List of the busiest airports in Latin America
2008 -- Latin America 15 busiest airports by passenger traffic
Table:
Rank
Airport
Location
Passengers
Annual
change

1
Mexico City International Airport
Mexico City
26,210,217
1.3%

2
São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport
São Paulo
20,400,304[67]
8.54%

3
Congonhas-São Paulo Airport
São Paulo
13,672,301[68]
10.43%

4
El Dorado International Airport
Bogotá
13,456,331
4.90%

5
Cancún International Airport
Cancún
12,646,512
11.5%

6
Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport
Rio de Janeiro
10,717,120[68]
3.52%

7
Brasília International Airport
Brasília
10,443,393[68]
6.08%

8
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
San Juan
9,378,924
9.9%

9
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Santiago
9,017,718
7.38%

10
Simón Bolívar International Airport
Maiquetia
8,975,897
7.4%

11
Jorge Chávez International Airport
Lima
8,285,688
10.4%

12
Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Buenos Aires
8,012,794
7.01%

13
Guadalajara International Airport
Guadalajara
7,193,200
1.9%

14
General Mariano Escobedo International Airport
Monterrey
6,586,200
0.4%

15
Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport
Salvador
6,042,307[68]
4.2%

Based on the accompanying table and the relevant paragraphs listed.

Provide an answer to this question: What political office was held by the namesake of the airport that handled 10,443,393 2008 flyers ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Mexico City International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México , AICM ) ; officially Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez ( Benito Juárez International Airport ) ( IATA : MEX , ICAO : MMMX ) is an international airport that serves Greater Mexico City . It is Mexico 's and Latin America 's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements . The airport sustains 35,000 jobs directly and around 15,000 indirectly in the immediate area . The airport is owned by Grupo Aeroportuario de la Ciudad de México and operated by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares , the government-owned corporation , which also operates 22 other airports throughout Mexico . In recent years Toluca Airport has become an alternate airport . This airport is served by 30 domestic and international passenger airlines and 17 cargo carriers . As the main hub for Mexico 's largest airline Aeroméxico ( with Aeroméxico Connect ) , the airport has become a SkyTeam hub . It is also a hub for Aeromar , Interjet , Volaris , and a focus city for VivaAerobus . On a typical day , more than 100,000 passengers pass through the airport to and from more than 100 destinations on four continents . In 2018 , the airport handled 47,700,547 passengers , a 6.6% increase compared to 2017 . Operating near the limits of its capacity , calls for replacing the airport were announced in September 2014 , with the proposed location to be built 16 kilometres ( 9.9 mi ) north-northeast of the current airport , east of Ecatepec . In January 2019 , construction of the new airport was cancelled .
Mexico City , or the City of Mexico ( Spanish : Ciudad de México , American Spanish : [ sjuˈða ( ð ) ðe ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; abbreviated as CDMX , Nahuatl languages : Āltepētl Mēxihco ) , is one of the 32 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico and the capital of Mexico and the most populous city in North America . It is one of the most important cultural and financial centres in the world . It is located in the Valley of Mexico ( Valle de México ) , a large valley in the high plateaus in the center of Mexico , at an altitude of 2,240 meters ( 7,350 ft ) . The city has 16 alcaldías , formerly known as boroughs . The 2009 population for the city proper was approximately 8.84 million people , with a land area of 1,485 square kilometers ( 573 sq mi ) . According to the most recent definition agreed upon by the federal and state governments , the population of Greater Mexico City is 21.3 million , which makes it the second largest metropolitan area of the Western Hemisphere , the eleventh-largest agglomeration ( 2017 ) , and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world . Greater Mexico City has a GDP of $ 411 billion in 2011 , making Greater Mexico City one of the most productive urban areas in the world . The city was responsible for generating 15.8% of Mexico 's GDP , and the metropolitan area accounted for about 22% of total national GDP . If it were an independent country , in 2013 , Mexico City would be the fifth-largest economy in Latin America , five times as large as Costa Rica and about the same size as Peru . Mexico 's capital is both the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of two founded by indigenous people , the other being Quito , Ecuador . The city was originally built on an island of Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlan , which was almost completely destroyed in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan and subsequently redesigned and rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards . In 1524 , the municipality of Mexico City was established , known as México Tenochtitlán , and as of 1585 , it was officially known as Ciudad de México ( Mexico City ) .
