El Tepual Air Base

El Tepual is located in Puerto Montt, Chile, in Northern Patagonia. Runway construction concluded in April 1960. The site supported a large-scale airlift following a 9.5 magnitude earthquake on May 22, 1960. The facility and its original terminal were officially inaugurated in 1963. Following a national infrastructure initiative launched after the presidency of Augusto Pinochet, the airport underwent expansion to improve connections between regional centers and Santiago. A new terminal opened in 1995, followed by further facility upgrades in February 2010.

The facility is owned and operated by a consortium of international companies led by Administracion de Concesiones (IDC). It supports commercial, private, and charter aviation. Primary airline operators include LATAM Chile, SKY Airline, and JetSMART. Charter operations are conducted by various entities, including ATS Aerotaxis del Sur, Archipiélagos Aviación, AeroCord, Raúl Atala EIRL, Transportes Aéreos San Rafael, and Pewén.

Infrastructure includes a terminal with five jetways and five gates. The facility accommodates aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 707. Regularly hosted aircraft include Boeing 737, Airbus A318, A319, A320, and A321 models. Cargo operations include the use of Boeing 777F aircraft. Onsite facilities include immigration offices, passenger service areas, and cargo handling infrastructure.