Silvio Pettirossi International Airport will continue operating for at least another four or five years while the Paraguayan government considers alternatives for a new airport terminal. Nelson Mendoza, president of Paraguay’s National Civil Aviation Directorate (DINAC), said he has not yet received authorization to build a new airport and that President Santiago Peña’s instruction is to expand and modernize the most critical areas of the current facility.
A new-terminal project remains under review by the Executive’s economic team. One option is Terminal 2 at Silvio Pettirossi, whose detailed design was delivered in 2024 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the body responsible for civil aviation standards and planning. The plan was estimated at more than US$320 million and calls for construction in three phases, but the government has not yet decided whether to proceed with that proposal or another alternative.
Until a decision is made, the priority is to increase the capacity of the airport, located in Luque, in the Asunción metropolitan area. The first phase of work on the parking area, entrance and paving has been completed. After the peak season, a second phase is planned, including partial coverage of the outdoor area to protect passengers waiting for transportation.
DINAC estimates that the airport could receive 1.5 million passengers this year, a volume considered a record. The expansion will also be accompanied by more Latam Airlines flights: the company is expected to increase from 27 to 32 weekly frequencies with additional service to Lima and São Paulo, and reach 37 when five weekly flights to Montevideo are added from the end of March 2027.
The new route to the Uruguayan capital will expand regional connection options for Paraguayan and foreign passengers. Direct flights to Miami, however, still have no date. Mendoza said Latam does not yet have a suitable aircraft, although it has promised to assess the connection once it has the necessary fleet.
The DINAC president also said that Paranair will have to submit a new business plan and its financial data at a future hearing. Because the company currently operates with only one aircraft, the authority reduced the number of tickets it may sell to limit the risk of further cancellations. If the airline fails to demonstrate operational and financial efficiency, it could face harsher measures, including suspension of its operations in Paraguay.