Irai - Vicente Dutra Airport

Irai, BR 🇧🇷 Closed Airport

ICAO

BR-1969

IATA

-

Elevation

1152 ft

Region

BR-RS

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: -27.193945° N, -53.236384° E

Continent: SA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: SSWD

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 24, 2025
Closure Date

The airport was officially deactivated in the mid-1990s. Regular commercial airline service had already ceased in the 1980s, but general aviation and sporadic use continued until its formal closure and subsequent removal from the records of the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).

Reason for Closure

The closure was due to economic reasons. A nationwide decline in the viability of regional air travel in Brazil during the 1980s and 1990s, combined with improvements in highway infrastructure, made the airport commercially unsustainable. The tourist flow to Iraí's famous thermal spas was no longer sufficient to support the operational costs of regular flights, leading to the withdrawal of airline services and the airport's eventual abandonment.

Current Status

The airport is permanently closed and the site has been repurposed for agricultural use. The runway, though still visible in satellite imagery, is completely overgrown and unusable. In 2021, the municipal government of Iraí officially transferred the land for the development of a large-scale poultry farming complex known as the 'Condomínio Avícola Iraí'. The construction of industrial poultry sheds now occupies the former airport grounds, and the old terminal building is in a state of ruin.

Historical Significance

Inaugurated on July 14, 1956, the Vicente Dutra Airport (former ICAO: SSIR) was a cornerstone of Iraí's economy and a symbol of its prestige during its peak as a major health tourism destination. The airport was instrumental in bringing tourists from across Brazil to the city's renowned thermal and mineral water spas. It handled regular commercial flights from prominent airlines, most notably VARIG and its regional subsidiary Rio-Sul Linhas Aéreas, which operated iconic aircraft like the Douglas DC-3 and later the Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante. These flights provided a crucial link to the state capital, Porto Alegre, and solidified Iraí's reputation as a premier wellness resort in the mid-20th century.

Reopening Prospects

There are no prospects for reopening the airport. The decision to rezone and repurpose the land for a significant agricultural project is permanent and makes any future aviation use unfeasible. The local government and community have shifted their economic development strategy for this site from aviation to agriculture, effectively ending any possibility of the airport's reactivation.

Nearby Airports

Águas Frias Airport
BR-2740
Iraí, BR
Small Airport
~4 km away
Frederico Westphalen Airport
BR-2997
Frederico Westphalen, BR
Small Airport
~24 km away
Itapiranga Airport
SSYT
Itapiranga, BR
Small Airport
~45 km away
Thiago Simon Heliport
SJB4
Maravilha, BR
Heliport
~51 km away
Nonoaí Airport
BR-1971
Nonoaí, BR
Closed Airport
~51 km away
São Miguel do Oeste Hélio Wasum Airport
SQX • SSOE
São Miguel do Oeste, BR
Small Airport
~53 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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