Chinchero International Airport (under construction)

Not Applicable. Chinchero International Airport is a new airport project that is currently under construction and has not yet opened. It has not been closed.

The site is an active, large-scale construction zone. Major earthmoving works have been completed to level the plateau for the runway and terminal facilities. As of recent reports, construction is underway on the runway, taxiways, apron, and the passenger terminal building. The project is being managed by the Peruvian government with technical assistance from the Republic of Korea (a 'government-to-government' agreement).

The airport has no operational history as it is not yet complete. Its significance lies in its future purpose: it is being built to replace the capacity-constrained Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (IATA: CUZ) in Cusco. The current Cusco airport is located in the middle of the city, limiting its expansion possibilities and posing operational challenges due to its high altitude and surrounding terrain. Chinchero is intended to be a modern, high-capacity gateway to Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley, capable of handling larger, long-haul aircraft directly from North America, South America, and Europe, which would significantly boost tourism and economic development in the region. The project itself has historical significance due to its long and controversial planning phase, which has spanned decades and faced numerous delays, funding issues, and significant opposition from archaeologists, historians, and environmentalists concerned about its impact on the fragile ecosystem and invaluable Inca archaeological sites in the Chinchero plateau.

This field should be considered 'Opening Prospects'. The project has a history of revised timelines. While original estimates have long passed, the current official projections from the Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) place the start of operations in late 2025 or during 2026. However, given the project's complexity and past delays, this timeline remains subject to change. There are no plans to halt construction; the full intention is to complete and open the airport.