How to Get to El Calafate: Flights, Transfers and Connections

El Calafate is the gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier and Los Glaciares National Park, set in the heart of the Patagonian steppe in Argentina’s Santa Cruz province. If you’re planning your trip, the good news is that getting there is simpler than it looks: the town has its own airport and is very well connected to Buenos Aires and other parts of the country. In this guide we’ll walk you through, step by step, how to get to El Calafate, how to travel from the airport into town, and how to continue your journey on to El Chalten and Ushuaia. As a local tour operator based right here, we coordinate all of this logistics so all you have to worry about is enjoying the trip.

By plane: El Calafate airport (FTE)

The most practical and fastest way to arrive is by plane. El Calafate has the Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (code FTE), located about 20 km from town. It’s a modern airport that receives flights year-round, with greater frequency during the summer high season (October to April), when most travelers arrive to go trekking and visit the glaciers.

Flights from Buenos Aires

The most common route is from Buenos Aires. There are daily direct flights connecting the capital with El Calafate, usually departing from Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP) in the city, and in some cases from Ezeiza International Airport (EZE). The flight takes around three and a half hours. If you’re coming from abroad, the usual route is to land first in Buenos Aires and from there take the connection south.

Flights from other cities

Depending on the time of year, El Calafate also tends to have connections with other Argentine cities such as Cordoba, Ushuaia and Bariloche, plus seasonal flights to some regional destinations. Frequencies vary considerably between summer and winter, so we recommend checking route availability for your travel dates. If you need help fitting your flights around your excursions, message us and we’ll figure it out together.

Logistics tip: distances in Patagonia are large and flight frequencies aren’t as numerous as in other regions. Booking your tickets in advance, especially during high season and long weekends, secures you better schedules and fares.

From the airport to town

Once you land at FTE, you have those 20 km left to reach downtown El Calafate. You have several options for covering that stretch:

• Coordinated transfer: the most comfortable option. We wait for you at the airport and take you straight to your accommodation, with no detours or waiting. As a local operator, we can add this transfer to your itinerary.
• Shuttle services: there are regular services connecting the airport with the center, generally coordinated with flight times.
• Taxi or private car: available at the airport, ideal if you arrive at an unusual hour or travel in a small group.
• Car rental: if you want to get around on your own, there are rental agencies at the airport. Keep the Patagonian wind and distances in mind when planning your trips.

The road from the airport into town is short and in good condition, so within about 20-25 minutes you’ll be in El Calafate, ready to start your adventure.

What to do as soon as you arrive

El Calafate is a town built for travelers: hotels, restaurants, currency exchanges, ATMs and a main avenue (Av. del Libertador) with every service. This is where the region’s most iconic excursions depart from. If your time is limited, we recommend starting with the must-sees:

• The classic walk along the Perito Moreno Glacier boardwalks, the balconies from which you can see the glacier in all its splendor without walking on the ice.
• The minitrekking on the Perito Moreno, a walk with crampons on the blue ice, perfect for those who want to experience the glacier from the inside.
• For the more adventurous, the Big Ice, the longest and most demanding trek across the ice.
• And to see it from the water, the Todo Glaciares boat trip, which sails past the great glaciers of Lake Argentino.

You can learn more about the town and all its excursions on the El Calafate page.

How to continue to El Chalten

Many travelers combine El Calafate with El Chalten, Argentina’s national trekking capital, at the foot of the imposing Mount Fitz Roy. Here’s a key fact: El Chalten has no airport. You reach it overland from El Calafate, on a journey of roughly 3 hours along the legendary Route 40.

The drive itself is part of the experience: you’ll cross the Patagonian steppe, skirt Lake Argentino and, if you’re lucky with the weather, watch the silhouette of Fitz Roy appear on the horizon. Your options for this stretch are:

• Transfer or regular bus service: there are daily departures connecting both towns, with morning and afternoon schedules.
• Full-day excursion: if your time is limited, you can visit El Chalten in a single day with our El Chalten Free outing, which takes you there and back the same day with time to walk the classic trails.
• Your own car: Route 40 is paved on this stretch and it’s a beautiful scenic road, ideal if you want to go at your own pace.

Our recommendation: if you can, stay at least one or two nights in El Chalten to make the most of the treks to Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre. But if your schedule is tight, the full-day excursion is an excellent way not to miss it.

How to continue to Ushuaia

If your plan includes reaching the end of the world, Ushuaia fits easily into the circuit. Unlike El Chalten, Ushuaia does have an international airport (code USH), with flights from Buenos Aires and connections to El Calafate.

The most practical way to link El Calafate with Ushuaia is by plane: the flight is short and saves you a very long overland journey, since by land you have to cross into Chile and take the ferry across the Strait of Magellan. So, unless you’re specifically after the adventure of the overland crossing, we recommend the direct flight between the two cities.

In Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego National Park and, in winter (June to September), a world of snow with skiing, dog-sledding and winter experiences await you. In summer, on the other hand, it’s the ideal time for boat trips and trekking.

Logistics recommendations for your trip

Planning a trip through Patagonia has its own logic, and knowing it in advance saves you headaches:

• Book internal flights early. Frequencies between Patagonian cities are limited, especially outside the high season.
• Allow margins between connections. If you’re combining several destinations, leave buffer days: Patagonian weather is changeable and a flight or boat trip may be rescheduled.
• Think about the order of your circuit. A typical route is Buenos Aires to El Calafate to El Chalten to Ushuaia, but the ideal order depends on your dates and priorities.
• Dress in layers. Even in summer, the wind and the glaciers lower the perceived temperature. Always bring a waterproof windbreaker.
• Let people who know the terrain advise you. Distances are deceptive and not everything is connected every day.

We coordinate your arrival and all the logistics

As a local tour operator based in El Calafate with an office in Buenos Aires, we know every leg of this journey first-hand. We don’t just put together your excursions: we coordinate airport transfers, the connections between El Calafate, El Chalten and Ushuaia, and the complete itinerary so everything flows from start to finish. We design your trip around real travel times, the weather and what you genuinely want to see.

Whether you already have your flights or you’re still planning, message us and we’ll help you sort out the logistics. Take a look at our excursions in El Calafate and check availability and pricing for the outing you’re interested in: our local team is waiting to help you experience Patagonia worry-free. We recommend checking dates with us in advance, especially during high season, to secure the best schedules.