Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport Guide

Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport sits at 3,310 metres above sea level, among the highest international airports in South America. It opened in December 1964 and takes its name from Alejandro Velasco Astete, the Peruvian aviator who made the first flight across the Andes in 1925, flying from Lima to Cusco. The terminal sits in the Wanchaq district, hemmed in by the city on the edge of central Cusco.

A single asphalt runway, 3,400 metres long, handles all traffic; the extra length compensates for the thin air at altitude, which reduces wing lift. Until December 2025 the airport's mountain setting limited it to daylight-only operations; CORPAC then extended the schedule to 22 hours a day, from 4am to 2am, under an agreement with LATAM Peru. Its tight urban site still limits room for expansion. Passenger numbers have grown sharply, reaching 4.8 million in 2025. CORPAC S.A., the state airport and aviation authority, operates the facility.

The airport is the main air gateway to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, and was the first in Peru to install passenger boarding bridges. A larger replacement, Chinchero International Airport, is under construction northwest of the city and is planned to eventually take over commercial operations.