Runway works ahead for 2027
Puerto Natales Airport (PNT) is the gateway most travelers use to reach Torres del Paine, and starting January 2027, getting through it will look a little different for a few months.
Chile's Ministry of Public Works (MOP) has confirmed the official schedule for runway maintenance at Teniente Julio Gallardo Airport, running between January and March 2027. The work follows a rotating schedule: some days the airport operates normally, others it closes entirely. According to MOP's calendar, PNT will run commercial flights Friday through Sunday during January, then shift to weekends-only for February and March.
Airlines are already building their 2027 schedules around this calendar, which means flight availability into and out of Puerto Natales will be tighter than usual during those three months; particularly on weekdays, when there simply won't be flights to book.
What this means for a Patagonia itinerary
If you have clientes planning to travel to or from Puerto Natales between January and March 2027, we recommend checking flight dates against the maintenance calendar before finalizing an itinerary, this applies to new bookings and to reservations already confirmed for that window. Given that most W and O circuit programs are built around a fixed arrival and departure day in Natales, this is one calendar worth cross-checking early rather than close to travel dates.
Reach out to our Chile team if you'd like help reviewing a specific itinerary against the schedule, or building a new one around it.
