Villanueva Airport

Replacement and Obsolescence. The Villanueva airstrip was small and had limited infrastructure. To support the growing economic importance of the Urabá region, particularly its banana industry and port activities, a larger, more modern airport was required. The Colombian government and local authorities invested in building the new Gonzalo Mejía Airport, which featured a longer runway, a proper terminal, and modern navigation aids. Upon the new airport's opening, Villanueva became redundant and was officially decommissioned.

The airport is completely defunct and the site has been repurposed. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows the clear, faint outline of the former runway. However, it is heavily overgrown with grass and vegetation. Parts of the former runway appear to be used as an unpaved access road for local farms and properties. There are no remaining airport buildings or infrastructure. The land has been reclaimed for agricultural and rural use.

For several decades, Villanueva Airport was the primary air gateway to Turbo and the wider Urabá region of Antioquia. It was a vital piece of infrastructure connecting this geographically isolated but economically crucial area with major cities like Medellín. The airport primarily handled regional passenger traffic on smaller turboprop aircraft (such as the DC-3, Twin Otter, and similar planes operated by airlines like ACES Colombia). It also played a significant role in supporting the region's dominant banana industry, facilitating business travel for executives, engineers, and transporting urgent, high-value cargo and spare parts for the agricultural sector.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening Villanueva Airport. The aviation needs of Turbo and the entire Urabá region are now served by the much larger and better-equipped Gonzalo Mejía Airport (SKTU). Any future investment in aviation infrastructure would be directed towards expanding and modernizing the existing Gonzalo Mejía Airport, not rehabilitating the obsolete and reclaimed Villanueva site.