Chapelco Airport Closures Hit Patagonia Nov 25 to Dec 4

Published on Nov 25, 2025, 2:34 pm CST

8 min read

Key points

Aviador Carlos Campos Airport in Chapelco will close 25 to 27 November and 2 to 4 December 2025 for taxiway and apron works
Closures replace an earlier plan for a continuous ten day shutdown and target lower traffic days that usually affect one flight per airline
Chapelco now handles around 300000 passengers a year as the main gateway to San Martin de los Andes and nearby ski and hiking resorts
Travelers can reroute via San Carlos de Bariloche Airport or Presidente Peron International Airport and connect by roughly three to five hour road transfers
Passengers with tickets on closure dates should contact airlines early to move flights protect tour and hotel bookings and confirm any bus or car hire links

Impact

Where Impacts Are Most Likely: Expect cancellations and retimed services on Chapelco flights to and from Buenos Aires plus fuller loads on Bariloche and Neuquen routes around the closure dates
Best Times To Fly: Avoid tickets that land or depart on 25 to 27 November or 2 to 4 December 2025 and aim for travel just before or after those midweek slots
Connections And Misconnect Risk: International travelers connecting through Buenos Aires to Chapelco should consider rebooking to Bariloche or Neuquen to reduce misconnect risk on long haul flights
Onward Travel And Changes: If you must cross the region during closures build in three to six extra hours for road transfers and avoid tight same day tour or cruise departures
What Travelers Should Do Now: Check any Chapelco bookings that fall on the six closure days contact your airline about changes and review hotel and tour change terms before adjusting plans

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Chapelco airport closures November December will briefly shut Aviador Carlos Campos Airport (CPC) in San Martín de los Andes on 25 to 27 November and again on 2 to 4 December 2025, trimming six days of operations in the Patagonia Lake District shoulder season. That means Patagonia bound travelers who usually fly straight into Chapelco for San Martín de los Andes, Junín de los Andes, or Cerro Chapelco will see cancellations and reroutes on selected midweek dates. Anyone with fixed tour or hotel start days now needs to check tickets, adjust connections through Buenos Aires, and decide whether to reroute via Bariloche or Neuquén.

In practical terms, the Chapelco airport closures in November and early December split what was once a ten day maintenance shutdown into two three day blocks, and they will push some visitors to use alternative gateways and longer road transfers into the region.

Closure Calendar And What Is Changing

The Neuquén provincial government has shortened the closure at Aviador Carlos Campos Airport from a previously announced ten consecutive days starting 24 November to six days spread across two weeks. The airport will now be fully closed on Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26, and Thursday 27 November, then again on Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3, and Thursday 4 December, dates chosen because they see lower traffic and usually only one affected flight per airline.

Officials say the shutdown will be used to repave the taxiway and the aircraft parking apron, work that is described as essential to guarantee the airport's operational safety and to complete runway and surface maintenance that began ahead of the 2025 winter season. These works are part of a broader investment program that also includes modernizing and enlarging the passenger terminal.

The timing is deliberate. By shifting from a ten day block to two shorter midweek closures, the province expects to limit the impact to a small number of daily flights while still giving contractors the uninterrupted windows they need. For travelers, the trade off is that selected dates become very high risk, while most other days around the period should see normal operations.

Which Flights Are Most Affected

Chapelco's importance comes from its role as the closest airport to San Martín de los Andes and Cerro Chapelco, with direct domestic links from Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities. Chapelco's own airport operator highlights that in winter high season Aerolíneas Argentinas now runs more than 30 weekly frequencies, including routes from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Rosario, giving both local and connecting passengers a non stop gateway into the Lake District.

Local reporting and government statements put current annual traffic at around 300,000 passengers, with growth of roughly 19 to 20 percent between 2023 and 2024, and similar increases expected in 2025. That means even in late November and early December, which sit between the winter ski season and the main summer rush, load factors on Chapelco flights can be high and single cancellations can strand dozens of people at each end.

Authorities say choosing lower demand weekdays and limiting works to six days should hold the impact to roughly one service per airline per day, rather than the more sweeping wipeout that a ten day blockade would have caused. In practice, travelers booked directly into Chapelco on those six dates should assume that their flights are at high risk of cancellation or retiming, and that short connection windows in Buenos Aires or other hubs are more likely to break.