São Paulo/Guarulhos-Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport ( IATA : GRU , ICAO : SBGR ) , often referred to as GRU Airport , or simply GRU , is the primary international airport serving São Paulo . It is popularly known locally as either Cumbica Airport , after the district where it is located and the Brazilian Air Force base that still exists at the airport complex , or Guarulhos Airport , after the municipality of Guarulhos , in the São Paulo metropolitan area , where it is located . Since November 28 , 2001 the airport has been named after André Franco Montoro ( 1916-1999 ) , former Governor of São Paulo state . The airport was rebranded as GRU Airport in 2012 . In Brazil the airport was ranked first in terms of transported passengers , aircraft operations , and cargo handled in 2012 , placing it as the second busiest airport in Latin America by passenger traffic ( 36,596,326 in 2016 ) after Mexico City International Airport . Guarulhos has slot restrictions , operating with a maximum of 45 operations/hour and being one of the five airports with such restrictions in Brazil ( the others are São Paulo-Congonhas , Brasília , Belo Horizonte-Pampulha and Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont ) . Since 2012 , the airport has been operated by a consortium composed of Invepar S/A , Airports Company South Africa , and Infraero . Some of its facilities are shared with the São Paulo Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force .
São Paulo ( /ˌsaʊ ˈpaʊloʊ/ ; Portuguese pronunciation : [ sɐ̃w̃ ˈpawlu ] ( listen ) ) is a municipality in the Southeast Region of Brazil . The metropolis is an alpha global city ( as listed by the GaWC ) and the most populous city in Brazil , the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere , besides being the largest Portuguese-speaking city in the world . The municipality is also the world 's 12th largest city proper by population . The city is the capital of the surrounding state of São Paulo , the most populous and wealthiest state in Brazil . It exerts strong international influences in commerce , finance , arts and entertainment . The name of the city honors the Apostle , Saint Paul of Tarsus . The city 's metropolitan area , the Greater São Paulo , ranks as the most populous in Brazil and the 12th most populous on Earth . The process of conurbation between the metropolitan areas located around the Greater São Paulo ( Campinas , Santos , Sorocaba and the Paraíba Valley ) created the São Paulo Macrometropolis , a megalopolis with more than 30 million inhabitants , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . Having the largest economy by GDP in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere , the city is home to the São Paulo Stock Exchange . Paulista Avenue is the economic core of São Paulo . The city has the 11th largest GDP in the world , representing alone 10.7% of all Brazilian GDP and 36% of the production of goods and services in the state of São Paulo , being home to 63% of established multinationals in Brazil , and has been responsible for 28% of the national scientific production in 2005 . The metropolis is also home to several of the tallest skyscrapers in Brazil , including the Mirante do Vale , Edifício Itália , Banespa , North Tower and many others .
São Paulo/Congonhas-Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport ( IATA : CGH , ICAO : SBSP ) Portuguese pronunciation : [ kõˈɡõɲɐs ] is one of the four commercial airports serving São Paulo , Brazil . The airport is named after the neighborhood where it is located , formerly called Vila Congonhas , property of the descendants of Lucas Antônio Monteiro de Barros ( 1767-1851 ) , Viscount of Congonhas do Campo , first president of the Province of São Paulo after the independence of Brazil in 1822 , during the Empire . In turn , the Viscount 's domain was named after the plural of a shrub known in Brazil as congonha-do-campo ( Luxemburgia polyandra , of the Ochnaceae family ) . Since June 19 , 2017 it is officially named after Deputy Freitas Nobre . The name Congonhas however remains mostly used . It is owned by the City of São Paulo , but operated by Infraero . Congonhas has slot restrictions operating with a maximum of 30 operations/hour , being one of the five airports with such restrictions in Brazil . The central hall of the passenger terminal is considered one of the most outstanding examples of modern architecture in São Paulo . However , modernizing and enlargement work has been conducted at the terminal from 2003 onwards , while trying to preserve the look of the older , historic section . Today the main terminal has 51,535 m2 ( 554,718 sq.ft ) of space .
