Surf City
El Salvador's premier surf destination — a 35km Pacific coastline designated as the official Surf City, with world-class breaks at El Tunco, El Zonte and Punta Roca.
SAL · MSLP · El Salvador
Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport
San Salvador (Comalapa) — La Paz — Pacific Coast. 35 min to La Libertad beaches / 45 min to San Salvador city.
Runway
3200m
Surface
Asphalt
Elevation
101m
Hours
24/7
Book your private flight from San Salvador
Airport at a glance
San Salvador (Comalapa) — El Salvador
El Salvador has the longest runway in Central America. Not the busiest airport, not the biggest terminal — the longest strip of asphalt, 3,200 metres with a 45-metre effective surface and 7.5-metre shoulders, laid across flat coastal plain at 31 metres above the Pacific at San Luis Talpa.
That figure is the most quotable fact about SAL, and it explains a good deal about the airport's ambitions. Opened on 31 January 1980, it replaced Ilopango — which sits at 618 metres in a valley beside the capital and could not grow — and it was built with room that the country's traffic has taken four decades to approach. In 2024 it handled 5,298,491 passengers across 49,066 aircraft operations.
Main runway 3,200 metres, asphalt, effective width 45 metres with 7.5-metre shoulders, at 31 metres elevation. ICAO: MSLP. Coordinates: 13°26′27″N, 89°03′20″W. Operated by CEPA, and a hub for Avianca El Salvador and Volaris El Salvador. Open 24 hours; full port of entry.
Two details worth knowing operationally. Taxiway Alpha runs parallel to the main runway at the same length, connected by six entries — an unusually generous ground layout that keeps movements flowing. And there is a secondary runway, 18/36, of 800 × 23 metres, which is not in operational use for movements: it currently serves as long-term parking for stored aircraft.
Terminal 1 has fourteen jet bridge positions; Terminal 2 adds further stands.
Getting there
Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport — Getting there
| San José | ~141 min | — |
| Guatemala City | ~40 min | — |
| San Pedro Sula | ~50 min | — |
| Managua | ~50 min | — |
| Roatán | ~65 min | — |
Nearby
Things to do near San Salvador (Comalapa)
San Salvador is 50 kilometres north of the terminal — around 45 minutes by the airport highway. But most of what draws visitors to El Salvador is closer to the airport than the capital is.
Costa del Sol is 20 minutes east. La Libertad, Playa El Tunco, El Sunzal and the rest of what the government markets as Surf City are 40 to 50 minutes west along the coastal highway. El Salvador's Pacific point breaks — Punta Roca at La Libertad above all — are among the most consistent right-handers in the Americas, and the country has built a genuine surf economy around them, including hosting World Surf League events.
El Zonte, further west, acquired an international profile as "Bitcoin Beach" and remains a small, steep-beached surf village.
The practical consequence: for a surf trip, you land and you are essentially there. There is no reason to route through the capital at all.
Inland. Joya de Cerén, 40 minutes northwest, is a UNESCO World Heritage site (inscribed 1993) and unique in the Maya world — a farming village buried under volcanic ash around 600 AD and preserved with its buildings, tools, crops and household objects in place. It is routinely called the Pompeii of the Americas, and it tells you more about ordinary Maya life than any monumental site.
Lake Coatepeque, an hour and a half northwest, is a caldera lake of a startling blue. Santa Ana volcano, above it, is El Salvador's highest at 2,381 metres, with a turquoise crater lake and a guided hike that is one of the best half-days in the country. The Ruta de las Flores — Juayúa, Apaneca, Ataco, Concepción de Ataco — is a chain of coffee towns along a ridge road, with weekend food fairs and murals.
El Tunco Beach
El Salvador's most celebrated surf break — world-class left-hand barrels, a bohemian beach town and spectacular Pacific sunsets just 35 minutes from the airport.
El Zonte — Bitcoin Beach
El Zonte pioneered Bitcoin circular economy adoption and remains a world-class surf destination — pristine Pacific beach, yoga retreats and progressive community living.
Costa del Sol & Private Marina
El Salvador's most sheltered Pacific beach — a 15km peninsula of calm waters ideal for private marina access, yacht charters and exclusive beachfront villa rentals.
Offshore Sportfishing — Pacific El Salvador
El Salvador's Pacific coast offers world-class offshore sportfishing — marlin, sailfish and dorado in productive waters, charter boats departing from La Libertad and La Herradura.
Private Catamarans & Yachts — Pacific Coast
Exclusive catamaran and yacht charters along El Salvador's Pacific coast — sunset sails, snorkeling at volcanic rock formations and dolphin encounters.
Private Helicopter — Pacific Coastline
Exclusive helicopter tours along El Salvador's Pacific coast — aerial views of Surf City's world-class breaks, volcanic peaks and the sweeping Salvadoran coastline.
Wellness Retreats — Pacific El Salvador
Boutique wellness retreats on El Salvador's Pacific coast — yoga, surf therapy, holistic spa and detox programs in beachfront settings facing the Pacific.
VIP Surf Coaching — El Salvador
One-on-one surf coaching on El Salvador's best Pacific breaks with professional instructors — video analysis, premium boards and exclusive sessions at uncrowded spots.
Where to stay
Hotels near San Salvador (Comalapa)
When to fly
When to fly
El Salvador's Pacific pattern: a pronounced dry season from November to April, and a rainy season from May to October with afternoon convection, heaviest in September and October. Surf on the Pacific points is best on southern swells from roughly March to October — which overlaps with the wetter half of the year, though mornings are typically clear.
SAL is an all-weather 24-hour instrument field.
FAQ
Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport — Frequently asked questions
What is the runway length at San Salvador (SAL)?
3,200 metres, 45 m effective width with 7.5 m shoulders, at 31 m elevation — the longest runway in Central America. ICAO: MSLP.
How far is SAL from San Salvador?
About 50 kilometres north, roughly 45 minutes by the airport highway.
How far is the airport from the surf beaches?
Costa del Sol is about 20 minutes east; La Libertad, El Tunco and El Sunzal are 40 to 50 minutes west. The beaches are closer to the airport than the capital is.
Does SAL have a second runway?
There is a secondary strip, 18/36, of 800 × 23 m, but it is not used for movements — it currently serves as long-term parking for stored aircraft.
When did the airport open?
31 January 1980, replacing Ilopango as El Salvador's international gateway.
What is Joya de Cerén?
A Maya farming village buried by volcanic ash around 600 AD and preserved intact, 40 minutes from the airport. UNESCO World Heritage since 1993.