Exploring Cusco, Peru: An Airport Guide

Cusco, Peru, is served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, the city's only airport. The airport is located 4km or 20 minutes from the centre of Cusco and is named after the first Peruvian aviator to cross the Andes in 1925. It is currently operating at full capacity, receiving more than 4 million passengers per year. A new airport is being built in the Sacred Valley zone (Chinchero town) to help lower the air traffic of the two most saturated airports in Peru, Lima and Cusco.

Cusco's only airport is Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport

The airport has consistently ranked as Peru's second most important air terminal, handling close to 2,500,000 national and international passengers annually. In 2023, it handled 3,004,412 passengers. The airport operates at limited capacity due to its location near the city centre.

The main carriers operating from the airport are Avianca, Star Peru, Peruvian and LAN Airlines. The small local operator Amaszonas Airlines also operates a handful of flights per week to Bolivia. Most international travellers must first fly into Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima before going to Cusco.

Due to the airport's high volume of passengers, the Cusco regional government is building a new airport in the Sacred Valley zone in Chinchero town. The new airport will have a bigger terminal and a larger landing strip, allowing it to receive international flights from Central and North America, Europe and Asia.

The airport is located 10 minutes from the historic centre of Cusco

Cusco has one airport, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, which is located just 10 minutes by taxi from the historic centre of Cusco. The airport is named after the Peruvian pilot Alejandro Velasco Astete, who was the first aeroplane pilot to cross the Andes in 1925. The airport is located 4 kilometres or 20 minutes south of Cusco centre. It is also about 25 minutes in a taxi from the centre of Cusco (Plaza de Armas).

The airport has consistently ranked as Peru's second most important air terminal, handling close to 2,500,000 national and international passengers annually. In 2023, it handled 3,004,412 national and international passengers. It is currently operating at full capacity, so a new airport is being built in the Sacred Valley zone (Chinchero town). This airport will have a bigger terminal and a larger landing strip with the capacity to receive international flights from Central and North America, Europe, and even Asia.

It is the second most important air terminal in Peru

Cusco Airport, officially known as Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, is Cusco's only airport. It is located just 10 minutes by taxi from the historic centre of Cusco. It has consistently ranked as Peru's second most important air terminal, after Lima Airport (Jorge Chávez International Airport). The airport handles close to 2,500,000 national and international passengers annually, with some sources reporting a figure of 3,004,412 in 2023. It is currently operating at full capacity, receiving more than 4 million passengers a year.

Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport was named in honour of the Peruvian pilot Alejandro Velasco Astete, who was the first aeroplane pilot to cross the Andes in 1925. The airport's runway is completely paved, but it operates at limited capacity due to its location near the city centre. The main carriers operating from the airport include Avianca, Star Peru, Peruvian and LAN Airlines, with Amaszonas Airlines operating a handful of flights per week to Bolivia.

Most international travellers must first fly into Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima before travelling on to Cusco. Many choose to spend a day or two exploring Lima before flying on to visit Peru's main tourist attraction, Machu Picchu. Cusco Airport is about 25 minutes by taxi from the centre of Cusco (Plaza de Armas), with taxis available inside the airport for around 20 soles ($5). LATAM Airlines is recommended for flights, as other airlines often cancel. Uber is also available in Cusco, but it is not controlled in the same way as in other countries, with drivers not subject to background safety checks.

A new airport is currently being built in the Sacred Valley zone of Chinchero town. The new airport will have a bigger terminal and a larger landing strip capable of receiving international flights from Central and North America, Europe, and even Asia. The purpose of the Chinchero airport is to reduce the air traffic of Peru's two most saturated airports, Lima and the current airport in Cusco.

It handled 3,004,412 passengers in 2023

Cusco, Peru, has one airport: Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport. It handled 3,004,412 passengers in 2023, which is an increase from the 2.5 million passengers it handled annually prior to that. The airport is located 10 minutes by taxi from the historic centre of Cusco, or 20 minutes from the south of Cusco centre. It is named after the Peruvian pilot Alejandro Velasco Astete, who was the first aeroplane pilot to cross the Andes in 1925. He flew from Lima directly to Cusco.

The airport has consistently ranked as Peru's second most important air terminal, after Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima. Cusco is a principal tourist attraction in Latin America, receiving various domestic and some international flights. The airport operates at limited capacity due to its location near the city centre.

In 2024, the airport was reported to be receiving more than 4 million passengers. The Cusco regional government is building a new airport in the Sacred Valley zone, in Chinchero town. The new airport will have a bigger terminal and a larger landing strip, with the capacity to receive international flights from Central and North America, Europe, and Asia. The purpose of the new airport is to reduce the air traffic of the two most saturated airports in the Andean country: Lima and the current airport of Cusco.

A new airport is being built in the Sacred Valley zone to reduce air traffic

Cusco, Peru, has one airport, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, which is located just 10 minutes by taxi from the historic centre. The airport is named after the first aeroplane pilot to cross the Andes in 1925. It has consistently ranked as Peru's second most important air terminal, handling close to 2,500,000 national and international passengers annually. In 2023, it handled 3,004,412 passengers.

Due to the airport's limited capacity, the Cusco regional government is building a new airport in the Sacred Valley zone, in Chinchero town. The new airport will have a bigger terminal and a larger landing strip, with the capacity to receive international flights from Central and North America, Europe, and even Asia. The purpose of the new airport is to reduce air traffic at the two most saturated airports in the Andean country, Lima and the current airport in Cusco.

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