71€ Find Cheap Flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate – Compare and Save

There are a few different lounges that you can rest in if you have some time to kill before your flight takes off from Ministro Pistarini International Airport. The Aeropuertos VIP Club can be found in Terminal A, while both the Star Alliance Lounge and the American Airlines Admirals Club are in Terminal B.

Every terminal in El Palomar Airport is accessible for travelers that have disabilities or limited mobility. The airport is also equipped with wheelchairs that passengers can use at no cost. If you will need assistance while navigating through the airport, make sure to contact your airline ahead of your departure, and an employee will be present to help you with anything you need.

There are several ways that you can travel from El Calafate Airport to the city’s downtown area. If you choose to drive, the trip will normally take you anywhere from 20 to 25min. You can also take the VES Patagonia Airport Shuttle, which will bring you to the city center in around 35min. A one-way ticket for this shuttle bus costs around R$500 ($87).

While there is no on-site hotel at El Calafate Airport, there are a few hotels that are just a short drive away. For example, the Esplendor by Wyndham El Calafate is less than a 20min drive from the airport.

2 airlines operate flights between Buenos Aires and El Calafate. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• Aerolineas Argentinas
• JetSMART

Flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate may depart from several airports in Buenos Aires area, including Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery (AEP) and Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini (EZE). Flights usually arrive at El Calafate (FTE).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Aerolineas Argentinas: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• JetSMART: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Flybondi: a checked bag in Economy class class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate:

• Economy class
• Premium Economy Class

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average 131 € return via San Carlos de Bariloche Teniente Luis Candelaria (BRC), compared with 216 € for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge 10 €–86 € for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

One-stop flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate most commonly connect through:

• Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas (USH) – 35% of one-stop connections
• San Carlos de Bariloche Teniente Luis Candelaria (BRC) – 23% of one-stop connections
• Cordoba Pajas Blancas (COR) – 23% of one-stop connections
• Trelew (REL) – 19% of one-stop connections

Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas (USH) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 14% on the Buenos Aires to El Calafate route. Tuesday is the cheapest departure day at 212 € return on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at 244 €, a difference of 33 €. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Buenos Aires to El Calafate route, 25% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 36 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Buenos Aires to El Calafate flights, with 51% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 33%, Night flights for 16%, and Evening flights for 0%.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Buenos Aires to El Calafate:

• Earliest: departs at 4:10 and lands at 7:30
• Latest: departs at 16:45 and lands at 20:05.

The flight takes about 3h 20m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 42% above the route average of 217 €. Book 14 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate takes 3h 20m, covering 3.321 km.

No. A passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID, or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about 160 € to 1.055 €. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Buenos Aires to El Calafate are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about 77 €, which is 29% below the typical average for this route.

JetSMART is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while Aerolineas Argentinas has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Buenos Aires to El Calafate flights are:

• JetSMART: 95% on time
• Aerolineas Argentinas: 73% on time
• Flybondi: 72% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 75% of the time.

Night flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Trelew (REL) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 7h 03m, compared to 7h 38m via San Carlos de Bariloche Teniente Luis Candelaria (BRC) and 8h 33m via Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas (USH).

El Calafate Airport (FTE) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around 27 € for economy cars. Top options include:
• Hertz
• Street Rent a Car
• FlexWays
• Sixt
• Localiza

Return flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate range from 156 € to 308 €, with an average of 217 € over the past 12 months. Anything below 156 € counts as a good deal.