New Jorge Chávez International Airport — Attraction in Lima Metropolitan Area

Update 24 Oct Avisos siguen un desastre, entre los uniformes en los techos y otros, improvisados, en otro diseño, indicando cosas contradictorias. P.ej en migraciones.

Salas de espera apenas tienen asientos como si viajases en una Cessna junto con una veintena de personas a otro continente.

El acceso en carro es otra. A cualquier hora del día hay filas lentas de carros, confusión, carriles no respetados, atención automatica que forma botellas de cuello. Cuenta con que pierdes min.10 minutos (!!) solo para salir del parking o para llegar de la puerta al edificio. Increíble!

Update 13 June Many passengers are still lost. Little wonder as signs are still misding in many parts and arriving folks still criss-cross with -unmanaged - crowds of departing passengers.

Many areas still under construction... Peruvians, you deserve more competent authorities!

A planning disaster! Currently, thousands of passengers, cars and staff are lost in a sea of half-cooked and hardly signposted structures, skillfully exploited by touts.

Public transport? One bus line into the airport in the 11 M inhabitants city, once per hour (seriously) at hefty 20 soles (previously some 3 soles).

Guiding system? Absent. Check-in isles carry letters, but not all of them. (The purpose szated above a counter is of tentative nature, as in the rest of the country, airport personnel (Talma cie here) do what occurs to them, sonetimes nothing to attend the waiting crowd.

Before you reach security, at a self service gate for the boarding pass, they suddenly ask for an ID again. After security check, you reach a shopping and food court without ANY signs to two out of three terminals, poorly identified by letters again. After touring the overpriced shops in search for either B or C terminal signs, you may find one behind them, invisibke from 90 % of the space. Later, when following B, travellers are lost because reference to "B" is forgotten half way through, see photo.

Security? Very limited! Don't remember having seen any prominent "emergency exit" signs in the large food/luxury hall where thousands criss-cross each others' paths (even arriving passengers! Technically departing passengers could access arriving luggage doing rounds...)

Similarly serious and different from the mediocre old building, THERE IS NO ACCESS CONTROL to the check in area ANY MORE, and weird people without luggage are mingling suspiciously with travellers and in busy shops.

Comfort? Limited. Took 2 national flights, had on/offboarding with busses only. On a Sky flight, the pick up bus driver had us wait 10+ minutes on the airfield without ANY additional traveller boarding. Result: our luggage was the only one left doing rounds on a belt, but luckily still there despite the absence of controls.

Positive: some water fountains.

Private cars? Didn't try, but taxis go thru a maze of poorly structured streets amid ongoing construction (of...

This could be a great airport, EXCEPT....well, let’s start with the scheduling, shall we? For one of the busiest airports in Latin America, their flight scheduling is one of the most horrendous I have ever seen. There are usually hours upon hours upon hours between flights, typically 8-12. And there are an inordinate number of flights that leave ONLY at midnight. If you’re flying in here trying to get anywhere else, expect your wait here to take the whole day. And it will be the most uncomfortable, in a worst-kind-of-sweaty-raw-chaffing-in-your-most-sensitive-bits kind of uncomfortable, wait. Perhaps it is better if you’re flying within Peru, but if your destination or origination is outside of Peru, you will have to pick up your luggage each and every time, and either carry it around with you like some kind of lonely pathetic fool lost in travel purgatory, or store it in the luggage storage place for hours until you can recheck it into your next flight (usually no more than four hours before your next departure) while you still wander around as a lonely pathetic fool lost in travel purgatory. Nowhere is the option to go through customs and recheck your bag without having to exit security, or without even sometimes entirely exiting the airport.

Before security, there are a handful of stores that wish you to purchase their goods with the promise of your first born child, a few restaurants with bland tasteless food, and the ubiquitous food court with McDonalds, KFC, and Dunkin Donuts where you can pray to be stricken with the inevitable heart attack or diabetic coma to put you out of your misery. There are virtually no seats to sit and wait out your sentence. There are almost no plugs to charge your phone so that you can quietly numb your brain during the hours of stifling boredom and discomfort that await you.

Once you do make it within the four hour mark, check your baggage, and go through security, if you are traveling domestically, you will be in store for further torture, where multiple flights will be delayed, there are no restaurants whatsoever so you must content yourself with dry tasteless sandwiches and chips from the snack stand, there are still no seats to be had (unless you’re lucky) except for on the ground, and the gate from which your flight leaves (delayed for at least two hours) will change repeatedly so that you and your compatriots will go back and forth and back and forth to wait longer. But finally, finally, there will be one or two stations with plugs where you AND EVERYONE ELSE can at last charge your phones as you each jockey for a socket and a place to park your butt nearby so no one will run off with your phone.

After you go through security and if you are traveling internationally from another international or national destination, congratulations! Once the four hour mark is reached the rest of your perdition will be relatively...

My recent experience at Jorge Chávez International Airport left me with mixed impressions. While there were some highlights, several areas clearly need attention.

Check-In Process: The self-service kiosks were frustratingly unreliable. They repeatedly glitched and logged users out, making it nearly impossible to complete the check-in. When I asked for help, airport attendants simply directed me to the airline counters — which, in the end, was a more efficient option. This system needs significant improvement to better support travelers and reduce stress.

Gate Area: The gate areas felt sterile and unwelcoming — There were no visible cafés or restaurants in the gate zones, making it uncomfortable for passengers with long waits. A few thoughtfully designed spaces with seating, artwork, or even a coffee cart would go a long way in improving the experience.

Signage and Navigation: Wayfinding was another challenge. Airline counters were difficult to locate upon entry, as signage was limited or unclear. First-time visitors to the airport could easily feel lost.

Transportation Options: Another issue was the limited availability of taxis. It was surprisingly difficult to find a reliable taxi service upon arrival or departure — a concern, especially for international travelers unfamiliar with local options.

Positives: Despite the above, there are several things to commend. The food court was a bright spot — full of energy and a decent variety of dining options. However, it would benefit from a stronger local identity. Introducing a lower-scale version of a Gastón Acurio-style Creole restaurant would be a great way to showcase Peruvian cuisine. While international chains like TGI Fridays offer familiarity, the food court currently lacks the cultural flavor that could make it truly memorable.

Lastly, the airport staff deserves recognition. They were helpful and attentive, working hard to keep the flow of passengers moving efficiently. Their professionalism helped smooth out some of the rough edges of the overall experience.

Final Thoughts: Jorge Chávez Airport has great potential, especially as expansion and renovation plans continue. With improvements to its infrastructure, design, and local character, it can grow into a top-tier gateway to Peru. I hope customer feedback is being taken into account to guide these...