El Salvador International Airport Expands with New $50 Million Terminal and Direct Air Europa Flights

President Nayib Bukele inaugurated a new $50 million passenger terminal at El Salvador International Airport, built in eight months using domestic resources. The terminal increases check‑in counters from 82 to 122, adds six boarding gates, and expands baggage handling capacity to 16,500 bags per hour, cutting passenger processing time from an average 45 minutes to about 30 minutes. Advanced security systems, including Orion scanners and a robotic canine, were installed to speed customs checks.

Spanish carrier Air Europa announced a new non‑stop service linking Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Barajas Airport with El Salvador. Flights will operate on Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliners, departing Madrid on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 23:55 and returning from El Salvador on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12:10, subject to airport slot allocation. The route expands Air Europa’s presence in Central America and provides additional connectivity between Europe and the region, supporting the airport’s broader tourism growth strategy.