El Dorado International Airport ( IATA : BOG , ICAO : SKBO ) is an international airport serving Bogotá , Colombia and its surrounding areas . The airport is located mostly in the Fontibón district of Bogotá , although it partially extends into the Engativá district and the municipality of Funza in the Western Savanna Province of the Cundinamarca Department . In 2018 , it served over 32.7 million passengers and 741,000 metric tons of cargo . This makes El Dorado the third busiest airport in Latin America in terms of passenger traffic , and the busiest in terms of cargo . El Dorado is also by far the busiest and most important airport in Colombia , accounting for just under half ( 49% ) of the country 's air traffic . El Dorado is a hub for the Colombian flag-carrier Avianca , LATAM Colombia , Satena , Wingo , and a number of cargo companies . It is owned by the Government of Colombia and operated by Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional ( OPAIN ) , a consortium composed of Colombian construction and engineering firms and the Swiss company Flughafen Zürich AG , the company that operates Zurich International Airport . The airport has been named the best airport in South America by World Airport Awards . El Dorado received four-star certification and its staff was rated the best in South America by Skytrax , as well as achieving 42nd place in Skytrax 's World 's Top 100 Airports in 2017 .
Bogotá ( /ˌboʊɡəˈtɑː/ , also UK : /ˌbɒɡ-/ , US : /ˈboʊɡətɑː/ , Spanish : [ boɣoˈta ] ( listen ) ) , officially Bogotá , Distrito Capital , abbreviated Bogotá , D.C. , and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá between 1991 and 2000 , is the capital and largest city of Colombia , administered as the Capital District , as well as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca . Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order , with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia . It is the political , economic , administrative and industrial center of the country . Bogotá was founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada on August 6 , 1538 , by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada after a harsh expedition into the Andes conquering the Muisca . The Muisca were the indigenous inhabitants of the region , and they called the place of the foundation Thybzaca or Old Town . The name of Bogotá corresponds to the Spanish pronunciation of the Muisca Bacatá ( or Mueketá ) which was the name of a neighboring settlement located between the modern towns of Funza and Cota . There are different opinions about the meaning of the word Bacatá , the most accepted being that it means walling of the farmland in the Chibcha language . Another popular translation argues that it means The Lady of the Andes . Further , the word 'Andes ' in the Aymara language means shining mountain , thus rendering the full lexical signification of Bogotá as The Lady of the shining mountain ( notice , however , that the language of the Muisca people was not Aymara but Chibcha ) . Others suggest that Bacatá was the name of the Muisca cacique who governed the land before the Spaniards arrived . Jiménez de Quesada gave the settlement the name of Our Lady of Hope but the Spanish crown gave it the name of Santafé ( Holy Faith ) in 1540 when it was appointed as a city . Santafé became the seat of the government of the Spanish Royal Audiencia of the New Kingdom of Granada ( created in 1550 ) , and then after 1717 it was the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada .
Cancún International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancún ) ( IATA : CUN , ICAO : MMUN ) is located in Cancún , Quintana Roo , on the Caribbean coast of Mexico 's Yucatán Peninsula . It is Latin America 's fourth and Mexico 's second busiest airport , after Mexico City International Airport . In 2019 , Cancún airport handled 25,481,989 passengers , a 1.1% increase compared to 2018 . It has two parallel operative runways that can be used simultaneously . The airport was officially opened in 1974 . The airport is operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste ( ASUR ) . It is a hub for MAYAir and focus city for Interjet , VivaAerobus , and Volaris ; and currently offers flights to over 20 destinations in Mexico and to over 30 countries in North , Central , South America and Europe .
Cancún ( /kænˈkuːn/ or /kɑːn-/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ kaŋˈkun ] pronunciation ( help·info ) ) is a city in southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo . It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat of the municipality of Benito Juárez . The city is on the Caribbean Sea and is one of Mexico 's easternmost points . Cancún is just north of Mexico 's Caribbean coast resort band known as the Riviera Maya . In older English-language documents , the citys name is sometimes spelled Cancoon , an attempt to convey the sound of the name .
Rio de Janeiro-Antonio Carlos Jobim/Galeão International Airport ( IATA : GIG , ICAO : SBGL ) , popularly known by its original name Galeão International Airport , is the main airport serving Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . It is the country 's second-busiest international airport . It is named after Praia do Galeão ( Galleon Beach ) , located in front of the original passenger terminal ( the present passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force ) and where in 1663 the galleon Padre Eterno was built ; and since January 5 , 1999 also after the Brazilian musician Antonio Carlos Jobim . Galeão Airport is explicitly mentioned in his composition Samba do avião . It is the largest airport site in terms of area in Brazil . Since August 12 , 2014 it has been operated by the concessionary Rio Galeão , a consortium formed by the Brazilian investor Odebrecht and Changi Airport Group , with a minority participation of the government owned company Infraero , the previous operator . The new concessionary has been using the brand name RIOgaleão - Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim . Some of its facilities are shared with the Galeão Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force .
