A. M. 
The year-end high season is solidifying its position as a key driver of the salvadoran economy. Between december 1, 2020, and january 15, 2026, Aeropuerto Internacional de El Salvador “San Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez” will serve approximately 756,000 passengers, a flow that invigorates strategic sectors such as tourism, commerce, transportation, and services.
During an operational inspection, the president of Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma (CEPA), Federico Anliker, reported that the airport receives around 17,500 passengers daily, a figure that reflects the confidence of both domestic and international travelers in entering and leaving the country during the busiest time of the year.
Direct economic impact
The increase in passengers has immediate effects on the economy:
Higher tourist spending in hotels, restaurants, transportation, and recreational activities.
Boosted commerce in areas near the airport and in tourist destinations.
Generation of temporary and permanent employment, especially in airport services and visitor services.
Increased tax revenue associated with consumption and commercial transactions.
To meet the high demand, 1,800 employees from various institutions (CEPA, Aduanas, Migración, Policía Nacional Civil, VMT and Ministerio de Salud), work in a coordinated manner to ensure agile, safe, and efficient processes throughout the entire travel chain. The airport has 122 service points in pre-check-in and airline areas, which reduces wait times and improves passenger experience.
According to Anliker, the sustained increase in visitors is linked to security policies that have strengthened the country’s image as a reliable and attractive destination, encouraging salvadorans living abroad to return and attracting international tourists during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
With these traffic volumes, the airport is positioned as a key piece of infrastructure for economic growth, facilitating connectivity, tourism, and investment, and reinforcing the role of the aviation sector as a catalyst for national development.
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