Pilon Airport

Pilon, CU 🇨🇺 Closed Airport

ICAO

CU-0107

IATA

-

Elevation

51 ft

Region

CU-12

Local Time

Loading...

Loading...

Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 19.865882° N, -77.354575° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: MUPL

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

External Links

Nearby Points of Interest

Current Weather Conditions

Loading weather data...

Loading weather data...


Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

The exact closure date is not officially documented. However, it is widely believed to have ceased operations in the early 1990s. Analysis of historical satellite imagery confirms the airport was already in a state of disuse by 2002. This timeframe aligns with the widespread shutdown of non-essential infrastructure across Cuba during the severe economic crisis known as the 'Special Period' (Período especial), which began in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Reason for Closure

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons. The 'Special Period' in Cuba led to a massive contraction of the economy, extreme fuel shortages, and a lack of funds to maintain a network of small, low-traffic airfields. To conserve scarce resources, the Cuban government consolidated domestic air services to larger, more economically viable regional airports. Pilon Airport's low traffic volume made it a prime candidate for closure, with its limited traffic being rerouted through the larger Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) in Manzanillo.

Current Status

The airport is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows the single asphalt runway is heavily deteriorated, cracked, and partially overgrown, with no visible runway markings. The runway is now used informally as a local road or track for cars, trucks, and horse-drawn carts. There are no remaining airport buildings such as a terminal, control tower, or hangars, indicating it was a very basic facility even when active. The site has been effectively repurposed for local transit and possibly some minor agricultural use.

Historical Significance

Pilon Airport was a small regional airfield that served the municipality of Pilón and the surrounding coastal and mountainous areas of Granma Province. Its main functions were:

1. **Tourism:** It provided direct air access for tourists visiting the Marea del Portillo resort area, a key tourist destination on Cuba's southeastern coast, and for those exploring the nearby Sierra Maestra mountains.
2. **General Aviation:** It handled domestic air taxi and charter flights, likely operated by state carriers such as Aerotaxi or Cubana de Aviación, using small propeller aircraft like the Antonov An-2.
3. **Local Connectivity:** It connected this relatively remote region with other parts of Cuba for administrative, medical, and agricultural purposes (such as crop dusting).

Overall, it played a modest but important role in the local economy before its closure.

Reopening Prospects

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Pilon Airport. The region's air transportation needs are currently met by Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) in Manzanillo, which is approximately 70 km (about 43 miles) away by road and can handle larger jet aircraft. The significant investment required to completely rebuild the runway, taxiways, and construct modern terminal facilities is not considered economically justifiable given the limited potential demand and the existence of a larger, functional airport in the region.

Nearby Airports

Campechuela Airport
CU-0033
Campechuela, CU
Small Airport
~39 km away
Mateo Remas Airport
CU-0024
Mateo Remas, CU
Small Airport
~54 km away
Sierra Maestra International Airport
MZO • MUMZ
Manzanillo, CU
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~54 km away
Corral de Rio Airport
CU-0001
Corral de Rio, CU
Small Airport
~60 km away
La Escondida Airport
CU-0025
La Escondida, CU
Small Airport
~75 km away
Cayama Nueva Agricultural Airfield
CU-0026
Río Cauto, CU
Small Airport
~84 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

User Comments Leave a comment

Comments are imported from OurAirports.com. Comments identified as spam are automatically filtered out for a better browsing experience. Learn more
Pilon Airport Posted by on August 13, 2011

This airport is totally closed for aviation business.