Flights to Uruguay

The vast majority of commercial flights to Uruguay arrive at Carrasco International Airport (Airport code: MVD).  From Carrasco Airport it is a 30 minute drive west to Montevideo’s city center and a one-and-a-half hour drive east to the famous beach resort of Punta del Este.

Flights to Uruguay from Europe:

 Iberia (the national airline of Spain based in Madrid) and Pluna (the national airline of Uruguay based in Montevideo) both provide direct flights between Madrid and Montevideo.

LAN Airlines (based in Chile) has flights departing from several European cities including Zurich, London, and Berlin that usually have a plane change in Madrid or Paris before making the transatlantic crossing. Most LAN Airline flights to Uruguay stop in Santiago before the final leg to Montevideo.

TAM Airlines (based in Brazil) also has flights from many European cities that usually have a plane change in Madrid or Frankfurt before making the transatlantic crossing. Most TAM Airline flights stop in Sao Paulo before making the final flight into Montevideo.

American Airlines has flights departing from all major European cities for Uruguay. Most American Airline flights starting in Europe will stopover in the USA (usually New York or Miami) before making the second long haul flight to South America. Sometimes flights are available directly into Montevideo, but most of the time there is a stopover in Buenos Aires.

 Flights to Uruguay from Canada:

 American Airlines has service from every major airport in Canada to Uruguay with two (and sometimes three) plane changes in the USA.

TAM Airlines has flights departing from several Canadian cities without a plane change or stopover in the USA. Departure cities include Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary with a plane change in Toronto before making the long haul flight to Sao Paulo, and then on to Montevideo.

LAN Airlines has flights from Montreal and Toronto with a plane change in New York before the long haul flight to Santiago, and then on to Montevideo.

Flights to Uruguay from the USA:

 American Airlines has flights departing from most major airports in the US to Uruguay often with one or two plane changes before making the long haul flight to South America, often from Miami. Sometimes there is another plane change in Buenos Aires.

LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines both have flights from New York City to Montevideo, with a plane change in Santiago and Sao Paulo respectively.

Copa Airlines has flights from select US cities that often have a plane change in Houston and Panama City, Panama before arriving in Montevideo.

Flights to Uruguay from Australia and New Zealand:

 LAN Airlines has a flight that goes from Sydney to Auckland and then on to Montevideo with a plane change in Santiago.

Flights to Punta del Este, Uruguay

 Capitan Corbeta CA Curbelo International Airport (Commonly called Laguna del Sauce International Airport. Airport code: PDP) is a private airport near Punta del Este which fills with private planes during the high season and has regular year-round commercial service to Buenos Aires.

 Three Tips for booking your flight to Uruguay.

 1) If you have a plane change in Buenos Aires, check to learn if you arrive and depart from the same airport.

 There are two important airports in Buenos Aires:

a) Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Airport code: EZE) Commonly known as Ezeiza International Airport and is the busiest airport in Buenos Aires.

b) Aeroparque J. Newberry (Airport Code: AEP)

Most long haul flights to Montevideo with a plane change in Buenos Aires arrive and depart from EZE. However, sometimes a long haul flight will arrive in Buenos Aries at EZE, but depart for Uruguay from AEP. These airports are not close together. So if this is the case, be ready to go through customs and leave EZE, take a long freeway taxi ride, and go through airport security a second time at AEP to get your connecting flight.

2) Don’t be the lecharo:

  Lechero means milkman in Spanish. It is also a term used when you make several plane changes on the way to your destination. Besides adding to the length of your trip, every time you change planes it is another opportunity for your checked baggage to be lost, to be selected for a random search, or miss your connecting flight. Be sure to check for the duration of your trip and the number of plane changes as well as price when you book your flight.

3) Arrive at your destination on the same airline you departed on:

 There are lots of online travel itineraries available combining the flights from different airlines. I recommend making the entire trip on one airline when you can. This is because the adage, “shared responsibility is no responsible” can come into play if a bag is lost or a connecting flight is missed. Also, in some airports a connection that involves changing airlines triggers more stringent security procedures.

By David Hammond