Santiago de Chile welcomes inaugural China Southern Cargo flight
China Southern Airlines, China‘s largest carrier, began freighter operations in Santiago (SCL) with a route Shanghai-Los Angeles-Santiago using a Boeing 777F.
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago (SCL), Chile, celebrated the arrival of the inaugural flight of China Southern Airlines Cargo, the freight division of China’s largest airline.
This new cargo operation establishes a strategic route connecting Shanghai/Pudong (PVG) with Santiago, including a stopover in Los Angeles (LAX), United States. This move highlights the consolidation of the Chilean air terminal as a key logistics hub for trade exchange between South America and Asia.
China Southern operates this new service with a Boeing 777F aircraft, a wide-body freighter model known for its range and high cargo capacity.
As reported by Santiago Airport via its LinkedIn account, the airline offers a capacity of approximately 500 tons weekly. This capacity is aimed at meeting the growing demand for transporting high-value and perishable Chilean products, such as cherries, blueberries and salmon, which have a large market in the Asian region.
The route, operating under the code CSG2581, departs from Shanghai, stops in Los Angeles and concludes in Santiago. The return flight, identified as CSG2582, covers the Santiago – Los Angeles – Shanghai route, guaranteeing an essential two-way connection for the supply chain.
Santiago’s strategic role in exports
The establishment of a dedicated service by China Southern Airlines, which manages one of the world's largest fleets, reflects Santiago's importance as a gateway for intercontinental trade in the region.
The Boeing 777F is a pillar of air freight, with a maximum structural cargo capacity of over 100 tons. Scheduling this type of aircraft with significant weekly capacity ensures that Chilean exporters, especially in the fruit and aquaculture sectors, can rely on an efficient, high-volume air service to reach key Asian markets, a determining factor for the competitiveness of fresh products like cherries, whose peak season requires fast air connections.
The inaugurated service adds to the existing air cargo infrastructure, reinforcing Chile's position in foreign trade and its direct connectivity with one of the country's main commercial partners.
