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Guatemala City Airport, formally known as La Aurora International Airport, is the primary airport serving Guatemala. The airport is located 25km from Antigua Guatemala and is owned by the Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda and managed by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil. La Aurora International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Central America in terms of passenger traffic. The airport has two terminals and two VIP lounges.
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La Aurora International Airport
Guatemala City Airport, formally known as La Aurora International Airport, is the primary airport serving Guatemala. It is a military and public airport owned by the Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda and managed by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil. The airport is located 25km from Antigua Guatemala and is 1,509 metres above sea level. La Aurora International Airport has two terminals and two VIP lounges.
La Aurora is the fourth-busiest airport in Central America in terms of passenger traffic. The airport has direct links to several major cities, including Miami, Houston, Panama City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Madrid, and Atlanta. In 2007, the airport underwent significant expansion, with the addition of 11 new gates. The airport now has two concourses: the northern concourse has 12 traditional gates and three remote gates, while the central concourse is used for larger aircraft.
The airport has a rich history, dating back to World War II when it was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force to defend the Central American coastline against Axis powers submarines. During this period, the military facilities were known as Guatemala City Air Base. After the war, a small number of Americans remained at the airport to train the Guatemalan Air Force and operate a weather station.
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Guatemala City Airport's history
Guatemala City Airport, also known as La Aurora Airport, is the only airport in Guatemala City and the main airport in Guatemala. It is one of only two international airports in the country, the other being Mundo Maya International Airport in Flores, which mostly serves short-haul flights from Mexico and Belize. Guatemala City Airport is the fourth-biggest airport in Central America.
La Aurora International Airport has a long history, dating back to World War II when it was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force to defend the Central American coastline against Axis powers submarines. The first American personnel arrived in December 1941, and the airfield was improved and expanded by the United States' 805th Engineer Aviation Battalion in early 1942. During its period of American use, the military facilities of the airport were known as Guatemala City Air Base. After the war ended, a small number of Americans remained at the airport to perform training duties with the Guatemalan Air Force and operate a weather station.
The airport has undergone several renovations over the years. In 2007, seven new gates were opened, equipped with jetway bridges and modern conveniences, and a new parking garage was built, accommodating up to 500 vehicles. The airport now has two concourses: the northern concourse has 12 traditional gates and three remote gates, while the central concourse is used for larger aircraft, providing 4-6 gates depending on the aircraft's size.
In October 2004, Iberia introduced a nonstop service to Madrid aboard Airbus A340s. The airport has also faced closures due to the 2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it was closed for six months from March to September.
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Airport facilities and services
Guatemala City Airport, also known as La Aurora Airport, is the only airport in Guatemala City and the main airport in Guatemala. It is located 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi; 3.5 nmi) south of Guatemala City's centre and 25 km (16 mi; 13 nmi) from Antigua Guatemala. It is the fourth busiest airport in Central America, serving more than 2.7 million passengers in 2023.
La Aurora International Airport has a main terminal and a smaller regional passenger terminal. The main terminal has two concourses: central, which is used for larger aircraft, and northern, which has 12 traditional gates and three remote gates. The airport has undergone modernisation and expansion, allowing it to accommodate up to 22 aircraft and facilitating an increased number of flights.
The airport provides various services and facilities, including:
- Airport lounges
- Free WiFi, available in the gated areas of the terminal
- Mobile charging points
- Lockers
- ATMs, located in the luggage pick-up area
- 24-hour food options
- Nearby hotels, some of which provide airport shuttles
- Car rentals, with rates as low as $14/day for weekly rentals with unlimited mileage
- Public and private airport transportation
- Fixed-rate taxi services
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Central America's fourth-biggest airport
Guatemala's La Aurora International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Central America. The airport received more than 2.7 million passengers in 2023. During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force to defend the Central American coastline against Axis powers submarines. The airport was improved and expanded by the United States' 805th Engineer Aviation Battalion in 1942. During its period of American use, the military facilities were known as Guatemala City Air Base. After the war ended, a small number of Americans remained at the airport to perform training duties with the Guatemalan Air Force and operate a weather station.
In 2007, La Aurora underwent significant renovations, including the addition of seven new gates equipped with jetway bridges and modern conveniences. A new parking garage was also built, accommodating up to 500 vehicles. The airport now has two concourses: the northern concourse has 12 traditional gates and three remote gates, while the central concourse is used for larger aircraft, providing 4-6 gates depending on the aircraft's size. The runway currently measures 2,987 m x 60 m (9,800 ft x 197 ft).
La Aurora International Airport has seen several incidents and closures over the years. In 1993, a TACA Airlines Flight 510, a Boeing 767, ran off the end of Runway 19 (now Runway 20) during landing. Despite the pilot's efforts, the plane could not slow down in time and went down an embankment, stopping just before a ditch. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, and only three non-passengers were injured. The airport was also closed for six months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, La Aurora International Airport offers a range of services and facilities for passengers, including car rentals, fixed-rate taxis, real-time arrivals and departures information, airport transportation, ATMs, dining, shopping, and VIP lounges.
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Getting to Antigua from the airport
La Aurora International Airport, also known as Guatemala City Airport, is the closest airport to Antigua. The distance from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua is about 40 kilometres or 24 miles. On a good day, the journey will take you 45 minutes. On a normal day, it will take an hour, and on a bad day, it could take several hours.
There are many ways to travel from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua. You can take an Uber, hire a private car, take a taxi, rent a car, or take a local bus (sometimes referred to as a "chicken bus").
If you want to take a taxi or an Uber, you can either book one online or go to the taxi stand inside the airport. A taxi from Guatemala City to Antigua will cost you around $35. You can also book a shared shuttle through GuateGo. They cost about $10-15 each and are a good way to make the trip.
If you want to take a bus, there are bus services that depart from Fuerza Aerea and arrive at Antigua Guatemala via Plaza Barrios and Guatemala City. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 3 hours and 41 minutes. Tickets cost $28-40.
You can also rent a car at the airport, but this is not recommended if you are not used to driving in Guatemala or other places in Latin America.
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Frequently asked questions
Guatemala City Airport, formally known as La Aurora International Airport, is 1,509 meters above sea level and has a single asphalt runway that is 2,987 meters long.
La Aurora International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Central America in terms of passenger traffic. It is a major international airport and is directly linked to cities including Miami, Madrid, and Los Angeles.
It is recommended that passengers arrive at least two hours before departure for international flights and one hour before departure for domestic flights.
