Simón Bolívar International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar)[1] (IATA: SMR, ICAO: SKSM) is an international airport serving the city of Santa Marta, Colombia. The airport is located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of Santa Marta city center, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. 18 kilometres (11 mi) north of the municipality of Ciénaga in Colombia.
![]() | This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (June 2019) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Simón Bolívar International Airport Aeropuerto internacional Simón Bolívar | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Operator | Aeropuertos de Oriente | ||||||||||
Serves | Santa Marta, Colombia | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 22 ft / 7 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 11°07′10″N 74°13′50″W | ||||||||||
Website | smr | ||||||||||
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Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2021) | |||||||||||
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It is operated by Aeropuertos De Oriente S.A.S., through a concession agreement with Aerocivil. The airport was recognized as an international airport in 2007.
It is named in honor of Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), the military and political leader who played a leading role in the establishment of several South American countries as sovereign states.
The construction of the Santa Marta airport was inaugurated on 8 December 1949, by the company Líneas Aéreas Nacionales, for the Magdalena Department, a modern airport that will satisfy pressing and urgent regional needs. Back in those days, the airport had exceptional location conditions since it was used to operate by water and land. The dirt track was located parallel to the sea and is built in two stages: the first with 1,200 meters long and the second with an extension to 1,000. For the operation of seaplanes, there is sufficient depth.
These ships can reach about 50 meters from the airport building. The preliminary plans for the terminal building were under study and approval by the Aerocivil and once approved the LANZA Company began its construction to complete it in the shortest possible time. it was also equipped with a modern control tower with all the devices for meteorological observations. At present, the ground movement works at Simón Bolívar Airport was progressing satisfactorily, under the direction of LANZA's engineering chief, Enrique Pérez Ayala. Santa Marta has, in its airport, a key to its development and progress.
In May 2018, Viva Air Colombia announced to open its third operational base in Santa Marta airport, began in October 2018 and became the first airline to operate as hub on the airport. The new hub provided connections to destinations such as Bucaramanga, Pereira & San Andrés, ended in beginning of 2019.[3] In August 2018, Viva Air Colombia announced an international route to Miami from Santa Marta airport, which started on 18 December 2018, the destination ended in April 2019.[4][5]
The airport has a new medical health care facility for primary services, a new check-in area, airline offices, a new food square, renovated restrooms, and indoor ATMs. Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Viva Colombia and Wingo are the only commercial carriers that operate passenger flights in this airport. The airport resides at an elevation of 22 feet (7 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 01/19 with an asphalt surface measuring 1,700 by 40 metres (5,577 ft × 131 ft).
The Santa Marta VOR/DME (Ident: STA) is located 9.7 nautical miles (18.0 km) south of the airport.[6]
The airport facilities were outdated and insufficient for the recent increase of tourism in Santa Marta, which had between 1.5 million and 1.7 million domestic passengers in 2016 and 2017. Renovation of the airport facilities began on 2 February 2015.[7] The project investment had an investment of more than 109,500 million COP (US$37 million, approximately) and it took 36 months (3 years) to be completely expanded and renovated.[8]
This renovation comprises the expansion of the new terminal building from 6,271 m2 (67,500 sq ft) to 15,413 m2 (165,900 sq ft) with spacious check-in area with 24 counters and capacity to serve up to 2.6 million passengers per year.
The parking lot was increased from 2,070 m2 (22,300 sq ft) to 5,742 m2 (61,810 sq ft), and has parking for 33 taxis and 7 minibuses. The underground parking lot has space for 170 cars and 44 motorcycles, five baggage carousels, and new air-conditioning systems.[9]
The apron area went from 19,396 m2 (208,780 sq ft) to 30,702 m2 (330,470 sq ft), with five glass-walled jet bridges capable of taking Airbus A318, A319, A320, Embraer 170, Embraer 190, Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft.[10]
The new control tower is 22.6 metres (74 ft) high with eight floors and independent access. It has operated since 31 May 2016.[11]
The renovation and expansion of the airport were completed in February 2018.
The airport's runway is surrounded by the beach and sea, which restricted its length. Because of the short runway, it is one of the shortest of any major airport in Colombia. Passenger and Cargo airliners have never arrived on aircraft larger than the Airbus A321 or equivalent. No wide-body passenger airliners have ever been scheduled at Santa Marta airport.[citation needed]
In March 2017, when Germán Vargas Lleras was the Vice President of Colombia, he stated that the extension of the runway will be extended over the sea and would cost 350,000 million COP (US$70 million, approx). The National Government would invest 200,000 million COP in the runway, with the rest invested by the Magdalena Department.[12]
The runway will meet the minimum length requirements for the operation of wide-body aircraft and also international destinations. The runway would go over the sea from Category C3 1,700 by 40 metres (5,577 ft × 131 ft) to Category D4 2,200 by 45 metres (7,218 ft × 148 ft).[citation needed]
Airlines | Destinations |
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Avianca | Bogotá, Bucaramanga (resumes December 8, 2022), Cali (resumes December 8, 2022), Medellín–Córdova, Miami (begins December 10, 2022),[13] |
Copa Airlines | Panama City–Tocumen[14] |
LATAM Colombia | Bogotá, Cali,[15] Medellín–Córdova |
Ultra Air[16] | Bogotá, Cali,[17] Medellín–Córdova, Pereira |
Viva Air Colombia | Bogotá, Cali, Medellín–Córdova, Pereira |
Wingo | Bogotá |
Airlines | Destinations |
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Líneas Aéreas Suramericanas | Bogotá |
Aerosucre | Bogotá |
Movements | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
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Passengers | 2,642,916 | 790,298 | 2,372,863 | 2,030,307 | 1,722,759 | 1,528,188 | 1,457,078 | 1,222,709 | 1,265,030 | 1,014,985 | 866,260 | 843,919 | 555,532 |
Rank | Destination | Passengers | Airlines |
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1. | Bogotá, Cundinamarca | 1,293,899 | Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Viva Air Colombia |
2. | Medellín, Antioquia | 461,078 | Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Viva Air Colombia |
3. | Cali, Valle del Cauca | 107,108 | Avianca |
Santa Marta Airport is also easily accessible by bus, operated by SETP and STU.
Simon Bolivar Airport is located near the motorway Transversal del Caribe
Taxis are available at Taxicab stand located outside the Terminal.
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