Daily Brief

The morning intel from across Latin America. Free.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We never share your email.

Colombia Travel

Pereira’s Matecaña Airport Reopens After Earthquake, but Schedules Stay Thin

If you are planning to visit Colombia’s coffee region, the airport is open again — but not at full strength. Expect fewer flights, longer waits and some remaining construction work.

The coffee region around Pereira. Matecaña airport reopens today with a reduced schedule.

The earthquake and the closure

The 10 August earthquake, centred near the Quindío-Pereira border, caused structural damage to Matecaña’s terminal building and surface cracking on parts of the apron and taxiways. The airport was immediately closed to commercial traffic while engineers from the Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia assessed the damage.

Initial estimates suggested a closure of one to two weeks, but the damage to secondary facilities — including the baggage handling system and parts of the firefighting infrastructure — extended the shutdown to 16 days. The main runway was cleared within a week, but terminal repairs and safety recertification took longer.

What is flying now

LATAM, the only major carrier serving Matecaña, resumes today with a reduced schedule: two daily flights from Bogotá and one from Medellín, totalling 21 weekly services. Before the earthquake, the airline operated five daily flights — roughly 35 weekly — so capacity is down by about 40 percent.

The reduced schedule reflects both the physical constraints of the terminal — some gates are still out of service — and LATAM’s cautious approach to demand recovery. The airline has said it will add flights “as operational conditions permit,” but has not given a timeline for full restoration.

Other carriers, including Avianca and budget airline Ultra Air, have not announced restart dates. Ultra Air had only recently begun Pereira services before the earthquake and may delay relaunching until the terminal is fully restored.

What to expect on arrival

The terminal building has been inspected and cleared for passenger use, but some areas remain cordoned off for repairs. Travellers should expect temporary signage, some construction noise, and possible delays while the reduced staff and equipment handle the load.

Baggage claim may be slower than usual. The main carousel was undamaged but the secondary system is still being repaired, so large bags may be handled manually. Allow extra time if you are connecting to ground transport.

Ground transport from the airport to Pereira city centre — about 7 kilometres — is operating normally. Taxis, ride-hailing apps and hotel shuttles are available. The bus to Armenia and Manizales has resumed its regular schedule.

Alternatives if you cannot get a flight

If the thin schedule does not work for your dates, the nearest alternatives are Armenia’s El Edén airport (about 45 minutes by road) and Manizales’s La Nubia (about 90 minutes). Both are smaller than Matecaña and have limited service, but they may offer options.

El Edén has daily Avianca flights from Bogotá and occasional service from Medellín. La Nubia is restricted to small aircraft because of its mountain location and has only a few weekly flights. The overland route from Bogotá — about 270 kilometres — takes roughly six hours by bus or four hours by car on good roads, though landslide risk in the Quindío Pass requires checking conditions after heavy rain.

Is Matecaña airport fully operational?

The terminal is open for passengers and the runway is clear, but some secondary facilities are still being repaired. The schedule is thin and some gates remain out of service. Expect temporary signage and possible delays.

Which airlines are flying to Pereira?

LATAM resumes today with 21 weekly flights — two daily from Bogotá and one from Medellín. Avianca and Ultra Air have not announced restart dates. Before the earthquake, LATAM operated five daily flights.

What are the alternatives if I cannot get a flight to Pereira?

Armenia’s El Edén airport is about 45 minutes away and has daily Avianca flights from Bogotá. Manizales’s La Nubia is 90 minutes but limited to small aircraft. The bus from Bogotá takes about six hours on good roads; check for landslides after rain.

Sources

• Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia — Matecaña reopening certificate, 25 August 2026
• LATAM Colombia — revised Pereira schedule, 26 August 2026
• Quindío Government — earthquake damage assessment, 12 August 2026
• US Geological Survey — M5.2 earthquake report, 10 August 2026
• Avianca — route status advisory, 24 August 2026

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error