🇨🇱 This is the brand hub for Banco de Chile. For the bigger picture on pesos, why USD is not accepted, and Chile's one Bank of America Alliance partner, see the Chile Money Guide. For exact ATM areas and the fee-beating playbook, see the Santiago ATM Guide. For card acceptance by district and the airport run, see the Santiago Money Guide. For the Alliance partner, see the Scotiabank Chile guide. Flying in? Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) guide.
🧾 Order Pesos Before You Fly
Chile's ATM fees are steep, so land in Santiago with a peso float and skip an expensive first withdrawal. Insured 2–5 day US delivery, rate below the airport counters.
Order Pesos → CEI Currency ExchangeWhat Banco de Chile is, in one paragraph
Banco de Chile is one of the country's largest and oldest banks, founded in 1893 from the merger of three earlier institutions and today closely associated with the Luksic group. It runs one of the widest branch and ATM networks in the country on the shared Redbanc system, so its machines are among the ones you will see most often, from the Arturo Merino Benítez arrivals hall to the avenues of Providencia and Las Condes and out into the regions. For US travelers the practical points are specific: Banco de Chile machines dispense pesos at the interbank rate, add a posted CLP 6,000 to 8,000 foreign-card operator fee shown before you confirm (high by Latin American standards), and are reliably easy to find, which is exactly why withdrawing the maximum to spread that flat fee matters here.
What Banco de Chile charges foreign cards
| Fee component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Banco de Chile operator fee (foreign card) | ~CLP 6,000-8,000 per withdrawal | Banco de Chile, shown on screen (refunded by Schwab) |
| Exchange rate | Mid-market (interbank) | Visa or Mastercard network |
| Per-transaction cap | ~CLP 200,000-400,000 (varies by machine) | Banco de Chile (withdraw the maximum) |
| Your home bank's foreign ATM fee | $2-5 | Your home bank, unless waived (Schwab, Wise) |
| Your home bank's FX conversion fee | 1-3% | Your home bank, unless 0% FX card |
| DCC markup (if accepted) | +5-12% | Always decline. Pick Chilean pesos every time the screen offers US dollars. |
Banco de Chile posts its operator fee on screen before you confirm, so you always see it. The fee is high by regional standards and flat per withdrawal, so take the maximum each time. Banco de Chile is not a BoA Alliance partner; for a fee-free BoA withdrawal use Scotiabank Chile instead.
How to make Banco de Chile cheap: max out, refund the fee
Three moves keep Banco de Chile cheap despite Chile's steep ATM fee. First, withdraw the maximum each time: because the CLP 6,000 to 8,000 fee is flat per transaction, fewer larger pulls cut your per-peso cost sharply (mind the per-transaction cap, which varies by machine). Second, carry a Charles Schwab card, which refunds ATM operator fees worldwide, the Banco de Chile fee included, turning even Chile's expensive withdrawal effectively free. Third, always choose Chilean pesos and decline DCC when the screen offers to bill you in dollars; Chile is unusual in that US dollars are not generally accepted by shops, so you need pesos regardless.
Bank of America customers have a better option than Banco de Chile for cash: with no BoA Alliance partnership, a BoA card pays its 3 percent non-network fee on top of the operator fee, whereas the same card pulls fee-free at a Scotiabank Chile ATM. Use Banco de Chile for its reach, and Scotiabank specifically when you are carrying a BoA card.
Where to find Banco de Chile
Providencia & Las Condes
Banco de Chile ATMs throughout Providencia, El Golf, and the Las Condes financial district, plus Costanera Center and Parque Arauco. Covered in the Santiago ATM Guide.
Nationwide coverage
Banco de Chile runs one of the country's widest ATM and branch networks on Redbanc, so a machine is rarely far in the larger cities and regional centres.
Plaza de Armas & Agustínas
Branches around Plaza de Armas and along Agustínas in Santiago Centro; withdraw at a branch machine in daylight and keep cash discreet downtown.
