El Salvador International Airport, San Óscar Arnulfo Romero, has surpassed the passenger figures recorded in 2022, marking a significant milestone with still two months to go before the end of 2023. The news was reported yesterday on social media by the Executive Autonomous Port Commission (CEPA).

Between January 1st and October 29th, the airport has welcomed more than 3.6 million passengers, including arrivals, departures, and connections. This exceeds the 3.4 million travelers who passed through the airport during the entire year of 2022, representing a remarkable 29% increase compared to the previous year, as stated by the institution.

¡Ya superamos el total de pasajeros atendidos en el 2022! 🎉🇸🇻✈️

A este día, en el Aeropuerto Internacional de El Salvador hemos atendido a más de 3.6 millones de pasajeros de llegada, salida y conexión, superando los más de 3.4 millones de viajeros que se movilizaron por… pic.twitter.com/Mza9C0Q8rA

— CEPA (@CEPASV) October 31, 2023

The surge in the number of tourists, investors, and Salvadoran expatriates arriving at the airport demonstrates the international interest in exploring the country’s tourist destinations. This achievement is the result of President Nayib Bukele’s strategies to position the nation on a global scale as an ideal destination for visiting, investing, and living, as declared by the institution.

Flight operations also show positive figures in comparison to the previous year. Between January 1st and October 29th, a total of 33,976 passenger flight operations were handled, indicating an 18% increase compared to the same period in 2022.

Federico Anliker, President of CEPA, recently pointed out that this dynamism coincides with the start of the holiday season, which represents an increase in the number of people entering the country, primarily through the El Salvador International Airport.

These passenger figures bring a sense of encouragement to the port administration, as they signal a sustained recovery compared to the historical numbers of 2019. In 2019, the airport saw 3.7 million passengers, but this number plummeted to 1.08 million in 2020 due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel.

However, 2021 showed a clear recovery, particularly with the return of tourists, with 2.5 million travelers recorded. In 2022, the numbers reached 3.4 million passengers. The current data indicates a rapid recovery, with only 300,000 more passengers needed to equal the 2019 figures.