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CJCSCCF

El Loa Airport

Calama, CL

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El Loa International Airport

Calama, Chile · South America

Calama El Loa (CJC) is the Atacama / San Pedro gateway with Priority Pass Harmony Lounge open 07:00–22:30 for International + Domestic passengers. Official CLP parking and taxi/transfer grids are unusually clear.

Airportist Score

7.0/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities6.8
Food & retail6.4
Ground access7.5
Reliability6.8
Lounges7.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

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CJCSCCFMinor

El Loa International Airport

Calama, Chile · South America

Calama El Loa (CJC) is the Atacama / San Pedro gateway with Priority Pass Harmony Lounge open 07:00–22:30 for International + Domestic passengers. Official CLP parking and taxi/transfer grids are unusually clear.

Airportist Score

7.0/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities6.8
Food & retail6.4
Ground access7.5
Reliability6.8
Lounges7.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare CJC with another airport

Best way to city
~6 km to Calama; ~100 km / ~1.5h San Pedro (secondary)
Official airport taxi
Lounge
1
Terminals
1

12 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

TOQBarriles Airport
Tocopilla
125 km

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CJCGuide

CJCGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Lounge

Harmony Lounge 07:00–22:30 — no overnight

Priority Pass + official site: Mon–Sun 07:00–22:30 (10:30 PM) on 2nd level after security.

Plan red-eyes without lounge coverage.

Find it

2nd floor immediately after security

PP: airside 2nd Floor immediately following Security Control. Official: Global Lounge 2° Nivel sala de embarque.

Passenger type International + Domestic on Priority Pass.

Ground

Published CLP taxi / transfer / parking

Official parking CLP 51/min (<10 min free; daily max 6h). Taxi to San Pedro CLP 75,000; transfer 35,300 (PDF 28 May 2026).

Official banner: parking-area maintenance — allow extra curb time.

Lounge F&B

Standard alcohol complimentary on PP

PP lists Alcoholic drinks (Standard) Complimentary; soft drinks expected.

No HA first-party F&B rating.

Live conditions

Right now at CJC

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Daytime Priority Pass holders heading to San Pedro de Atacama
Travelers who want published CLP taxi/transfer prices
Mining / Santiago bank passengers after security

Watch out for

No lounge overnight after 22:30 / before 07:00
PP max-stay UI shows both 4h and 3h — confirm in app
Official parking-area maintenance banner
High-desert elevation — hydrate; no medical claims
No published MCT

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

7.2

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

6.8

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

6.4

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

7.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

6.8

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

7.2

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Terminals

1

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for CJC.

Updated Sep 19, 2026

IATA CJC / ICAO SCCF — Aeropuerto Internacional El Loa (Calama) — Atacama / San Pedro gateway
PP Harmony Lounge Calama — International + Domestic; airside 2nd floor immediately after security; 07:00–22:30 daily
Official SCAEL parking: CLP 51/min IVA incl.; <10 min free; daily max = 6 hours; 24h parking; terminal 24h
Official taxi/transfer PDF tariffs: Calama sectors from CLP 8,000–15,000 taxi; San Pedro taxi CLP 75,000 / transfer 35,300
Field elev ~7,543 ft / 2,299 m (OurAirports) — Atacama gateway; no invented medical advice

4 official sources

https://aeropuertoelloa.cl/
https://aeropuertoelloa.cl/tarifas-de-estacionamiento/
https://aeropuertoelloa.cl/taxis/
https://aeropuertoelloa.cl/servicios-generales/

Full guide

Explore the CJC guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Official airport taxi
View Getting There
Lounges
1 lounge with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
Harmony Lounge Calama
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Lounge covers intl + domestic — stronger typing than many Chilean regional rooms; still no overnight after 22:30.
6 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
3 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Harmony Lounge Calama (PP)Published CLP parking / taxi / transfer
View Amenities
Water
No authoritative fountain map → empty water_options. Elevation is high-desert — hydrate, but no medical claims here.
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

☀️20°C / 68°F

Security wait times

Current security wait information is not available for this airport. Check the airport's official website or app before travel.

Official airport site

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 21, 21:44 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.