South American Air Travel Guide

South America's Aviation Landscape

South America's aviation market is shaped by the continent's vast geography—spanning from the Caribbean coast of Colombia to the southern tip of Patagonia, a north-south distance of over 7,500 km—and by the economic dominance of Brazil, which accounts for roughly 40% of the continent's air traffic. The continent's major hub airports are São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU), São Paulo Congonhas (CGH), Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), Bogotá El Dorado (BOG), Lima Jorge Chávez (LIM), Santiago Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL), and Rio de Janeiro Galeão (GIG).

Lima has emerged as South America's most important transit hub for international connections due to its central geographic position on the Pacific coast and the hub operations of LATAM Airlines Peru. Flying from Buenos Aires or Santiago to Miami or Madrid via Lima is frequently faster and cheaper than alternative routings. Bogotá El Dorado, recently expanded and modernized, has become the primary hub for Avianca and a strong contender as the continent's leading gateway airport.

Brazil's domestic market is served primarily by LATAM Brasil, Gol Linhas Aéreas, and Azul Brazilian Airlines. Brazil's sheer size makes domestic flying essential—the distance from Manaus (MAO) in the Amazon to São Paulo is greater than the distance from London to Cairo. ANAC (Brazil's civil aviation authority) regulates an extensive network connecting hundreds of cities, including the remote Amazon and interior Midwest regions served only by small turboprop or regional jet operators.

Major Airlines: LATAM, Avianca, GOL, and Azul

LATAM Airlines Group, formed from the merger of Chile's LAN Airlines and Brazil's TAM Linhas Aéreas, is the continent's largest carrier by network reach. LATAM operates hubs in Santiago, São Paulo, Bogotá, Lima, Quito, Buenos Aires, and Miami, connecting virtually every major South American city to intercontinental long-haul routes. LATAM's transatlantic service to Madrid, Frankfurt, Paris, and London uses the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350; its US routes connect to Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles, and Orlando.

Avianca, headquartered in Bogotá, operates one of the most extensive networks in the northern half of South America and Central America, with particular strength in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and the Andean region. Avianca LifeMiles is a well-regarded loyalty program with strong Star Alliance partner earning and redemption opportunities. Avianca experienced bankruptcy proceedings in 2020 but emerged restructured and remains a major carrier. Its Bogotá hub at El Dorado Airport (BOG) processes over 30 million passengers annually.

GOL Linhas Aéreas focuses exclusively on Brazil's domestic market, operating an all-Boeing 737 fleet and a point-to-point network connecting over 100 Brazilian cities. GOL is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. Azul Brazilian Airlines, founded by JetBlue founder David Neeleman, serves smaller Brazilian cities underserved by GOL and LATAM, using ATR turboprops and Embraer E-jets for thin routes alongside a growing fleet of Airbus A320s for mainline operations. Azul is particularly strong in the interior states of Minas Gerais, Paraná, and the Northeast region.

Visa Requirements and Border Crossing Tips

Visa requirements in South America are relatively permissive for travelers from North America, Europe, and Australia. US citizens do not require advance visas for Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (since 2019), Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, or Uruguay. Canadian citizens similarly enjoy broad visa-free access. Brazilian visitors require advance visas for the United States and Canada. Citizens of EU member states travel visa-free to all South American countries for tourism purposes.

Bolivia remains one of the more logistically complex destinations. La Paz's El Alto Airport (LPB) sits at 4,061 meters above sea level—the world's highest international airport. Altitude sickness (soroche) affects a significant proportion of visitors arriving from sea level. Plan to spend at least two days acclimatizing before engaging in physical activity; coca leaf tea, available throughout Bolivia, is a traditional altitude remedy though it contains trace amounts of alkaloids that may produce positive results on drug tests.

Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency, making it exceptionally convenient for American travelers who need no currency exchange for day-to-day expenses. Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) sits at 2,400 meters, also requiring some acclimatization. The Galápagos Islands are accessible via direct flights from Quito and Guayaquil (GYE) on LATAM and Avianca; only two airports serve the archipelago—Baltra Island (GPS) and San Cristóbal (SCY).

Argentina requires no advance visa for most Western travelers, but note that Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) are separate airports serving the capital—EZE handles international flights 35 km from the city centre, while AEP (now renamed Aeropuerto Internacional Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery) handles domestic and some regional services 8 km from downtown. Transfers between the two airports require surface transport and should be treated as a separate 2–3 hour commitment.

Practical Travel Tips for South America

Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry to certain South American countries including Brazil (for travel to endemic areas), Bolivia, and Ecuador, and is recommended for Peru. Some countries require proof of vaccination if you are arriving from a yellow fever-endemic country. Carry your International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) with your travel documents. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for travel to the Amazon basin in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia.

Flight schedules in South America are frequently disrupted by weather events, particularly along the Andes and in southern Patagonia. Ushuaia (USH) and Punta Arenas (PUQ) in the Patagonia region experience severe winds and low visibility conditions that cause regular delays and cancellations. If you are planning to visit Torres del Paine or Tierra del Fuego, build significant buffer days into your itinerary—several days of delays are common during austral summer (December–February) when tourist traffic is highest.

Internal South American flights frequently require reconfirmation 72 hours before departure on some carriers—check your carrier's specific policy. Some smaller regional operators require this despite it being an outdated practice. Domestic airports in South America frequently lack the amenities of international terminals: food options may be limited, Wi-Fi unreliable, and air conditioning inconsistent. Arrive with snacks, a charged phone, and patience, particularly at smaller airports.