Rio de Janeiro ( /ˈriːoʊ di ʒəˈnɛəroʊ , - deɪ - , - də -/ ; Portuguese : [ ˈhi.u d ( ʒi ) ʒɐˈne ( j ) ɾu ] ( listen ) ; River of January ) , or simply Rio , is anchor to the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area and the second-most populous municipality in Brazil and the sixth-most populous in the Americas . Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro , Brazil 's third-most populous state . Part of the city has been designated as a World Heritage Site , named Rio de Janeiro : Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea , by UNESCO on 1 July 2012 as a Cultural Landscape . Founded in 1565 by the Portuguese , the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro , a domain of the Portuguese Empire . Later , in 1763 , it became the capital of the State of Brazil , a state of the Portuguese Empire . In 1808 , when the Portuguese Royal Court transferred itself from Portugal to Brazil , Rio de Janeiro became the chosen seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal , who subsequently , in 1815 , under the leadership of her son , the Prince Regent , and future King João VI of Portugal , raised Brazil to the dignity of a kingdom , within the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil , and Algarves . Rio stayed the capital of the pluricontinental Lusitanian monarchy until 1822 , when the War of Brazilian Independence began . This is one of the few instances in history that the capital of a colonising country officially shifted to a city in one of its colonies . Rio de Janeiro subsequently served as the capital of the independent monarchy , the Empire of Brazil , until 1889 , and then the capital of a republican Brazil until 1960 when the capital was transferred to Brasília . Rio de Janeiro has the second largest municipal GDP in the country , and 30th largest in the world in 2008 , estimated at about R $ 343 billion ( nearly US $ 201 billion ) . It is headquarters to Brazilian oil , mining , and telecommunications companies , including two of the country 's major corporations - Petrobras and Vale - and Latin America 's largest telemedia conglomerate , Grupo Globo . The home of many universities and institutes , it is the second-largest center of research and development in Brazil , accounting for 17% of national scientific output according to 2005 data .
Brasília-Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport ( IATA : BSB , ICAO : SBBR ) is the only international airport serving Brasília . The airport was named after Juscelino Kubitschek ( 1902-1976 ) , the 21st President of Brazil . It is located in the administrative region of Lago Sul , in the Federal District . Some of its facilities are shared with the Brazilian Air Force . It is operated by Inframerica .
Brasília ( /brəˈzɪliə/ , Portuguese : [ bɾaˈziljɐ ] ) is the federal capital of Brazil and seat of government of the Federal District . The city is located atop the Brazilian highlands in the country 's center-western region . It was founded on April 21 , 1960 , to serve as the new national capital . Brasília is estimated to be Brazil 's third-most populous city . Among major Latin American cities , it has the highest GDP per capita . Brasília was planned and developed by Lúcio Costa , Oscar Niemeyer and Joaquim Cardozo in 1956 in a scheme to move the capital from Rio de Janeiro to a more central location . The landscape architect was Roberto Burle Marx . The city 's design divides it into numbered blocks as well as sectors for specified activities , such as the Hotel Sector , the Banking Sector , and the Embassy Sector . Brasília was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its modernist architecture and uniquely artistic urban planning . It was named City of Design by UNESCO in October 2017 and has been part of the Creative Cities Network since then . All three branches of Brazil 's federal government are centered in the city : executive , legislative and judiciary . Brasília also hosts 124 foreign embassies .
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport ( IATA : SJU , ICAO : TJSJ , FAA LID : SJU ) ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín , also known as Isla Verde International Airport/Aeropuerto Internacional de Isla Verde ) is a joint civil-military international airport named for Puerto Rico 's first democratically elected governor and located in suburban Carolina , Puerto Rico , three miles ( five kilometres ) southeast of San Juan . It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean region by passenger traffic . Over 4 million passengers board a plane at the airport per year according to the Federal Aviation Administration . The airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings , a public-private partnership which was awarded a lease by the government of Puerto Rico to operate and manage the airport for 40 years beginning in 2013 . SJU is the second international airport to be privatized in the United States or its territories , and , as of 2013 , is the only currently privatized airport in the nation . Taxis and rental cars can transport travelers to and from the airport . The airport serves as a gateway to the Caribbean islands . SJU covers 1,600 acres ( 647 ha ) of land .
