In President Bukele’s first term, he announced plans to build a new airport to accommodate the
tourism boom that El Salvador would experience. In 2024, El Salvador saw a 17% increase in
tourism, with 3.9 million international visitors. This was a significant increase from 2023 (source:
Invest in El Salvador)

For decades, the eastern region of El Salvador was ignored by previous Governments and few
investment dollars were allocated to improving local infrastructure and the economy. One of the
most notable positive impacts of building the Pacific Airport will be tourism development in the
area, job creation and connectivity to international markets.

The construction of the airport has been financed with a $320 million USD loan from the
Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), a contribution of $16.4 million
USD from the Government of Spain and $50 million USD of its own funds from CEPA
(Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA)).

Construction of the airport will take place in 3 phases. The first phase will be completed and
operational by 2027. Bukele also reported that Avianca, a leading airline in Latin America will be
the first airline to land at the future airport. Avianca is Colombia’s largest airline, the 2 nd largest in
South America and connects to several major cities with flights to Argentina, Brazil, Canada,
Mexico and the USA.

Furthermore, phase 1 will include the construction of the first terminal with 10 passenger gates.
CEPA’s projections estimate that the new airport will generate approximately 5,000 jobs in its
first year of operation, greatly benefiting the local economy. During the construction phase it is
estimated that over 20,000 jobs will be created.

The Pacific Airport will become a regional aviation hub with the prospect of attracting airlines
offering connections to Europe and Asia. The Pacific Airport is a key logistical project that
Bukele announced in his first term and is projected to have a transformative impact on the
neglected eastern region of El Salvador.