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FTE El Calafate Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

El Calafate Airport (FTE) serves El Calafate. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATAFTE
ICAOSAWC
Non-stop3
Airlines2
TimezoneAmerica/Argentina/Rio Gallegos
Elevation204 m

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The airport in numbers

El Calafate Airport — facts & history

We pulled El Calafate Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 86,097 passengers in 2022, against a peak of 625,938 in 2015.

Passengers / year
86,097
as of 2022
Peak traffic
625,938
in 2015
Elevation
204 מ׳
above sea level
Passengers per year, 2001–2022

Figures: Wikidata (CC0)

Airport to city

Getting from El Calafate Airport to El Calafate

Train & bus: No airport rail. Buenos Aires: Ezeiza (EZE) — the Manuel Tienda León bus or a taxi; Aeroparque (AEP) is close to the centre.

Taxi & apps: Take a 'taxi ejecutivo' from an official desk, or Cabify/Uber (legally grey but common). Pay cash in pesos.

Tipping: Round up.

Choose and book

Which way suits you from El Calafate Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in El Calafate ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from El Calafate Airport

Non-stop flights to about 3 destinations, operated by 2 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: Aerolineas Argentinas · KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at El Calafate Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sleep nearby

Hotels near El Calafate Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in El Calafate shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — El Calafate Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Airports nearby

Other options near El Calafate

Same country

Other airports in Argentina

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from El Calafate Airport to the centre of El Calafate?
No airport rail. Buenos Aires: Ezeiza (EZE) — the Manuel Tienda León bus or a taxi; Aeroparque (AEP) is close to the centre.
Can I use a ride app from El Calafate Airport?
Take a 'taxi ejecutivo' from an official desk, or Cabify/Uber (legally grey but common). Pay cash in pesos.
What's the cheapest way from El Calafate Airport to El Calafate?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. No airport rail. Buenos Aires: Ezeiza (EZE) — the Manuel Tienda León bus or a taxi; Aeroparque (AEP) is close to the centre.
Can I get from El Calafate Airport into town without a car?
Yes. No airport rail. Buenos Aires: Ezeiza (EZE) — the Manuel Tienda León bus or a taxi; Aeroparque (AEP) is close to the centre. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from El Calafate Airport?
About 3 destinations, including Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires. 2 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is El Calafate Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on El Calafate Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at El Calafate Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
El Calafate city guide← Argentina travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

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