economy
May 4, 2026
Taking Off the Future
By Juliana Velásquez Rodríguez* - [email protected]
TL;DR
- The José María Córdova airport (MDE) in Antioquia received 14.6 million passengers in 2025, exceeding its installed capacity of 10.5 million.
- A collective project, 'Región Aeroportuaria Conectada Globalmente,' aims to optimize MDE to 17.5 million passengers, expand it to 23.5 million by 2035, and build a second runway and terminal for over 40 million by 2055.
- Optimization works at MDE began on April 24th, increasing capacity to 17 million passengers by the end of 2027, but this is a temporary solution.
- A definitive Airport Master Plan is required to define the second runway and terminal, which is the responsibility of the Aeronáutica Civil.
- The future of the region's airports depends on a financially viable master plan, which will also address the future of Olaya Herrera, the Apartadó airport, and potential new facilities in other subregions.