La Chinita International Airport (IATA: MAR, ICAO: SVMC) is an international airport serving Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia State, Venezuela. It is located southwest of Maracaibo proper in the municipality of San Francisco. La Chinita is Venezuela's second most important airport in terms of passenger and aircraft movements, after Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas.
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La Chinita International Airport
Aeropuerto Internacional La Chinita
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public / Military | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | BAER (state owned by the Venezuelan government) | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Maracaibo | ||||||||||||||
| Location | San Francisco, Zulia | ||||||||||||||
| Opened | 16 November 1969 | ||||||||||||||
| Hub for | Venezolana | ||||||||||||||
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Focus city for
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Conviasa | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 235 ft (72 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 10°33′30″N 71°43′40″W / 10.55833°N 71.72778°W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | https://baer.gob.ve/aeropuerto-internacional-la-chinita/ | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
MAR
Location of the airport in Venezuela
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2008) | |||||||||||||||
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| Sources:,[1] WAD,[2] Google Maps[3] | |||||||||||||||
History
editThis airport construction was accelerated due to the accident of Viasa Flight 742 on 16 March 1969, resulting in the death of 155 people and the closure of Grano de Oro Airport, which is located too close to the city centre and surrounded by neighborhoods. [citation needed]
Physical Characteristics
editLocation: Located in the municipality of San Francisco, Zulia State, approximately 72 meters (235 feet) above sea level. Property Size: The entire airport complex spans a massive 1,335 hectares. Runways: Main Runway (03L/21R): 3000 meters long, 45 meters wide. It features a 450(kg/cm^2) threshold strength and is built with over 400 tons of asphalt concrete. Secondary Runway (03R/21L): 2500 meters long, 30 meters wide, often acting as a taxiway but utilized as a runway if the primary strip is closed.
Facilities
editFacilities at the airport include:
- Dining & Shopping: Cafes and snack bars, fast food chains, and duty-free shops.
- Financial Services: ATMs, bank branches, and currency exchange points.
- Comfort & Services: VIP lounges (WiFi), medical services, and mother/child rooms.
- Accessibilities: Ramps and specially equipped restrooms for passengers with limited mobility.
- Ground Transportation Taxi and shuttle services are available to take you to Maracaibo. Car rentals can be booked.
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| American Eagle | Miami[4] |
| Avianca | Bogotá[5] |
| Avior Airlines | Willemstad[6] |
| Venezolana | Panama City–Tocumen[7] |
Cargo
editAccidents and incidents
edit- On 1 November 1971, Vickers Viscount YV-C-AMZ of Linea Aeropostal Venezolana crashed shortly after take-off. All four people on board were killed.[9]
- On 5 March 1991, Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela Flight 108 crashed into a nearby mountain soon after takeoff, killing all 45 passengers and crew.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Dirección de Operaciones
- ↑ World Data Aero[link removed]
- ↑ Google Maps - La Chinita
- ↑ Parker, Jordan (12 June 2026). "American Airlines to launch flights to Haiti and increase Venezuela service". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Avianca abrirá ruta directa entre Bogotá y Maracaibo con vuelos diarios desde agosto; así podrá acceder a los tiquetes". 27 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ "Curazao ahora mas cerca: Avior Airlines inicia vuelos desde Barcelona y Maracaibo". 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Desde el 14 de abril Maracaibo-Panama-Maracaibo". 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Rutas". Aerosucre.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
- ↑ "ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 YV-23C Valera". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
External links
edit- "Airport information for MAR" – via Great Circle Mapper.
- SkyVector - La Chinita
- OurAirports - La Chinita Archived 26 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- OpenStreetMap - La Chinita
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