San Juan ( /ˌsæn ˈhwɑːn/ , Spanish : [ saŋ ˈxwan ] ; Saint John ) is the capital and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , an unincorporated territory of the United States . As of the 2010 census , it is the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of the United States , with a population of 395,326 . San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521 , who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico ( Rich Port City ) . Puerto Rico 's capital is the third oldest European-established capital city in the Americas , after Santo Domingo , in the Dominican Republic , founded in 1496 and Panama City , in Panama , founded in 1519 . Several historical buildings are located in San Juan ; among the most notable are the city 's former defensive forts , Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal , and La Fortaleza , the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas . Today , San Juan is Puerto Rico 's most important seaport and is the island 's manufacturing , [ citation needed ] financial , cultural , and tourism center . The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area , including San Juan and the municipalities of Bayamón , Guaynabo , Cataño , Canóvanas , Caguas , Toa Alta , Toa Baja , Carolina and Trujillo Alto , is about 2.6 million inhabitants ; thus , about 80% of the population of Puerto Rico now lives and works in this area . San Juan is also a principal city of the San Juan-Caguas-Fajardo Combined Statistical Area . The city has been the host of events within the sports community , including the 1979 Pan American Games ; 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games ; events of the 2006 , 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics ; the Caribbean Series and the Special Olympics and MLB San Juan Series in 2010 . The damage caused in 2017 by Hurricane Maria was extensive . Significant progress had been made in the capital by April 2019 , and particularly by October 2019 . This was significant for tourism , which had rebounded by October of that year and was close to the pre-Maria era .
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Merino Benítez ) ( IATA : SCL , ICAO : SCEL ) , also known as Santiago International Airport and Nuevo Pudahuel Airport , located in Pudahuel , 15 km ( 9.3 mi ) north-west of downtown Santiago , is Chile 's largest aviation facility and the busiest international airport in the country . Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport has domestic and international services to destinations in Europe , Oceania , Asia and the Americas . In 2011 it was the ninth busiest airport in Latin America and the sixth busiest in South America by passenger traffic . It was the seventh busiest airport in Latin America by aircraft movements , serving 124,799 operations . Its location in Chile 's most populated area , as well as in the central part of the country makes of it an ideal main hub and maintenance center for most local airlines such as LATAM and Sky Airline . LATAM Airlines accounts for approximately 82% of the airport 's total commercial operations . The airport is owned by the Chilean government and has been operated since October 2015 by Nuevo Pudahuel , a consortium of companies formed by Aéroports de Paris ( France ) , Vinci ( France ) and Astaldi ( Italy ) . Air traffic control is handled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation . Its ICAO category is 4F . The airport functions as a joint civil-military facility . It is the headquarters of the Chilean Air Force 2nd Air Brigade and where its 10th Aviation Group is based . Santiago International is the longest non-stop destination for most European carriers including Iberia , Air France , Alitalia and British Airways from their respective hubs in Madrid-Barajas Airport , Paris-Charles de Gaulle , Rome-Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport and London-Heathrow Airport .
Santiago ( /ˌsɒntiˈɑːɡoʊ/ /ˌsæntiˈɑːɡoʊ/ , Spanish : [ sanˈtjaɣo ] , derived from Saint-James ) , also known as Santiago de Chile , is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas . It is the center of Chile 's largest and most densely populated conurbation , the Santiago Metropolitan Region , whose total population is 7 million . The city is entirely located in the country 's central valley . Most of the city lies between 500 m ( 1,640 ft ) and 650 m ( 2,133 ft ) above mean sea level . Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia , Santiago has been the capital city of Chile since colonial times . The city has a downtown core of 19th-century neoclassical architecture and winding side-streets , dotted by art deco , neo-gothic , and other styles . Santiago 's cityscape is shaped by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River , lined by parks such as Parque Forestal . The Andes Mountains can be seen from most points in the city . These mountains contribute to a considerable smog problem , particularly during winter . The city outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and Santiago is within an hour of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean . Santiago is the cultural , political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations . The Chilean executive and judiciary are located in Santiago , but Congress meets mostly in nearby Valparaíso .
