Chile "reciprocity fee" $100

[wlbox]

I just read that Chile charges a reciprocity fee of $100 if you arrive via plane into their country. Celebrity booked our custom air. They have us flying into Santiago, changing planes and then flying to Buenos Aires to meet our ship the Millennium.

 

will we have to pay the $100 per person?

 

I was also told that upon departure at the airport in Santiago you also must pay $ 30 per person.

 

Would appreciate feedback on this.

[dileep]

I just read that Chile charges a reciprocity fee of $100 if you arrive via plane into their country. Celebrity booked our custom air. They have us flying into Santiago, changing planes and then flying to Buenos Aires to meet our ship the Millennium.

 

will we have to pay the $100 per person?

 

I was also told that upon departure at the airport in Santiago you also must pay $ 30 per person.

 

Would appreciate feedback on this.

 

As a transit passenger, you should not have to pay. We just flew out of Santiago yesterday and we did not pay any departure fee. Since we entered Chile on the cruise ship, we did not have to pay a $100 entry fee.

[Druke I]

We're also flying to Buenos Aires via Santiago, to catch Regal Princess. We were told that "in transit" flight passengers would not be charged, but that we may well be charged when we fly out of Santiago for the States.

 

We were also told to have "crisp $100.00 bills", as the Chilean authorities would not accept shop-worn bills.

[mike35]

Just returned. Yes re "new" bills, but they'll take smaller denominations than 100's. They also accept Visa and MasterCard.

 

Mike

[cruisincousin]

We flew into Santiago on our way to Buenos Aires as well. We disembarked in Santiago and flew out of there. We were not charged anything at the airport. It is very confusing I know. As Dileep said because we came in by cruise ship may have been the reason. There doesn't seem to be a real guideline. However - be warned - our luggage was broken into in Santiago airport by the baggage handlers. We lost several items but we don't pack real valuables in the suitcase. It was still a real violation as they slit some of the lining with a knife and took some things that had sentimental value and the gifts we bought for everyone back home. Lock those bags. We get used to having to leave them unlocked but not there!!!!!

[dileep]

We flew into Santiago on our way to Buenos Aires as well. We disembarked in Santiago and flew out of there. We were not charged anything at the airport. It is very confusing I know. As Dileep said because we came in by cruise ship may have been the reason. There doesn't seem to be a real guideline. However - be warned - our luggage was broken into in Santiago airport by the baggage handlers. We lost several items but we don't pack real valuables in the suitcase. It was still a real violation as they slit some of the lining with a knife and took some things that had sentimental value and the gifts we bought for everyone back home. Lock those bags. We get used to having to leave them unlocked but not there!!!!!

 

We locked our bags, but there is not much you can do if they want to slash with a knife. Our 8 bottle wine box made it safely too! We flew Varig whose ground arrangements are handled by LAN Chile.

[juliejoe]

Hi Joy (Cruisincousin)!

 

Sorry to hear about what happened to you at the Santiago airport. Are you and Don back to normal yet? Whatever normal is! I've found the bottoms of the mail mountain and the dirty clothes mountain.

 

Please e-mail me. It's time to make the plans for our next cruise - which includes Victoria - and I have a couple of questions for you.

 

Julie

juliejoe@swbell.net

[trishu]

glad to hear we might not have to pay the $100. fee . we arrive in santiago on the cruise ship, but are leaving from the airport. glad to hear they will take a credit card, i understood it was only new bills. i dont know if i can even find the lock for my suitcase. we dont pack anything valuable when travelling to third world countries

[greatam]

As a transit passenger, you should not have to pay. We just flew out of Santiago yesterday and we did not pay any departure fee. Since we entered Chile on the cruise ship, we did not have to pay a $100 entry fee.

 

Flights to the US INCLUDE the airport tax. Intra South American flights DO NOT, so you have to pay the airport tax at the airport. However, if your flight to Buenos Aires is a continuation of a flight from or to the US (ie, a connection only, with no layover except at the airport) the airport tax is included in the US booked and paid for ticket.

[greatam]

I just read that Chile charges a reciprocity fee of $100 if you arrive via plane into their country. Celebrity booked our custom air. They have us flying into Santiago, changing planes and then flying to Buenos Aires to meet our ship the Millennium.

 

will we have to pay the $100 per person?

 

I was also told that upon departure at the airport in Santiago you also must pay $ 30 per person.

 

Would appreciate feedback on this.

 

Better check out how Celebrity booked these tickets. IF they booked RT US to Santiago and a separate ticket on another carrier on to Buenas Aires, you will have to pay the airport tax. If, however, they booked it as an open jaw-US/Santiago/Buenos Aires/Santiago/US on one ticket, you will not have to pay. The taxes have already been paid when you paid the airfare.

[Druke I]

I rechecked the booklet (Princess) for our cruise, and it says Chilean $26.00 departure tax is included in price of air tickets.

 

I guess we will find our for sure next month!

[gerena]

We just returned from our SA cruise and extra excursions. We arrived in Santiago on January 11, but just returned home this past Feb. 7. We were 3 days in the Santiago/Valparaiso area, 20 day Rotterdam cruise to Rio including Antarctica, 2 days in Iguazzu Falls, and 4 additional days in Buenos Aires. Since we were leaving the Santiago airport and going from there on our journey, we had to pay the "reciprocity fee" of which we were aware. We took new $100 bills and had no problem. However, our traveling companions offered one $100 bill and they would not accept the other one. There is a sign on the "payment center" window that says they won't accept AB/CD $100 or AB $50. Why we don't know, but be aware of that when you get your money from the bank.

 

After arriving on the plane into Santiago, you will descend an escalator. IMMEDIATELY to your left is the window where you pay your money. It is not easily seen and there were several who got up to the immigration window and had to go back. We almost missed it, even though a Cruise Critic posting warned us of this. But we were excited, etc., etc. It was even on the top of my notes for Santiago! Those that had to go back then had to stand in a long line.

 

As I get the mail gone through, laundry done, etc., etc., I will do more postings.

[Druke I]

I would guess that those series bills you mentioned have been highly counterfeited - and they don't want to take a chance on accepting them. Counterfeit $50 & $100 bills are common.

[dileep]

I rechecked the booklet (Princess) for our cruise, and it says Chilean $26.00 departure tax is included in price of air tickets.

 

You are right. The departure tax is not to be confused with the $100 "visa" fee to be paid on entry at the airport. Many airports assess a departure fee and it is standard practice for the airlines to include it as part of your ticket charges. If you check your ticket carefully, it will show the amounts cahrged for various fees that the airline collects and passes on.

[xpcdoojk]

As a transit passenger, you should not have to pay. We just flew out of Santiago yesterday and we did not pay any departure fee. Since we entered Chile on the cruise ship, we did not have to pay a $100 entry fee.

 

That was our experience exactly. I had two crisp $100 bills saved since we left the USA and we didn't need them. Woohoo!

 

jc:D

[sgh20037]

Thanks for the very useful info regarding the $100 per person airport entry fee. RCCL didn't mention it when we booked our March '08 cruise nor did they mention the visa required when we depart from Brazil. (If they had, we probably would have chosen the cruise ending in BA rather than SanPalo.) Anyway, thanks to this board I found out about the visa - and my brother-in-law who is traveling also discovered about the airport entry fee. This confirmed it and added very valuable info about the window at the bottom of the escalator! Thanks Gerena.