Round-Trip Transfers

A round-trip shared transfer between Calama Airport and San Pedro de Atacama cost $56 per person with Ruta Chile when we checked on 3 October 2026, against $59.80 for two single fares, a saving of $3.80 each. DMC Latam’s round trip was $59.99, one cent more than two of its singles. The real gain is having the return leg booked before you land.

All prices per person, checked on 3 October 2026 for two adults.

Is a round trip cheaper than two one-ways?

With Ruta Chile, a little. The Ruta Chile Calama Airport transfer sells each direction for $29.90 per person and the round trip for $56, so a couple saves $7.60. It is also the transfer with the most reviews of the four we found on GetYourGuide, 814 rated 4.6, and includes one suitcase and one carry-on per person on both legs. Our Ruta Chile breakdown covers the listing in full.

With DMC Latam the round trip is priced at two singles, so book it for convenience. Its listing explains that you add the return by choosing the other option on the booking page, which keeps both legs on one reservation.

The private transfer has no round-trip price. Book each direction separately: $95 per person from the airport and $89 per person back, for two travelers. Our private transfers page covers when that is worth it.

Why book both legs at once

The saving is small, and the bigger gain is certainty. At El Loa you can buy a shared seat at the counter for CLP 17,900 per person, but the airport’s published fares cover rides leaving the terminal. For the trip back you need a booking anyway, and having it in place before you land means one less thing to arrange in San Pedro, where ATMs can run short and many hotels are spread out beyond the town center.

There is also the timing. Return pickups are usually about three hours before your flight, and up to three and a half with some shared operators, so the operator needs your departure details early to fit you into a van. Booking both legs together hands them that information at the start.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies on both shared listings and the private transfer, so a round trip does not lock you in if your plans change before you travel.

How to book both legs

1. Pick the round-trip option on the booking calendar and choose your arrival date.
2. Send the operator both flight numbers, with dates and times, plus the full address of your accommodation. Ruta Chile asks for this with the reservation; DMC Latam asks by email or WhatsApp.
3. Reconfirm your departure time with the airline at least 24 hours before the return, as Ruta Chile asks, and pass on any change.
4. Expect a pickup time for the return. If you have not heard by the day before, message the operator.

Our San Pedro to Calama Airport page covers the return leg on its own, and the departure guide explains how pickup windows fit around flight times.

Round trips with tours included

If your stay is short, a package can cover both transfers and the main excursions. 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Airport Transfer, rated 5.0 from 5 reviews, costs $280 per person and includes shared transfers both ways plus a stargazing tour, the Baltinache lagoons, Moon Valley and El Tatio. Entrance fees and accommodation are not included, and the plan assumes you land by 5:00 pm on day one and fly out after 4:00 pm on day three.

The 4-Day Magic Desert Tour from Calama, rated 4.2 from 26 reviews, costs $310 per person and starts with the airport transfer and an afternoon in Moon Valley, so book a flight that lands before 10:00 am. Entrance fees and accommodation are extra here too. Our page on Atacama tours with airport transfer compares both.

Practical tips

• Book the round trip as soon as your flights are fixed; it costs no more than two singles on either shared listing.
• Keep the operator’s WhatsApp or phone number saved for both legs.
• Plan your last tour so it ends well before your return pickup, which can come three hours or more before the flight.
• Pack within one suitcase and one carry-on per person on Ruta Chile, in both directions.
• Withdraw Chilean pesos at El Loa on arrival for tips and park fees during your stay.

Quick recommendations

• If you want the lowest round-trip price on GetYourGuide → book the Ruta Chile round trip at $56.
• If Ruta Chile is full on your dates → DMC Latam’s round trip at $59.99.
• If you want private both ways → book two private singles, $95 out and $89 back per person for two.
• If you only have three days → look at the $280 package with both transfers and four tours.