El Salvador’s air exports saw a 7.2% year-on-year increase in January, according to the latest report from the Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma (CEPA), released in late February. The data shows that 1.4 million kilograms of goods were exported via the San Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport, marking an increase of 99,359 kilograms compared to the 1.3 million recorded in the same period of 2024.
This terminal was the only one handling cargo operations in January, as the Ilopango International Airport focused exclusively on servicing 830 passengers and 6,188 aircraft movements. The figure represents the highest January export volume recorded since 2021, when shipments peaked at 2.2 million kilograms.
CEPA’s historical reports indicate that exports from the main airport dropped from 2.2 million kilograms in 2021 to 1.3 million in 2022. Shipments then declined further to 1 million kilograms in 2023 before rebounding to 1.3 million in 2024, showing signs of recovery.
Jorge Arriaza, president of the Salvadoran Association of Industrialists, stated in February that electronics companies are the primary users of air cargo services. He pointed out that air freight is generally more expensive compared to land or sea transport.
“There needs to be an analysis of whether the cost is higher via air or at the port, considering the current conditions at the port,” Arriaza said, referring to the congestion at the Port of Acajutla in Sonsonate. He also emphasized that certain raw materials, such as bulk commodities and construction materials like iron, cannot be transported by air.
While exports showed steady growth, imports surged at a much higher rate. CEPA’s report indicates that air imports rose by 29.7% in January, climbing from 1.1 million kilograms in 2024 to 1.5 million in 2025.
In terms of passenger movement, CEPA confirmed a slight increase of 0.2% compared to January of the previous year. A total of 493,677 travelers passed through the country’s main airport in the first month of 2025, up from 492,776 in 2024. Among them, 206,171 passengers departed, 183,944 arrived, and 99,443 were classified as transiting through the airport. Additionally, 4,119 passengers were identified as in transit by CEPA.
These figures highlight the growing role of air transport in El Salvador’s trade landscape, despite ongoing challenges in cost and logistics.