Bolivia Airport: Open For Business Or Still Closed?

Bolivia has 13 airports, three of which are international airports located in the cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. El Alto International Airport in La Paz is one of the highest international airports in the world, as the city itself sits between 3300 and 4100 meters above sea level. Jorge Wilsterman International Airport in Cochabamba and Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz are the other two international airports in Bolivia.

International airports in Bolivia

There are 13 airports in Bolivia, according to one source, while another gives the number as 37. Of these, Bolivia has five major airports, which include both domestic and international airports. These are:

J Wilsterman Airport (Cochabamba)

Three airlines operate out of J Wilsterman Airport, offering nonstop flights to seven cities. At least 239 domestic flights depart from this airport each week.

Trinidad Airport (Trinidad)

Trinidad Airport offers nonstop flights to five cities through two airlines. At least 50 domestic flights depart from Trinidad Airport every week.

Sucre Airport (Sucre)

Sucre Airport has two airlines operating out of it and offers nonstop flights to four cities. Every week, there are at least 58 domestic flights that depart from this airport.

Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz)

Viru Viru International Airport is one of the biggest airports in Bolivia. Twelve airlines operate out of this airport, serving flights to and from 12 destinations. Every week, at least 264 domestic flights and 41 international flights depart from Viru Viru International Airport.

El Alto International Airport (La Paz)

El Alto Airport is another major international airport in Bolivia. Four airlines operate out of this airport, offering nonstop flights to 10 cities. Every week, at least 229 domestic flights and two international flights depart from El Alto Airport.

Domestic flight routes

• La Paz - Uyuni - La Paz
• La Paz - Rurrenabaque - La Paz
• Santa Cruz - Uyuni - Santa Cruz
• La Paz - Sucre - La Paz
• Santa Cruz - Sucre - Santa Cruz
• La Paz - Cochabamba - La Paz
• Santa Cruz - Oruro - Santa Cruz
• Cochabamba - Oruro - Cochabamba
• Cochabamba - Sucre - Cochabamba
• La Paz - Tarija - La Paz
• La Paz - Cobija - La Paz
• La Paz - Yacuiba - Santa Cruz - Yacuiba

The main airport in Bolivia is El Alto International Airport (La Paz). However, the largest airport in the country is Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz, which handles most domestic and international flights.

Airlines operating in Bolivia

Bolivia has 13 airports, with the 5 biggest being:

• J Wilsterman Airport (Cochabamba)
• Trinidad Airport (Trinidad)
• Sucre Airport (Sucre)
• Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz)
• El Alto Airport (La Paz)

The flag carrier airline of Bolivia is Boliviana de Aviación, also known as BoA. It is owned by the country's government and is headquartered in Cochabamba. It operates most of its domestic flights out of its primary hub at Jorge Wilstermann International Airport, while its international services operate out of Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is the largest airline in Bolivia and the sixth-largest in South America in terms of fleet size and passengers carried.

BoA flies to 21 destinations in 8 countries in the Americas, with a transatlantic extension to Madrid in Spain. It offers daily non-stop services to Buenos Aires and São Paulo. It also flies to Lima, Peru, and Havana, Cuba, though the Havana route is set to be suspended by July 25, 2024, due to low demand and high operating costs. BoA has recently added Caracas, Venezuela, and Asuncion, Paraguay, to its list of destinations.

The airline's fleet consists of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, including the Airbus A330-200 for long-haul services and the Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft for domestic routes. BoA has a codeshare agreement with Iberia and offers two cabin classes: Economy and Business.

Other airlines that operate in Bolivia include Amaszonas and EcoJet, which, along with BoA, are the only three airlines currently using the Jorge Wilstermann International Airport. Lineas Aéreas Canedo and TAM Empresa Pública are also mentioned as airlines operating in Bolivia.

New airports to be opened

Bolivia has 13 airports, with 3 international airports located in the cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. The busiest airport in Bolivia is Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz, which handles about 186 domestic and 60 international flights per week.

Several new airports are planned to open in Bolivia in the following locations:

• Oruro city: Known for its Bolivian Folklore and the world-famous Oruro Carnival.
• Potosi city: A place full of silver mines and colonial history and architecture.
• Copacabana: A town on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
• Monteagudo: A town in Sucre.
• Camiri and San Ignacio de Velasco: These towns are in Santa Cruz on the Bolivia Jesuit Missions route.
• Ramón Darío: In Beni, near the Iténez river and the border with Brazil.

Airports with commercial airline service

There are 13 airports in Bolivia, and 5 of them are the biggest in the country in terms of the number of airlines operating from them and the number of cities they offer nonstop flights to. These are:

J Wilsterman Airport (Cochabamba)

3 airlines operate out of J Wilsterman Airport, offering nonstop flights to 7 cities. At least 239 domestic flights depart from this airport every week.

Trinidad Airport (Trinidad)

Trinidad Airport offers nonstop flights to 5 cities through 2 airlines. At least 50 domestic flights depart from here weekly.

Sucre Airport (Sucre)

Sucre Airport has 2 airlines operating out of it and offers nonstop flights to 4 cities. At least 58 domestic flights depart from the airport each week.

Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz)

Viru Viru International Airport is the busiest airport in Bolivia, with 8 airlines operating out of it. The airport offers nonstop flights to 17 cities, with at least 264 domestic and 41 international flights departing weekly.

El Alto International Airport (La Paz)

4 airlines operate out of El Alto International Airport, offering nonstop flights to 10 cities. At least 229 domestic and 2 international flights depart from here each week.

Other international airports in Bolivia include the Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport in Sucre, and the Capitan Oriel Lea Plaza Airport in Tarija.

Frequently asked questions