sixt Chile terms and conditions (October 2025 version). Your final price depends on dates, how far ahead you book and the cover you add.
The gap repeats for every model compared: between CLP 2,600 and 2,750 a day. Over a one-week rental, a city pick-up saves about CLP 19,000 on an economy car. If you land at night or travel with children and luggage, the airport's convenience may be worth it. To compare both options for your dates, search Discover Cars, Santiago airport and Discover Cars, Santiago city, or Rentalcars, Santiago airport and Rentalcars, Santiago city.
Car rental requirements in Chile for foreigners
Chilean law lets foreign tourists drive with their home licence for the length of their tourist authorisation, as long as it is equivalent to the Chilean class B licence. It also accepts an international driving permit issued under treaties Chile has signed, and a court may ask for an official translation, under article 5 of the Traffic Law. Rental companies add their own rules. These are Sixt Chile's, which publishes them in full.
| Requirement | What they ask for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Valid licence from your country, equivalent to Chile's class B; valid for the length of your tourist stay | Traffic Law, art. 5 |
| International permit | Required by Sixt if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet; digital licences are not accepted, except Brazil's | Sixt Chile |
| Licence validity | Must remain valid until one month after the rental ends | Sixt Chile |
| Age | From 18, with a mandatory surcharge under 22 | Sixt Chile |
| Card | Physical credit card in the main driver's name; no debit, prepaid or virtual cards | Sixt Chile |
| Deposit | From CLP 400,000 (economy) to CLP 800,000 (full-size SUV) blocked on the card | Sixt Chile |
| Documents in the car | Passport and proof of tourist status (entry stamp or card) | GOV.UK |
The minimum age and the deposit vary by company: some ask for 21 or 23. Read the supplier's terms before paying, especially if you travel with a debit card, since most companies will not take it for the deposit.
Discover Cars and Rentalcars: how to use the comparison sites
Comparison sites show several companies' rates in one search. Rentalcars' Chile page lists, among others, Econorent, United Rent a Car, Europcar, Mitta, Chilean Rent a Car, Keddy by Europcar, Euro Rent-a-Car, Budget, Rosselot and Avis. Discover Cars shows each supplier's customer score and whether pick-up is in the terminal, a meet and greet or a shuttle.
| Site | Strengths | What to check | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Cars | Rates visible without choosing dates, supplier score and pick-up type | Sample rates are not your dates' rates; the cover it sells is third-party | See Santiago airport ↗ |
| Rentalcars | Many Chilean and international companies at SCL and in the city | Prices only appear when you search with dates | See Santiago airport ↗ |
| Direct with the company | Full terms and its own cover | You have to compare site by site | Each company's website |
One key point: the cover sold by comparison sites is usually third-party insurance that reimburses you later. The rental company still blocks the deposit on your card. If you decline Sixt's damage protection (LDW), it blocks an extra CLP 2,000,000 and states that it does not accept third-party cover, according to its terms. Check what the rate includes before booking.
| Nissan March | Economy | Manual | 15,628 | 8.4 |
| Hyundai Grand i10 | Compact | Manual | 15,628 | 8.4 |
| Nissan Kicks | Compact SUV | Automatic | 21,519 | 8.4 |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | Intermediate SUV | Automatic | 21,519 | 8.4 |
| Hyundai i20 | Compact | Manual | 21,530 | 8.4 |
| MG ZS | Intermediate Crossover | Automatic | 22,501 | 8.4 |
| Kia Rio | Compact | Manual | 23,987 | 7.1 |
| MG 3 | Compact | Manual | 25,333 | 7.9 |
| Kia Morning | Economy | Manual | 26,068 | 7.1 |
| Suzuki Baleno | Economy | Automatic | 26,290 | 7.8 |
| Nissan Versa | Compact | Manual | 30,212 | 7.8 |
| Fiat Cronos | Intermediate | Automatic | 30,233 | 7.1 |
| Opel Mokka | Standard Elite SUV | Automatic | 30,856 | 7.9 |
| Volkswagen Virtus | Compact | Automatic | 32,896 | 7.8 |
| Toyota Yaris | Intermediate | Automatic | 34,174 | 8.4 |
| Chevrolet Tracker | Economy SUV | Automatic | 34,954 | 7.3 |
| Suzuki Swift | Economy | Manual | 36,207 | 8.6 |
| Hyundai Kona | Compact | Automatic | 43,175 | 8.2 |
TAG and tolls when renting a car in Santiago
Santiago's urban motorways (Costanera Norte, Autopista Central, Vespucio Norte and Sur, among others) have no booths: they charge through gantries that read a device called a TAG. At Sixt every car has one and tolls are billed at the end of the rental, plus a CLP 1,500 admin fee. Manual highway toll booths are paid on the spot.
