Alright, let me tell you about my time passing through Santiago’s airport, Arturo Merino Benitez, or SCL as most folks call it. It wasn’t my first rodeo with international travel, but every airport has its own feel, you know?
So, I got there, I think it was an afternoon flight. Getting dropped off was pretty standard, lots of cars, people hustling. Walked into the terminal – the international one, Terminal 2, which felt pretty new, I gotta say. Shiny floors, high ceilings, lots of glass. Looked impressive, but also kinda sterile, if you know what I mean. Not much warmth to it.
Checking In and Security Shuffle
Found my airline’s counter. The check-in process was… well, it was an airport check-in. Stood in line for a bit, maybe 20 minutes? Not too bad. The staff were polite enough, did their job, tagged my bag, and sent me on my way. No real drama there, which is always a plus.
Then came the security bit. You know the drill. Belts off, laptops out, liquids in the tiny bag. It felt efficient, moved along steadily. They have those newer scanners. Didn’t get flagged for anything, just grabbed my stuff on the other side and put myself back together. Standard procedure, really.
Inside the Beast
Once past security, you’re in the main departure area. It’s big. Lots of walking involved, especially if your gate is at the far end. Plenty of shops – the usual suspects, duty-free booze, fancy watches, souvenirs. I wasn’t really buying, just looking.
Food options were there, but nothing really jumped out at me.
- Grabbed a sandwich and a coffee somewhere.
- Pricey, like most airports, no surprise.
- It did the job, filled a hole.
Finding the gate was easy enough, signs were clear. The waiting area was packed. Lots of people milling about, glued to their phones. I just found a seat and watched the planes for a while. It’s actually kinda relaxing, seeing those big birds take off and land.
Waiting and Final Thoughts
Boarding started more or less on time. They called by groups, the usual system. Lined up, showed my passport again, walked down the jet bridge. Standard stuff.
Looking back, SCL felt very… functional. It worked. It got me from point A to point B without much fuss. But it didn’t leave much of an impression, you know? It felt like a big, efficient machine designed purely for transit. It reminded me of this job I had once, years ago, processing paperwork. Everything was smooth, followed the rules, step-by-step, but there was zero soul in it. Just moving things along. That’s kinda how the airport felt. Does the job, clean and modern, but you pass through without really connecting with the place. Just another stop on the way.
