Puerto Natales Airport and your arrival plan
Puerto Natales Airport, formally Aeródromo Teniente Julio Gallardo, uses the code PNT and lies 7 km from the city. It is the local flight gateway for a stay in Natales before excursions or trekking departures. Punta Arenas Airport, code PUQ, is a separate alternative with a substantial road journey afterward. Check the airport code on your ticket before arranging collection.
Start with the flight that actually operates on your chosen day, then arrange transport and accommodation around it. A short distance from PNT to town is useful, but your full itinerary still needs time for arrival formalities, luggage and meeting your driver. The arrival guide covers the longer bus journeys from Punta Arenas and El Calafate.
Flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt
Direct Santiago to Natales flight offers were published for November and December 2026. Puerto Montt to Natales is described as a high-season route with several weekly flights. Choose your dates from the airline's actual booking calendar: a published route should not be treated as a daily flight throughout the year.
If you are planning an early trek departure after arrival, place the flight, city night and onward transport on the same itinerary before committing to a tight connection. Keep your first accommodation address available for the transfer. The where to stay guide explains the distinction between the old centre, waterfront and bus terminal as planning anchors.
Airport transfer
A private transfer takes you from Teniente Julio Gallardo Airport to accommodation in town.
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From PNT to your city accommodation
Book a private airport-to-accommodation transfer with help carrying luggage; the fare is per person.
Taxi and transfer from Teniente Julio Gallardo Airport (PNT)
One local transfer service publishes an estimated city journey of 15 to 20 minutes and a door-to-door city fare of 4,000 CLP per person, checked on 6 November 2026. These are that service's own figures, not a general taxi tariff and not the price of the separate bookable transfer featured here. Agree your destination and fare with the service you choose.
The featured private transfer is the airport shuttle option on this page. It includes travel from Teniente Julio Gallardo Airport to your accommodation within Puerto Natales, luggage assistance and information about sightseeing activities. It is sold per person. Its stated validity of one day describes the ticket's use period rather than a full day of driving. A journey to Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas or across the border needs its own transport arrangement.
Announced operating pauses from January to March 2027
The tourism authority's announcement of 7 October 2026 sets out individual closed days between 1 January and 31 March 2027. This is a partial operating calendar, rather than a continuous closure throughout those months. For a flight within that period, compare the exact date with the latest airport and airline information before finalising the rest of your trip.
The published closed dates are 11 to 14, 18 to 21 and 25 to 28 January; 1 to 4, 8 to 11, 15 to 19 and 22 to 26 February; and 1 to 5, 8 to 12, 15 to 19, 22 to 25 and 29 to 31 March 2027. Operating windows outside those dates do not promise a flight on every open day. This notice's end date is 31 March 2027.
Punta Arenas as an alternative airport
PUQ is described by Chile's tourism information as a year-round alternative. The onward road journey to Natales is approximately 250 km and around 3 hours; the published city-to-city bus journey is about 3 hours 15 minutes. Those figures describe different transport contexts, so use your chosen service's timetable for the connection.
Airport boarding and Punta Arenas city boarding are different arrangements. When selecting a bus, check the exact collection point rather than using a city departure time as an airport pickup time. Compare the whole journey, including the road connection and first night, with flying into PNT. The seasonal planning guide helps connect transport dates with your intended activities.
Car hire and parking
If your plans involve driving, read about car collection at Natales Airport and organise the rental around the flight that you have booked. Confirm handover, return and parking arrangements for your own reservation. A proposed airport expansion with a new terminal and runway remains a planning project; arrange collection using current instructions rather than assuming a new facility is already open.
Bring warm waterproof layers even for summer travel. Patagonian wind and quick weather changes affect onward plans, and boat crossings and glacier excursions may be cancelled. Keep wildlife undisturbed and do not feed animals. This is an independent visitor guide, so use the airport and airline's current notices when deciding whether your flight connection works.
Airport questions
Is PNT the same airport as PUQ?
PNT serves Puerto Natales locally. PUQ serves Punta Arenas and requires an onward road journey to Natales.
Is the airport closed for all of early 2027?
The announcement specifies individual pauses from January to March, with operating windows between them. Check your exact date.
Is the private transfer a day-long service?
Its one-day label is validity. The included journey is from PNT to your city accommodation.