Simón Bolívar International Airport or Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport ( IATA : CCS , ICAO : SVMI , Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetia Simón Bolívar ) is an international airport located in Maiquetía , Vargas , Venezuela about 21 kilometres ( 13 mi ) from downtown Caracas , the capital of the country . Simply called Maiquetía by the local population , it is the main international air passenger gateway to Venezuela . It handles flights to destinations in the Americas , Europe and the Middle East .
Maiquetía is a city located in the Central Region of Venezuela , in the state of Vargas . It is at approximately 19 m above sea level on a small shelf between the Caribbean and the mountains behind it . Caracas , the Venezuelan capital , is approximately 37 km to the southeast . Maiquetía is mainly a commercial center . The historic center has many narrow streets lined with stores and a market . The main road in this part of the city is the Avenida Carlos Soublette . The recent geopolitical divisions in Vargas makes Maiquetía no longer include the Simón Bolívar International Airport , the most important one in the country and the commercial airport serving Caracas . Conviasa , the Venezuelan flag carrier airline , is headquartered in the city . Even though the airport is now in the state of Vargas , it has kept the name Maiquetía , which cause some confusion among locals and foreigners alike . The city forms a conurbation with La Guaira with which it is linked via Avenida Soublette . Given its proximity to Caracas and seafront location , it offers an optimal location for some hotels . Maiquetía suffered the devastating effects of torrential rains and mudslides during the 1999 Vargas tragedy .
Jorge Chávez International Airport , ( Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez ) , is Peru 's main international and domestic airport . It is located in Callao , 11 kilometers ( 7 mi ) from Lima , the nation 's capital city and 17 km ( 11 mi ) from Miraflores . During 2017 , the airport served 22,025,704 passengers . Historically , the airport was the hub for Compañía de Aviación Faucett and Aeroperú . Now it serves as a hub for many aviation companies . The airport was named after Peruvian aviator Jorge Chávez ( 1887 - 1910 ) .
Lima ( /ˈliːmə/ , Spanish pronunciation : [ ˈlima ] ; Quechua : Limaq ) is the capital and the largest city of Peru . It is located in the valleys of the Chillón , Rímac and Lurín rivers , in the central coastal part of the country , overlooking the Pacific Ocean . Together with the seaport of Callao , it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima Metropolitan Area . With a population of more than 9 million , Lima is the most populous metropolitan area of Peru and the third-largest city in the Americas ( as defined by city proper ) , behind São Paulo and Mexico City . Lima was named by natives in the agricultural region known by native Peruvians as Limaq , a name that it had acquired over time . It became the capital and most important city in the Viceroyalty of Peru . Following the Peruvian War of Independence , it became the capital of the Republic of Peru ( República del Perú ) . Around one-third of the national population lives in the metropolitan area . Lima is home to one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the New World . The National University of San Marcos , founded on 12 May 1551 , during the Spanish colonial empire , is the first officially established and the oldest continuously functioning university in the Americas . Nowadays the city is considered as the political , cultural , financial and commercial center of the country . Internationally , it is one of the thirty most populated urban agglomerations in the world .
Ministro Pistarini International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini ) ( IATA : EZE , ICAO : SAEZ ) , but better known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location in the Ezeiza Partido in Greater Buenos Aires , is an international airport 22 kilometres ( 14 mi ) south-southwest of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires , the capital city of Argentina . It is the country 's largest international airport by number of passengers handled - 85% of international traffic - and is a hub for international flights of Aerolíneas Argentinas and LATAM Argentina . Aerolíneas Argentinas and its subsidiary Austral Líneas Aereas do operate limited domestic or cabotaje air service from Pistarini Airport as well . Covering 3,475 hectares ( 13.42 sq mi ; 8,590 acres ) , the airport serves Buenos Aires and its metropolitan area . It has been operated by Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 S.A. since 1998 . It is one of three airports serving Buenos Aires , along with Aeroparque Jorge Newbery and El Palomar Airport .
