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Amílcar Cabral International Airport (IATA: SID, ICAO: GVAC), also known as Sal International Airport, is the main international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral. It is located 2 kilometres west-southwest of Espargos on Sal Island. Sal is the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and serves as a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express.
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What You'll Learn
- Amílcar Cabral International Airport is located 2km west-southwest of Espargos, on Sal Island, Cape Verde
- The airport is named after revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral
- It is Cape Verde's main international airport
- The airport has one terminal building, with two stories
- The airport's main runway is 3,272m long, making it the longest in Cape Verde
Amílcar Cabral International Airport is located 2km west-southwest of Espargos, on Sal Island, Cape Verde
Amílcar Cabral International Airport, also known as Sal International Airport, is the main international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral. It is located 2km west-southwest of Espargos, on Sal Island, Cape Verde. Sal Island's first airport was built in 1939 by Italy as a fuelling stop on routes from Europe to South America. However, due to World War II, the Italian involvement in the project ended, and the airport was purchased by the Portuguese colonial government, becoming fully operational by 1949.
The airport's main runway, which is 3,272 metres long, is the longest in Cape Verde and is used for long-haul flights. The airport also has a second runway, which was used by small planes but is now closed for traffic. Amílcar Cabral International Airport is unique in that its relatively low elevation of 177 feet allows planes to take off or land at lower airspeeds than at higher-elevation airports.
The airport serves as the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and is a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express. It offers nonstop flights to 11 cities, with at least 6 domestic flights and 18 international flights departing weekly. The airport has one terminal building with two storeys, accommodating check-in, waiting, and arrival areas. The second floor is dedicated to airport operations and airline offices. Buses are used to transport passengers from the terminal to the aircraft stands.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport was also one of NASA's designated locations for handling the Space Shuttle after it reentered from orbit. Additionally, from 1963 to 1975, the Portuguese Air Force's No 1 Transit Airfield was installed at the airport, supporting military air connections between European Portugal and the Portuguese African provinces.
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The airport is named after revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral
Amílcar Cabral International Airport, Cape Verde's principal international airport, is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral. Located 2 kilometres west-southwest from Espargos on Sal Island, the airport is also known as Sal International Airport. Sal is the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and serves as a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express.
Amílcar Cabral was a Bissau-Guinean and Cape Verdean agricultural engineer, political organiser, diplomat, and intellectual. He was one of Africa's foremost anti-colonial leaders, playing a pivotal role in the struggle for independence in Africa. Born on September 12, 1924, in Bafatá, Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau), Cabral helped lead Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands to independence. He was also a pan-Africanist and an intellectual nationalist revolutionary poet. Known by the nom de guerre Abel Djassi, he founded the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in 1956 and led the nationalist movement of Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands.
Cabral's political theories regarding colonialism and liberation were deeply influenced by Marxism, and he became an inspiration to revolutionary socialists and national independence movements worldwide. He was a skilled military strategist who understood that true liberation involved not only political independence but also cultural and social transformation. Under his leadership, the PAIGC led a successful liberation struggle against Portuguese colonial rule, utilising both military tactics and grassroots mobilisation.
Cabral's legacy is honoured not only through the airport bearing his name but also through various other tributes. These include the Amílcar Cabral Cup, a football competition in zone 2, and the Amílcar Cabral University, the only privately owned university in Guinea-Bissau. His teachings continue to inspire a new generation of activists worldwide, reminding them that the struggle for liberation is ongoing and that the voices and experiences of marginalised individuals must be honoured.
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It is Cape Verde's main international airport
Amílcar Cabral International Airport, also known as Sal International Airport, is the main international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral. It is located 2 kilometres west-southwest of Espargos on Sal Island. Sal is the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and serves as a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express. The airport's main runway is 3,272 metres long, making it the longest in Cape Verde, and is used for long-haul flights. The airport's relatively low elevation of 177 feet means planes can take off or land at a lower airspeed than at airports located at a higher elevation.
The airport was first built by Italy in 1939 as a fuel and provisions stop on routes from Europe to South America. However, Italian involvement ceased due to World Verde. The airport was then purchased by the Portuguese colonial government and became fully operational by 1949. From 1963 to 1975, the Portuguese Air Force's No 1 Transit Airfield was installed at the airport, supporting military air connections between European Portugal and the Portuguese African provinces. Beginning in 1967, the airport was used as a refuelling stop by South African Airways for flights to and from Europe.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport has one terminal building with two stories, containing check-in, waiting, and arrival areas, as well as shopping, banking, and passenger services. The second floor houses airport operations and airline offices. There are four gates, and buses are used to transport passengers to the aircraft stands. The airport offers nonstop flights to 11 cities, with at least 6 domestic and 18 international flights departing weekly.
The airport was also one of NASA's designated locations for handling the Space Shuttle after it re-entered from orbit. It served as one of the emergency landing strips for the U.S. Space Shuttle.
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The airport has one terminal building, with two stories
Amílcar Cabral International Airport, also known as Sal International Airport, is the main international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral. It is located 2 kilometres west-southwest of Espargos on Sal Island. Sal is the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and serves as a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express.
The airport's main runway is 3,272 metres long, making it the longest in Cape Verde. It is used for long-haul flights and was designated as an emergency landing strip for the U.S. Space Shuttle. The second runway, which is now closed, was 1,500 metres long and used by small planes.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport handled 576 passengers last year. Every week, at least 6 domestic flights and 18 international flights depart from the airport. The airport was also one of NASA's locations for a facility to handle the Space Shuttle after it re-entered orbit. The first airport on Sal Island was built in 1939 by Italy as a fuel and provisions stop on routes from Europe to South America.
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The airport's main runway is 3,272m long, making it the longest in Cape Verde
Amílcar Cabral International Airport, also known as Sal International Airport, is the main international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is located 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) west-southwest of Espargos, the island's capital, on Sal Island.
The airport's main runway is 3,272 metres (10,734 feet) long, making it the longest runway in Cape Verde. The runway is used for long-haul flights and was also designated as one of the emergency landing strips for the U.S. Space Shuttle.
The airport's second runway, which was used by small planes, is 1,500 metres (4,921 feet) long and is now closed for traffic.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport is a significant transportation hub, with at least 6 domestic flights and 18 international flights departing weekly. The airport has a maximum capacity of around 2,600 passengers per hour. It serves as the main hub for the national airline, Cabo Verde Airlines, and is a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express.
The airport has one terminal, a two-story building that houses check-in, waiting, and arrival areas, as well as various passenger services and amenities, including duty-free shops, retail kiosks, a restaurant, and cafes.
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Frequently asked questions
Amílcar Cabral International Airport is located on the island of Sal in Cape Verde.
If you are travelling by car, head towards Espargos, the main town of Sal. From Santa Maria, take the main road (R. 1) northbound for about 19 km. There is ample parking available at the airport, but you may need to pay a small fee for long-term parking. If you are using public transportation, you can take a local bus from Santa Maria to Espargos. The bus fare is about 3 Euros per person, and the ride takes approximately 30 minutes.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport is the main hub for the national airline of Cape Verde, Cabo Verde Airlines. It also serves as a base for the carrier Cabo Verde Express. Other airlines that operate at the airport include South African Airways, TAP – Portuguese Airlines, and Aeroflot.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport offers a variety of amenities, including duty-free shops, dining options, and a café. The airport also has a user-friendly layout, making it easy to navigate through check-in, security, and boarding processes.
Amílcar Cabral International Airport is located near several attractions, including sun-soaked beaches, vibrant towns, and cultural heritage sites. The town of Santa Maria, known for its construction and new hotels and resorts, is also located near the airport.
