# Campo de Marte Airport

Campo de Marte Airport (IATA: RTE, ICAO: SBMT) is the first airport built in São Paulo, Brazil, opened in 1929. It is named after Champ de Mars, in Paris, which in turn got its name from Campus Martius, in Rome.
The airport is operated by Pax Aeroportos.

## History

Campo de Marte was the first airport built in São Paulo, officially opened on July 26, 1929.
The airport was bombarded during the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution.
On 12 November 1933 a ceremony marking the start-up of scheduled flights of VASP took place at the airport. The first two routes linked Campo de Marte to São Carlos and São José do Rio Preto, and to Ribeirão Preto and Uberaba.
It handled all air operations in São Paulo until VASP opened Congonhas Airport in 1936. VASP considered it a necessary move because of unexpected growing demands, and to avoid a problem of constant flooding by the adjoining Tietê River, particularly the one that happened in 1929.
São Paulo Air Force Base was created on 22 May 1941 by Decree 3,302 at Campo de Marte Airport. On 26 January 1945 the base at Campo de Marte was decommissioned and transferred to its present location, then called Cumbica Farm at Guarulhos.
Presently it houses the São Paulo Flying club, founded in 1931, helicopters and general aviation services. It has limited night operations capability, usually reserved to helicopters.
The 4th command of the Brazilian Air Force is also located on the premises.
On 11 May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI canonized the first Brazilian-born saint, Frei Galvão, during a mass on the site.
An agreement to establish an aerospace museum at the airport was signed in 2017.
Previously operated by Infraero, on August 18, 2022 Pax Aeroportos controlled by XP Inc. won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.

## Airlines and destinations

No scheduled flights operate at this airport.

## Statistics

Following is the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Infraero (2007-August 31, 2023) and Pax (2024) reports:
| Year | Passenger | Aircraft | Cargo (t) |
| 2024 | | 58,304 | |
| 2023 | 66,445 | 35,796 | 0 |
| 2022 | 103,361 7% | 57,194 3% | 0 |
| 2021 | 96,897 29% | 55,671 21% | 0 |
| 2020 | 75,171 22% | 45,988 27% | 0 |
| 2019 | 96,735 19% | 63,281 13% | 0 |
| 2018 | 118,872 | 72,376 5% | 0 |
| 2017 | 118,984 5% | 69,137 3% | 0 |
| 2016 | 125,324 17% | 71,044 24% | 0 |
| 2015 | 151,275 18% | 93,354 20% | 0 |
| 2014 | 185,494 25% | 116,924 13% | 0 |
| 2013 | 246,087 42% | 135,155 6% | 0 |
| 2012 | 427,160 10% | 143,799 8% | 0 |
| 2011 | 388,100 7% | 133,509 9% | 0 |
| 2010 | 361,984 16% | 123,009 18% | 0 |
| 2009 | 312,460 16% | 104,502 2% | 0 100% |
| 2008 | 269,498 17% | 102,088 9% | 252 22% |
| 2007 | 230,276 | 93,452 | 206 |
Note: : Neither Infraero or Pax Airports have informed statistics for September 1 to December 31, 2023.

## Accidents and incidents

* 4 November 2007: an Air Taxi Learjet 35A registration PT-OVC crashed over a house in a residential area nearby after a failed takeoff attempt from Campo de Marte, killing the pilot, co-pilot, and 6 people on the ground.
* 19 March 2016: a private kit aircraft, model Comp Air 9 registration PR-ZRA crashed into one house in the neighborhood of Casa Verde, about one mile after takeoff, killing 7 people on board and injuring one resident. Among the victims were entrepreneur Roger Agnelli and his family.
* 7 February 2025: a private Beechcraft F90 King Air registration PS-FEM crashed shortly after takeoff.The aircraft came down on Avenida Marquês de São Vicente, Barra Funda, São Paulo, and burst into flames as it skidded down the road after hitting a bus. Both occupants perished and the aircraft was destroyed. Also six people on the ground were injured.

## Access

The airport is located 6 km (4 mi) from downtown São Paulo in the district of Santana.