Buenos Aires ( /ˌbweɪnəs ˈɛəriːz/ or /-ˈaɪrɪs/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ ˈbwenos ˈaiɾes ] ) is the capital and largest city of Argentina . The city is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata , on the South American continent 's southeastern coast . Buenos Aires can be translated as fair winds or good airs , but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century , by the use of the original name Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre , named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia . The Greater Buenos Aires conurbation , which also includes several Buenos Aires Province districts , constitutes the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas , with a population of around 15.6 million . The city of Buenos Aires is neither part of Buenos Aires Province nor the Province 's capital ; rather , it is an autonomous district . In 1880 , after decades of political infighting , Buenos Aires was federalized and removed from Buenos Aires Province . The city limits were enlarged to include the towns of Belgrano and Flores ; both are now neighborhoods of the city . The 1994 constitutional amendment granted the city autonomy , hence its formal name of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires ; CABA ) . Its citizens first elected a chief of government ( i.e . mayor ) in 1996 ; previously , the mayor was directly appointed by the President of the Republic . Buenos Aires ' quality of life was ranked 91st in the world in 2018 , being one of the best in Latin America . In 2012 , it was the most visited city in South America , and the second-most visited city of Latin America ( behind Mexico City ) .
Guadalajara International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara ) , officially known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla ) ( IATA : GDL , ICAO : MMGL ) , is the main airport of Mexico 's second-largest city Guadalajara . Opened in 1966 , it is located 16 km south of the city center . In 2018 it handled 14,351,800 passengers , and 14,846,300 in 2019 , an increase of 12.05% . It is Latin America 's tenth and Mexico 's third-busiest airport , after Mexico City International Airport and Cancún International Airport and second-busiest for cargo flights . Guadalajara 's International Airport consists of two runways and one terminal . It is also a major airport for connections , being a hub for Volaris , for which it is a primary gateway to the United States , and as well Aeroméxico . It is also a focus city for Interjet , and VivaAerobus . Flights are offered to destinations within Mexico and to Central America and the United States . The airport is named for Miguel Hidalgo , who began the war that brought Mexican independence from Spain . He has been called the father of Mexican independence . In 2020 , it was announced that the Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico group have invested around $ 14 billion pesos to build a new runway and terminal building , along with new facilities and improvements such as an expanded parking lot , a hotel , office block , and a solar-powered plant . Additionally , the airport aims to expand services to the United States as well as Europe .
Guadalajara ( /ˌɡwɑːdələˈhɑːrə/ , Spanish : [ ɡwaðalaˈxaɾa ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Jalisco , and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara . The city is in the central region of Jalisco in the Western-Pacific area of Mexico . With a population of 1,460,148 inhabitants , it is Mexico 's second most populous municipality . The Guadalajara metropolitan area has a reported population of 5,002,466 inhabitants , making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Mexico , behind Mexico City . The municipality is the second most densely populated in Mexico , the first being Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl in the State of Mexico . It is a strong business and economic center in the Bajío region . Guadalajara is the tenth-largest Latin American city in population , urban area and gross domestic product . The city 's economy is based on services and industry , especially information technology , with many international firms having regional offices and manufacturing facilities in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area , and several domestic IT companies headquartered in the city . Other , more traditional industries , such as shoes , textiles and food processing are also important contributing factors . Guadalajara is a major Mexican cultural center , as it is considered by most to be the home of the famous mariachi genre of music , and plays host to a number of large-scale cultural events such as the Guadalajara International Film Festival , the Guadalajara International Book Fair , and other globally renowned cultural events which draw international crowds . It is home to C.D . Guadalajara , one of the most popular football clubs in Mexico .
