History El Salvador International Airport

The airport was built in the late 1970s to replace its predecessor, Ilopango International Airport, which is now used for regional, air taxi, military, and charter aviation. The airport was built on the initiative and request of the then President, Colonel Arturo Armando Molina. Funding for this project was provided through the Government of Japan, Engineering and building came under the direction of Hazama Ando (then Hazama Gumi). The electrical work for all lighting and communications was completed by Toshiba (then Tokyo Shibaura Electric). The Airport entered in operation on 31 January 1980 as Cuscatlán International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Cuscatlán), with its first flight being a TACA airliner bound for Guatemala City.

On 16 January 2014, El Salvador President Mauricio Funes announced in San Salvador's Presidential House the naming of El Salvador International Airport after Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, but it is still commonly known as El Salvador International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de El Salvador). The Legislature of El Salvador approved the name change on 19 March 2014, without the vote of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) or the National Coalition Party (PCN), to Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport. On 24 March 2014, Funes unveiled a ceremonial plaque to mark the official renaming. The airport was renamed to Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport on 29 October 2018 by the Commission of Culture and Education after Romero was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church on 14 October of the same year.

Airport infrastructure El Salvador International Airport

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New terminal El Salvador International Airport

When the airport was built, it originally had only 7 gates. It was designed to handle around 400,000 passengers a year, but the high increase of passengers in the last 15 years brought the airport to its maximum capacity. The airport has had two main expansions in the last decade or so. In its first phase (named AIES I), the airport grew from 7 boarding gates to 12, and later the second phase, AIES II, added 5 more gates bringing the total to 17. Along with new gates, new expanded passenger waiting areas were built. Even though all these expansions have been made, the airport once again has reached the peak of its capacity, handling over 2 million passengers in 2006. In February 2022, a brand new terminal building was inaugurated with five gates and the first gate with double boarding jetways in the airport. The new terminal building segregates arriving passengers, connecting, and departing passengers.

The airport has a main runway (07/25) 3,200 m × 45 m (10,499 ft × 148 ft), with an effective running surface of 45 m (148 ft) and 7.5 m (25 ft) shoulders. Parallel to the main track andthe same length as this, is the taxiway Alpha, which is connected to the track through six starts. For the use of small aircraft, there is also a secondary runway (18/36), 800 m × 23 m (2,625 ft × 75 ft), which is currently used for parking of "long life" for aircraft that require it.

The platform of Passenger Terminal 1 Building has fourteen aircraft parking positions with respective boarding bridges, which connect the aircraft directly to the waiting rooms. The platform of Passenger Terminal 2 Building has five aircraft parking positions with their respective boarding bridges. One of the positions has double boarding bridges for widebody aircraft. Three remaining positions are "remote", i.e., passengers who disembark at any of them are transferred to the terminal through aerobuses. The remote gates are used mostly by turboprop aircraft. The runway is capable of handling landings and takeoffs by Boeing 747 and Boeing 777 aircraft. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen made an official diplomatic tour of Central America in an Eva Air B777-300ER aircraft.

The platform of the Cargo Terminal Building (ETC) has three positions for cargo aircraft parking, and also has a platform for the maintenance of five aircraft if required, just in front of hangars Aeromantenimiento (AEROMAN), a modern repairs workshop. The ETC has a total built area, comprising warehouses and offices, of 10,286 m2 (110,720 sq ft).

There is Wi-Fi availability throughout much of the airport via Tigo El Salvador. Near Gate 3, a café called "The Coffee Cup" has free Wi-Fi for all customers.

Shops & restaurants El Salvador International Airport

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Airport passengers can make purchases from a wide range of duty-free shopping, including clothing, perfume, and spirits. There are also a variety of craft shops and restaurants. Other services include twelve car rental companies. Hotel chains such as Marriott International, Radisson, InterContinental, Hilton, Terrace, and Comfort offer representative and check-in desks at the airport.