Arturo Merino Benítez arrivals
Banco de Chile cajeros in the new SCL terminal, your first pesos on arrival, away from the standalone machines and counters. See the SCL airport guide.
Branch & mall machines
Use Banco de Chile ATMs inside branches, hotel lobbies, or malls rather than street-facing standalones, and pull during the day in busier districts.
Plan ahead for the south
Carry enough peso cash from a Santiago Banco de Chile before heading to Patagonia, Chiloé, or the Atacama, where ATMs are scarcer and small towns lean on cash.
Banco de Chile vs Scotiabank Chile: the actual decision
| Banco de Chile | Scotiabank Chile | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign-card operator fee | ~CLP 6,000-8,000 (posted) | ~CLP 6,000-8,000, waived for BoA Alliance cards |
| BoA Global ATM Alliance partner | No | Yes (the only one in Chile) |
| Network size in Chile | One of the widest | Major, good in cities |
| Cost on a BoA card | ~CLP 6,000-8,000 + BoA 3% | ~1% only |
| Interbank rate (no markup) | Yes | Yes |
Decision tree: if you carry a Bank of America debit card, use Scotiabank Chile for fee-free withdrawals through the Alliance, a real win given Chile's high local fee. For every other card, Banco de Chile is a fine default because of its wide, reliable network, paired with a Schwab card that refunds the operator fee. Either way, take pesos not dollars, withdraw the maximum, and decline DCC.
Best card pairing with Banco de Chile
Wise for cards, Schwab to refund the peso fee
A Wise debit card gives zero FX markup and the real interbank peso rate at restaurants, malls, and supermarkets across Santiago. A Charles Schwab card refunds Banco de Chile's CLP 6,000 to 8,000 operator fee worldwide, the biggest saving available on Chilean cash given how steep that fee is. Withdraw the maximum at a Banco de Chile machine in a branch or mall, take pesos not dollars, and decline DCC every time.
Get the Wise Card →Charles Schwab Investor Checking
Schwab adds zero foreign-transaction fee and refunds ATM operator fees worldwide, including Banco de Chile's steep CLP 6,000 to 8,000. Pair it with a maximum withdrawal at a Banco de Chile mall machine and your Chilean cash becomes effectively free. Still take pesos not dollars and decline DCC.
Bank of America debit (use Scotiabank instead)
Banco de Chile is not a BoA Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its 3 percent non-network fee on top of the operator fee. For a fee-free withdrawal, carry your BoA card to a Scotiabank Chile ATM, the only Alliance member in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Banco de Chile charge foreign cards at ATMs?
A posted ~CLP 6,000-8,000 per withdrawal, at the interbank rate, shown before you confirm. It is high by regional standards, so take the maximum, and a Schwab card refunds the fee. Decline DCC.
Is Banco de Chile in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance?
No. The Alliance partner in Chile is Scotiabank Chile. A BoA card pays 3% on top here; use Scotiabank for a fee-free withdrawal, or a no-FX-fee card at Banco de Chile.
What is Banco de Chile?
One of the country's largest and oldest banks, founded in 1893, with a wide Redbanc ATM network across Santiago and the regions.
Can I get pesos before arriving?
Yes, the peso is freely convertible. CEI ships pesos to a US address in 2-5 days, useful because Chile's fees are high. Most travelers pre-order a float and pull the rest at a bank machine.
Will my US debit card work at Banco de Chile ATMs?
Yes, with a Visa, Mastercard, Plus, or Cirrus logo on Redbanc. Spanish/English option, 4-digit PINs. Use branch/mall machines, decline DCC, take pesos, withdraw the maximum.
Why should I withdraw the maximum?
Because the CLP 6,000-8,000 fee is flat per withdrawal, fewer larger pulls cut your per-peso cost. Mind the per-transaction cap, which varies by machine.
The Banco de Chile + Wise + Schwab Combo
Wise zero FX markup for restaurants and malls; Schwab refunds Banco de Chile's steep CLP 6,000-8,000 ATM fee. Take pesos not dollars, withdraw the maximum.
Get the Wise Card →