Alternative Gateways: Bariloche And Neuquén

When Chapelco closes, the main alternatives are San Carlos de Bariloche Airport (BRC) in Río Negro Province and Presidente Perón International Airport (NQN) in Neuquén. Both airports have more frequent domestic services than Chapelco and can act as substitutes for reaching San Martín de los Andes.

For Bariloche, the overland leg is relatively manageable. The drive from San Martín de los Andes to Bariloche runs along the famous Ruta de los Siete Lagos and typically takes around two and a half to three hours in normal conditions, with bus services taking closer to four hours. In late November and early December, this corridor is usually clear of winter snow, but it can still see heavy rain, strong winds, and holiday weekend traffic, so travelers should avoid tight same day flight and tour combinations.

Neuquén is farther, but it offers strong connectivity to Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities. The road distance between San Martín de los Andes and Neuquén is roughly 380 to 430 kilometers, with typical drive times a little over five hours, and bus journeys often stretching to six or seven hours. For some itineraries, especially those combining the Lake District with wine regions or central Patagonia, Neuquén can still be a useful gateway if you add an overnight stop.

The key point is that while alternative airports exist, they come with real travel time and complexity. A trip that previously involved a single short hop from Buenos Aires into Chapelco can easily turn into a full day of domestic flight plus bus or rental car transfer if you reroute through Bariloche or Neuquén.

How To Plan Around The Chapelco Closures

First, check your dates. If your existing booking lands at or departs from Chapelco on 25, 26, or 27 November, or on 2, 3, or 4 December, treat that ticket as at risk and proactively contact your airline or travel advisor to ask about options. You will generally have more choice if you move voluntarily before automatic cancellations start to cascade.

Second, if you are still in the planning stage, try to anchor your Lake District flights on days when Chapelco is open, ideally at least one day before any fixed departure such as the start of a guided trek, ski week, or tour. Building a buffer night in San Martín de los Andes before onward commitments gives you more resilience if earlier flights run late.

Third, if rerouting via San Carlos de Bariloche Airport or Presidente Perón International Airport makes sense, map out the door to door journey, not just the flight. Check current bus timetables and journey times, factor in the risk of delays on mountain roads, and consider booking a private transfer or car hire if you have large luggage or limited time. In general, avoid planning a same day connection from a long haul arrival in Buenos Aires to a Bariloche or Neuquén flight plus a long road leg.

Fourth, choose flexible fare types where possible. Changeable or refundable tickets cost more up front but can be much cheaper than losing nonrefundable fares if works run long or if weather complicates the picture. Travel insurance that specifically covers schedule changes and missed connections can also help, but read the fine print carefully to see how infrastructure works and maintenance closures are treated.

Finally, coordinate with hotels and tour operators. Many Patagonia lodges and multi day tours have strict check in windows and nonrefundable deposits. Let them know if you expect to arrive by road from Bariloche or Neuquén on a closure day, and ask about backup transfer plans if bus services sell out or if road conditions deteriorate. Being transparent about your routing gives local partners a chance to help you adjust.

Background: Why Chapelco Is Being Upgraded

The short term disruption is part of a much larger investment program in Chapelco's infrastructure. Provincial and local authorities have already launched a terminal expansion that will add more than 1,000 square meters of new and refurbished space, including a larger hall, expanded arrival and departure areas, and more commercial outlets.

Airport and government statements underline how fast traffic has grown. Chapelco now handles roughly 300,000 passengers per year, with daily throughput of between 2,000 and 3,000 people in peak periods, and double digit growth in recent years as winter skiing and year round nature tourism boom in the Region of the Lakes. That scale makes a robust taxiway, apron, and terminal essential if the airport is to continue absorbing more flights without chronic delays.

From a traveler's perspective, the November and December closures land in a relatively forgiving window between peak seasons and are tightly targeted at low traffic weekdays, which limits the number of affected flights. At the same time, Chapelco's role as a specialist gateway means that even a small cluster of cancellations can have outsized effects on people whose trips are anchored to fixed holiday dates, tour departures, or limited annual leave.

The result is a classic high stakes shoulder season scenario. Travelers who know the dates, build buffers, and are willing to consider Bariloche or Neuquén as backup gateways will likely navigate the closures with inconvenience rather than disaster. Those who ignore the calendar risk finding that their perfect Lake District itinerary cannot survive a closed runway and a canceled midweek flight.