Lima J Chavez Intl Airport (LIM) Flights & Flight Status

Lima Jorge Chávez Airport (LIM) is Peru's main international gateway. The airport is not in Lima but in the nearby port city of Callao, 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the city centre. While the airport is relatively small compared to other international hubs, I don’t find that to be a disadvantage. It is often easier to navigate a single terminal with two floors.

LIM is a busy airport for its size, serving over 21 million passengers per year. Construction is underway on a second terminal and runway to support growth.

Airlines flying to Lima Jorge Chávez Airport

Several international carriers serve Lima Airport. Airlines such as Avianca and United offer flights with one stop from Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) and Vancouver International (YVR). Meanwhile, Air Transat offers some direct flights from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (YUL). The largest airline in Latin America, LATAM, also offers flights to many destinations.

Arrivals at Lima Jorge Chávez Airport

With a little planning, you can have a smooth arrival experience at Lima Airport. Since it is a single terminal, you are unlikely to get lost, but you can get into trouble if you lack the proper documents.

Documents required to enter Peru

You will need a passport valid for at least six months. While Canadian citizens don’t need a visa to enter Peru, immigration officials will issue an equivalent digital document, the Andean Migration Card (TAM) and confirm the duration of your stay. There is no visa fee. Tourists can remain in Peru for up to 183 days per year. Tell officials how long you need the pass for and do not exceed your visa period, as there is a fine for overstaying, which you will have to pay before departing. You will also need to fill out the customs declaration form honestly. Officials will check your luggage for restricted or prohibited items.

Early morning and evening are the busiest times for immigration lines in Lima. The process takes about 40 minutes.

Baggage claim is located right past immigration, but you'll still need to clear customs before leaving the secure area. There are transport desks in the public area at arrivals.

Customs for connecting flights

To connect through Lima to a domestic flight, you must clear immigration and customs, go through the public area and check your luggage in again at the airline desks. After receiving your boarding pass from the airline, you can go to the second floor for domestic departures.

International transfers

When connecting through Lima on an international flight, don’t clear immigration or go through customs. Instead, head straight for international departures on the second floor. You will need to pay the Unified Tariff for Airport Use (TUUA). After that, check the screens to find your boarding gate.

Managing longer transfers

Even if you can leave the airport while in transit, it’s not something I’d recommend. While Lima Airport is safe, well-equipped and modern, the area outside the airport isn’t safe for a short walking tour and traffic can make a longer tour to the metropolis impractical.

The roads in Lima are extremely congested, and it can sometimes take hours to travel those 12 km and get back in time. There is also a re-entry fee for transit passengers who leave the airport. Because many unlicensed taxis operate in Lima and rideshare services are unreliable, the airport does not allow unlicensed taxis or Uber drivers to enter (or at least not for long). The safest option for an outing is to use the Airport Express Lima bus service.

The airport does not close, so I would stay in the terminal overnight and hang out at the food court or at the Starbucks in the public area (which is also the best place to get free Wi-Fi).

If you have a late night arrival and an early morning connection and need to sleep but don’t want to do so on the airport seats, there is a hotel on the property: Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport. It’s separate from the terminal but connects via a walkway. One thing I like is that they also rent out rooms during the daytime, with breakfast included. When you have an early morning arrival with a late evening departure, it’s a nice place to rest and refresh, even if it is a little pricey.

Car rentals

You’ll find a good variety of car rental services available at the airport, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar and Hertz. The problem won’t be finding a car, but rather using it.

Road conditions in Peru are variable to unreliable. Some roads aren’t paved and can be rocky. If you plan to drive into the more remote regions of the country, you’re better off renting a vehicle that can handle some rough terrain. And drive carefully as other drivers don’t always adhere to the rules of the road.

Departures at Lima Airport

On your return, I recommend arranging reliable transport to the airport with your hotel and allowing time for traffic delays. I would not recommend using unlicensed taxis or an Uber service as they tend to drop you off outside the airport grounds, which isn’t ideal.

Checking in for your flight

All airline check-in desks are on the first floor right when you enter the terminal. If flying internationally, you should arrive three hours before your scheduled flight. For flights within Peru, arriving two hours ahead is enough. That said, because of the traffic situation in Lima, I would leave myself more time. There’s lots to do at the terminal.

Getting through security

I would recommend allowing for around 30 minutes to get through security. At Lima Airport, the security clearance is on the second floor.

One thing I like is that there are lots of nice shops and a food court at the airport before security. I’d just spend any extra time there doing a little last-minute shopping or catching up with work while enjoying a meal.

Shopping and refreshment options are more limited in the terminal after security.

Domestic flights gather in a separate area to international flights, but it’s not hard to find either one. Just check the screens past security for your flight number.

Lima Airport lounges

You’ll find lounges in both the domestic and international departures parts of the terminal.

Lounges at domestic departures

El Salon by Newrest offers showers and luggage storage. They have a nice buffet and a bar with a bartender who can mix your favourite drink. You can take advantage of the work zones to catch up between flights. Overall, it’s nothing fancy but it is comfortable.

International departures lounges

There are two full lounges near gate 17 offering special services to cardholders at the international departures zone of Lima Airport. The Hanaq VIP lounge, which is open to Priority Pass members, is pleasant and spacious, offering a fair selection of food and beverages. It is in high demand, though, and sometimes you may find a crowd waiting to enter.

The Sumaq Lounge is more exclusive and is the lounge most airlines partner with. You can buy an access pass at the door, which is something I always look for.

Alcohol is limited to one free beverage per guest, which isn’t a big factor for me, though others expecting the full lounge experience may be caught by surprise. Otherwise, the food and beverage options at the buffet are generous.

The one downside I find is that it is a bit dark in some areas, and there are no windows for plane spotting. Although if you’re trying to catch up on sleep that may not be a problem. To get some rest, I’d head for cubicles that have lay-flat lounge chairs and convenient power outlets. There are also some nice shower facilities available for a fee.

Other facilities at Lima Airport

The airport offers free Wi-Fi, and if you want to grab a coffee, you can also use the Starbucks free Wi-Fi. In case you want something more substantial than coffee, there’s also free Wi-Fi available at the restaurant across from Starbucks and at the Pretzel café next door. Of course, the airport lounges also offer free Wi-Fi.

There are money exchange facilities at both domestic and international arrivals as well as in the public area of the airport before security. I never use these because the exchange rates aren’t great. Normally, I’d only get local currency at the ATM where the exchange rate is set by my bank. There are several ATM machines throughout Lima airport, but the service fee can be high. I'd recommend waiting to use an ATM in the city, or not at all. Many places in Peru will accept US dollars in case you have some handy from a recent trip to the US, so you don’t necessarily need Sols in your wallet.

The tourist booth at the public area outside international arrivals can offer helpful guidance if you’re venturing out; they can also answer questions in English.