Find cheap Sky Airline flights

Sky Airline is Chile’s first low-cost carrier and the country’s second-largest airline after LATAM, and it’s your ticket to budget-friendly travel in South America. Based in the capital, Santiago, and operating from Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), Sky has focused on making flights accessible with fair pricing for over two decades. The airline is officially styled as SꓘY, and if you know how to navigate their system, you can score some serious deals.

Routes

Sky Airline is a young airline with big plans to expand much more. Currently it operates mostly in Chile, but it also flies to Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia, as well as to Miami as Sky Airline Peru, via Lima. Sky also flies seasonally to Uruguay and Brazil. There is also a route to Cancun, Mexico, as well as one to the Dominican Republic's favorite holiday destination, Punta Cana.

Subsidiaries

Sky Airline also operates a low-cost Peruvian subsidiary, Sky Airline Peru, which sports the same recognizable purple and green livery. You might have heard whispers about a Sky Airline Ecuador, but those plans to base an airline in Quito were ultimately canceled. For now, the focus remains on its Chilean and Peruvian hubs.

Fare classes

Sky Airline keeps things simple with a three-fare model: Zero, Plus, and Full. Think of it as choosing your own adventure.

The Zero fare is the bare-bones, no-frills option that’s perfect if you’re traveling light. It includes a personal item (like a handbag or small backpack). Your seat will be randomly assigned.

The Plus fare is what I’d call the all-in-one ticket, bundling a personal item, a traditional carry-on bag and a checked bag up to 50 pounds. You also get to choose your own standard seat.

Lastly, the Full fare offers the most flexibility. It comes with the same personal item and carry-on allowance as Plus but adds a second checked bag up to 50 pounds. The real perk here is that you can make changes to dates and destinations at no extra charge (though fare differences still apply), which is a lifesaver if your plans are a bit up in the air.

Baggage rules

As with many low-cost airlines, Sky Airline is very strict with luggage rules, so adhere to these carefully. A personal item (included on all fares) means a backpack, purse or small bag that fits under the seat in front of you. A carry-on must be stowed in the overhead bin and can’t exceed 22 pounds. Checked baggage in the hold can be up to 50 pounds each.

Seating

The standard seats available to Zero and Plus fare ticket holders are located behind the wings and offer about 28 inches of legroom. With a Full fare, you can choose any seat on the plane, including those at the front, but the legroom is the same. The main benefit is being one of the first to deplane.

If you’re willing to pay a little extra, you can book any seat you want. Since there’s no business class, I always book an exit row seat on this airline. The extra couple of inches of space make a noticeable difference, especially on a longer flight.

Boarding passes

Here’s a pro tip: the airline recommends printing a physical copy of your boarding pass. Some airports, especially smaller ones in South America, require a paper pass and won’t accept a digital one on your phone. I usually do both just to be safe. Airports like Santiago in Chile have dedicated check-in desks for the airline plus self-service check-in kiosks and automated baggage drop units to speed things up.

Boarding

Sky Airline doesn’t have a strictly regulated boarding procedure. Generally, they first call folks who need extra assistance, followed by anyone who paid for priority boarding or has SKY Plus loyalty status. After that, it’s pretty much a single line for everyone else. Get ready to queue up.

Even though Sky is strict with limiting carry-on, you can still easily run out of overhead bin space. Your bag will have to be gate checked if this happens.

Because these flights are so cheap, they’re often fully booked, so it pays to show up early and get in the front of the line if you don’t want to be separated from your bag.

Loyalty program

Sky Airline has a loyalty program called Sky Plus that allows you to earn points toward rewards. Sky Plus is also affiliated with a bunch of brands like Accor hotels and even Marley Coffee. You can earn and redeem points with any of them.

With Sky, you earn points on your ticket and on optional add-ons like seat selection and extra baggage. It’s a nice little bonus for things you might buy anyway.

There are three levels in the SKY Plus program: Copper, Gold and Platinum. Gold members receive preferential boarding and check-in, while Platinum members also get free seat reservations and an additional free bag.

If you plan to fly this airline around the region often, it’s absolutely worth signing up. It’s free and you can use the points wherever you want.

Wi-Fi

If you’re planning on working or scrolling through your feed while in the air, you might need to adjust your plans. The airline doesn’t have Wi-Fi on its planes at the moment. While there’s talk of outfitting new aircraft with it, for now, it’s best to assume you’ll be offline.

Entertainment on board

Sky Airline does not offer any entertainment on board. I recommend loading up your phone or tablet with movies, podcasts, or books before you head to the airport. For short hops, it’s no big deal, but for longer routes, you’ll want to have a plan.

Service charges

As is common with the low-cost model, there are charges for most additional services. Sky charges a fee for any changes, including dates or itineraries. The key is to make these changes online, as it’s the cheapest option. Doing it over the phone costs more, and making changes at the airport with a gate agent is the most expensive.

Change and cancellation policies

Sky Airline policies for changes are a little complex, as they invoke the rules of whichever country you are located in at the time of flying. It’s not always perfectly clear in advance.

You can change the date, time, or route as many times as you like, but there’s a fee each time, which varies by fare class. You’ll also have to pay any fare difference for your new flight. These charges are applied per leg of the journey and per passenger.

The same goes for refunds, with policies changing depending on your departure country. The good news is that the most flexible tickets generally offer better refund options, so I recommend grabbing one if there’s any chance your plans might change.

Airline alliances

Sky Airline is not a member of any airline alliance at this time. However, they’ve established interline agreements with carriers including Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air Canada, and United Airlines, which means you can book connecting flights on a single ticket with through-checked baggage to destinations across their combined networks. You can also seamlessly connect with its subsidiary, Sky Airline Peru, since those tickets are booked through the same website anyway.

Traveling with pets

The airline charges a fee for cats and dogs to travel in the cabin. For pets traveling in the hold, Sky allows cats, dogs and ornamental birds, also for a fee. I was glad to find that the costs for bringing a furry friend along are pretty moderate.

Unaccompanied minors

The airline does not allow any unaccompanied minors on international flights (in other words, any flight leaving Chile). But for domestic flights, unaccompanied minors can fly for an additional fee. Sky Airline considers anyone between the ages of 5 and 14 years old (minus one day) to be a qualifying minor for this service.

Future plans

The expansion of this airline is exciting, as it continues to offer cheaper flights for travelers with a no-fuss model that I appreciate. For long-haul international flights, I personally think more comfortable seating would be a game-changer. For now, I find this airline most useful for short hops where extra comfort is less of a priority, thanks to its great schedule and convenient flight times.