Francisca Labra
Marketing · Vivencias Travel
Since 2024, classes from the regions have flown direct to Bariloche and Camboriú without going through Santiago. JetSMART reports a 53% rise in the operation during the first half of 2026, and both companies plan to add airports in 2027 and 2028.
For years, a study trip for a class from the regions began with a journey nobody wanted: hours on a coach to Santiago just to then take the plane. That earlier leg, invisible in any brochure, was one of the main barriers to international student travel outside the capital.
La Serena as an international starting point
Since 2024, with the internationalisation of La Florida airport in La Serena, JetSMART and Vivencias Travel set up a different operating model: direct charter flights from the region to the main study-trip destinations, Bariloche in Argentina and Camboriú in Brazil.
The effect is simple to describe and hard to achieve: hundreds of young people have started their trip from their own region, with no coach transfer beforehand, less travel time and a better experience from day one.
"Our purpose has always been to bring the world closer to students, removing geographical barriers and offering a first-class travel experience." — Marcelo Rollandi, founder of Vivencias Travel
The numbers behind the model
The operation is no longer a trial. According to the figures the airline itself released in August, JetSMART carried more than 400,000 charter passengers in the last year, and in the first half of 2026 the operation recorded growth of 53% compared with the same period the previous year, with study trips among its segments of highest demand alongside mining and seasonal travel.
The context comes from Pablo García, commercial manager of JetSMART Chile:
"During 2025, JetSMART exceeded 1,300 segments sold, more than a thousand of them in Chile, and moved more than 200,000 people, which represented growth of over 35% in passengers carried compared with the previous year." — Pablo García, commercial manager of JetSMART Chile
Decentralising, not just transporting
What is at stake goes beyond the logistics of one class. A regional airport running international routes changes the travel offer of its whole area and gives prominence back to cities that until now depended on Santiago for any trip abroad.
"The alliance with JetSMART has allowed us to innovate and to show that the regions can be protagonists of international student tourism." — Marcelo Rollandi
What comes in 2027 and 2028
For the 2027 and 2028 seasons, both organisations plan to add new airports, so more students can reach direct international flights from their home cities. If the La Serena model is repeated, the study trip stops being a journey that starts in the capital.
Vivencias Travel is a tour operator founded in Bariloche with a presence in Chile, Brazil and Mexico, specialising in group and individual travel experiences. Its main focus is study trips, experiential travel, adventure activities, excursions and tailor-made programmes. It offers 24/7 support and professional guides with deep knowledge of Patagonia and international destinations.