- At pick-upCheck the car has a TAGAt Sixt, every car has one.
- During the tripGantries record every passManual highway tolls are paid at the booth.
- At drop-offThe rental company bills the tollsSixt adds a CLP 1,500 admin fee.
- No TAG: days 11-30Pay at pasastesintag.clTrips show up from day 11 to day 30, per motorway.
If a car had no TAG, you pay on the official Pasaste sin TAG portal, where trips show up from day 11 to day 30 after passing the gantry, motorway by motorway. The old daily pass no longer exists since July 1, 2025. According to the concessionaires quoted by Meganoticias, late payment exposes the driver to a Traffic Law fine. Before leaving, confirm with the company that the car has an active TAG.
Car rental in Chile and crossing into Argentina
You can cross into Argentina in a rental car, but the rental company handles the paperwork, not the tourist. The company must be registered with Chilean Customs and issues the temporary exit authorisation, which is free and lasts up to 90 calendar days, according to ChileAtiende and the National Customs Service.
| Step | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who applies | The rental company, registered with Customs along with its fleet | ChileAtiende |
| Documents | Rental contract, valid international insurance and a notarised authorisation if the owner is not the rental company | ChileAtiende |
| Maximum length | 90 calendar days, or less if the contract or insurance expires first | ChileAtiende |
| Which cars (Sixt) | SUVs, pickups and minivans only | Sixt Chile |
| Notice (Sixt) | At least seven business days, by email | Sixt Chile |
| Extra deposit (Sixt) | US$4,000 if you decline its protection and carry an Argentina permit | Sixt Chile |
Sixt's permit price depends on the total rental length, not on the days you spend in Argentina, and the company warns that every passenger needs health insurance under Argentine law. In winter the Cristo Redentor pass can close because of snow: check its status before setting off, as we explain in Cristo Redentor open 24 hours.
Practical tips for driving in Chile
- Speed: the urban limit is 50 km/h since the 2018 reform, according to the Chamber of Deputies.
- Easter Island: car insurance is not available on Rapa Nui, so any damage is on you, warns GOV.UK.
- Gravel and altitude: a 4x4 may be needed in the countryside, and there are minefields near some border roads in the north: stay on marked roads (GOV.UK).
- Windscreen: stones on gravel roads crack glass; consider cover that includes it.
- Fuel: estimate costs with our story on fuel prices and what a road trip costs.
- Other trip services: if you also need mobile data, see our guide to the best eSIM for Chile.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent a car in Chile with my home licence?
Yes. Tourists can drive with their licence for the length of their tourist stay, under article 5 of the Traffic Law. If your licence is not in the Latin alphabet, Sixt also requires an international permit.
Is it cheaper to rent at the airport or in Santiago?
In the city. In Discover Cars' sample rates on November 6, 2026, the same model cost CLP 2,600 to 2,750 less per day in Las Condes, and Sixt charges 10% extra at airports.
Do I need a credit card to rent a car?
In practice, yes: Sixt only accepts physical credit cards in the driver's name and blocks a deposit from CLP 400,000. Debit cards are not accepted there.
How do I pay Santiago tolls in a rental car?
If the car has a TAG, the rental company bills the tolls when you return it. Without a TAG, you pay on pasastesintag.cl between days 11 and 30 after each pass.
Can I take a rental car to Argentina?
Yes, if the company allows it and files the authorisation with Customs. Sixt only allows it with SUVs, pickups and minivans, with seven business days' notice and a permit from CLP 55,000.
