# Pacific Airport

The Pacific Airport or Pacific International Airport will be a civil international airport located in the La Unión department of El Salvador. The airport was proposed by Nayib Bukele during his 2019 presidential campaign as part of his Cuscatlán Plan, and its construction was approved by the Legislative Assembly on April 26, 2022.
Earthworks began in March 2023, and construction is expected to start in 2025.

## History

In 2019, then-presidential candidate Nayib Bukele presented the Cuscatlán Plan, a document outlining his objectives and government proposals for El Salvador. Among his main projects, Bukele envisioned the construction of a new airport in the eastern region of the country, initially called the "Airport in the East."
The proposal was based on criteria of operational efficiency and regional economic development. Bukele argued that a significant proportion of passengers using the San Óscar Arnulfo Romero and Galdámez International Airport come from the eastern region of the country. Consequently, a new air terminal in that area could achieve multiple objectives: reducing congestion at the central airport, creating job opportunities, and boosting the economy of eastern El Salvador.
On March 9, 2020, the Government of El Salvador launched an international public call titled "Pacific Airport Project" to invite foreign companies to develop design studies for the airport infrastructure. The initiative generated significant interest in the international business sector, with a total of 44 companies expressing their intent to participate in the process. Ultimately, 11 of these companies formally submitted their financial proposals to the government authorities.
On February 24, 2022, the Government of El Salvador received an economic and financial report from the Peyco-ALBEN 4000 Consortium, specialized in air transportation. The document projected a significant impact on job creation and air mobility. According to the estimates, the airport would generate 4,700 new jobs during its first year of operations.
The ten-year projection estimated a passenger volume of between 1 and 3 million, with approximately 18,000 aircraft movements. Federico Anliker, president of the Autonomous Port Executive Commission (CEPA), expanded on the employment expectations, estimating that the construction of the airport could create over 23,700 new jobs.
In March 2022, CEPA confirmed the project's location in the Condadillo hamlet of Conchagua, in the district of La Unión. The project's implementation will require the relocation of residents from Condadillo and the nearby hamlet of Flor de Mangle. During the selection process, legislative authorities thoroughly evaluated nine potential locations. Six of these were dismissed due to technical limitations related to landing conditions. The final location was chosen based on technical feasibility and minimizing environmental impact.
On April 25, 2022, the Economic Commission of El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved legislation for the construction of the new airport. The following day, the full legislature ratified the law, titled the "Law for the Construction, Administration, Operation, and Maintenance of the Pacific Airport," with 67 votes in favor out of the 84 deputies that make up the assembly.

## Facilities

The Pacific Airport will have a passenger terminal designed on two levels. The first floor will feature 126,530 square feet (11,755 m²) dedicated to check-in, baggage claim, and customs procedures. The second level will have 41,495 square feet (3,855 m²) for commercial spaces, including restaurants and complementary services.
The airport infrastructure will include a runway 7,900 feet (2,400 m) long and 148 feet (45 m) wide, with turning platforms at both ends to facilitate aircraft positioning before takeoff. Additionally, the project includes a facility for the Salvadoran Air Force.
According to Oscar Avalle, representative of the Development Bank for Latin America, the airport will have two gates with the capacity to simultaneously handle two or three aircraft. Avalle mentioned the possibility of future expansion due to an increase in tourism demand in the eastern region of El Salvador. The infrastructure will allow for the landing of aircraft such as the Airbus A320, Boeing 737, and Boeing 757. Government projections estimate a capacity to handle between 300,000 and 500,000 passengers annually.

## Destinations

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