Matanzas Airport

Replacement and redundancy. The airport, sometimes referred to as San Severino Airport, was small and had limited capacity. It was rendered obsolete by the construction of the modern Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport, located about 20 km east, which was designed to accommodate large jet aircraft and a high volume of international tourist traffic.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned for aviation purposes. Satellite imagery confirms that the runway and taxiway layout are still clearly visible but are in a severe state of disrepair. A significant portion of the main runway has been repurposed and is now used as a karting (go-kart) track and what appears to be a driver training circuit. The surrounding area and former airport buildings are largely derelict or have been repurposed for local industrial or community use.

Prior to 1989, this was the primary airport serving the city of Matanzas and the developing tourist resort of Varadero. It handled domestic flights within Cuba, connecting Matanzas to other provinces, as well as general aviation, agricultural flights (crop dusting), and likely some smaller international charter flights from nearby countries like the United States (before the embargo tightened) and the Caribbean. It was the main air gateway to the province until the tourism boom necessitated a much larger facility.

There are no known or credible plans to reopen this airport. Its infrastructure is completely degraded and would require a total rebuild. Furthermore, its close proximity to the large, modern, and fully operational Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport (VRA) makes any prospect of reopening economically and logistically unviable. VRA effectively serves all aviation needs for the entire Matanzas province, including the major tourist hub of Varadero.