Monterrey International Airport , ( Spanish : Aeropuerto Internacional de Monterrey , IATA : MTY , ICAO : MMMY ) , ceremonial name General Mariano Escobedo International Airport , is an international airport located in Apodaca , Nuevo León , Mexico . Together with Del Norte International Airport , the airport handles domestic and international operations for the city of Monterrey and its metropolitan area . There are almost 300 daily flights to more than 35 destinations in Mexico and the United States . It is the country 's fourth busiest airport and is the busiest in northern Mexico . Only Mexico City , Cancún , and Guadalajara serve more passengers per year than Monterrey International Airport . The airport serves as a hub for Aeroméxico , Magnicharters , and VivaAerobus , and a focus city for Interjet and Volaris . Airport terminals were renovated and expanded in 2003 and 2007 . It 's also one of the fastest growing airports in Mexico and among the Top 15 in Latin America : in 2018 , the airport handled 10,733,186 passengers , and in 2019 it handled 11,176,555 passengers .
Monterrey ( /ˌmɒntəˈreɪ/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ monteˈrei ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León , Mexico . The city is anchor to the Monterrey metropolitan area , the second most productive in Mexico with a GDP ( PPP ) of US $ 123 billion , and the third largest with an estimated population of 4,689,601 people as of 2015 . Monterrey is also considered the city with the best quality of life in the country [ citation needed ] , and serves as a commercial center of northern Mexico and is the base of many significant international corporations . Its purchasing power parity-adjusted GDP per capita is considerably higher than the rest of Mexico 's at around US $ 35,500 , compared to the country 's US $ 18,800 . It is considered a Beta World City , cosmopolitan and competitive . Rich in history and culture , it is one of the most developed cities in Mexico . As an important industrial and business center , the city is also home to many Mexican companies , including Grupo Avante , Lanix Electronics , Ocresa , CEMEX , Vitro , OXXO , FEMSA , DINA S.A. , Gamesa , Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery , and Grupo ALFA . Monterrey is also home to international companies such as Cognizant , Siemens , Accenture , MSCI , Ternium , Sony , Toshiba , Carrier , Whirlpool , Samsung , Toyota , Babcock & Wilcox , Daewoo , British American Tobacco , Nokia , Dell , Boeing , HTC , General Electric , Johnson Controls , LG , SAS Institute , Grundfos , Danfoss , Qualfon and Teleperformance , among others . Monterrey is in northeastern Mexico , at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental . The uninterrupted settlement of Monterrey was founded by Diego de Montemayor in 1596 . In the years after the Mexican War of Independence , Monterrey became an important business center . With the establishment of Fundidora Monterrey , the city has experienced great industrial growth .
Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport ( IATA : SSA , ICAO : SBSV ) , formerly called Dois de Julho International Airport is the airport serving Salvador , Brazil . Since 16 June 1998 the airport is named after Luís Eduardo Maron Magalhães ( 1955-1998 ) , an influential politician of the state of Bahia . It is operated by Vinci SA . Some of its facilities are shared with the Salvador Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force .
Salvador ( English : Savior ) , also known as São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos ( English : Holy Savior of the Bay of All Saints ) , is the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia . With 2.9 million people ( 2017 ) , it is the largest city proper in the Northeast Region and the 4th largest city proper in the country , after São Paulo , Rio de Janeiro and Brasília . Founded by the Portuguese in 1549 as the first capital of Brazil , Salvador is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas . A sharp escarpment divides its Lower Town ( Cidade Baixa ) from its Upper Town ( Cidade Alta ) by some 85 meters ( 279 ft ) . The Elevador Lacerda , Brazil 's first urban elevator , has connected the two since 1873 . The Pelourinho district of the upper town , still home to many examples of Portuguese colonial architecture and historical monuments , was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 . The city 's cathedral is the see of the primate of Brazil and its Carnival celebration has been reckoned as the largest party in the world . Salvador was one of the first slave ports in the Americas and the African influence of the slaves ' descendants makes it a center of Afro-Brazilian ( negro ) culture . The city is noted for its cuisine , music , dance and architecture . Porto da Barra Beach in Barra has been named one of the best beaches in the world . Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova was the site of the city 's games during the 2014 Brazilian World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup . Salvador forms the heart of the Recôncavo , Bahia 's rich agricultural and industrial maritime district , and continues to be a major Brazilian port .