El Playón Airport

Military/Government Conversion. The airstrip was integrated into the security infrastructure of the newly constructed Centro Penal de Seguridad de Zacatecoluca, El Salvador's maximum-security prison, which is located immediately adjacent to the runway. Its purpose shifted from a general military airfield to a dedicated, restricted-access facility for the prison system.

The site is an active, restricted-access government facility. The runway exclusively serves the adjacent Centro Penal de Seguridad de Zacatecoluca (also known as 'Zacatraz'). It is used for the high-security transfer of inmates, the transport of elite security forces (police and military), and for government officials visiting the prison. The facility is not abandoned; satellite imagery shows a well-maintained runway, but it is under the strict control of Salvadoran prison and security authorities.

El Playón Airport was primarily a military airstrip. Its significance peaked during the Salvadoran Civil War (1979-1992). Located in a strategic area of conflict, it served as a forward operating base and logistical hub for the Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña - FAS). Operations would have included the transport of troops and supplies via aircraft like the C-47 and IAI Arava, as well as a potential staging ground for counter-insurgency missions by light attack aircraft such as the A-37 Dragonfly. After the war, its use diminished until it was repurposed for its current role.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the airport to the public or for commercial operations. Its critical role as a secure transportation link for the country's most important maximum-security prison makes any public or commercial use incompatible due to extreme security risks. It is expected to remain a dedicated government facility for the foreseeable future.