Ezeiza Airport Fully Reopens Main Runway After Intersection Overhaul

Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza, the primary international gateway serving Buenos Aires, has fully reopened its main Runway 11-29 to commercial air traffic. Full commissioning took effect at 04:00 local time on November 11, 2026, concluding complex rehabilitation works at the intersection of the airport's two runways that were executed without interrupting overall flight schedules. Commercial operations resumed immediately with the departure of JetSmart flight WJ3211, an Airbus A320 service bound for El Calafate.

The completion of the intersection paving allows the airfield to return to standard dual-runway operational flexibility while engineering teams proceed with the remaining phases of the aerodrome's capital modernization programme.

Lifting Operational Limits on Long-Haul Traffic

The full restoration of the 3,300-metre operational length ends a 17-day operating restriction that began on October 25. During that maintenance window, Runway 11-29 was temporarily shortened to an available operating length of 1,850 metres while contractors repaved the structural junction connecting it to the secondary runway.

The shortened runway threshold created significant operational hurdles for long-haul transatlantic and intercontinental passenger flights. Heavily laden widebody aircraft carrying transatlantic fuel loads faced severe takeoff weight restrictions, prompting multiple international airlines to adjust passenger payloads, suspend selected services, or add intermediate technical refueling stops. With the full 3,300-metre length and 60-metre runway width restored, long-haul carriers operating Boeing 777, 787, and Airbus A350 aircraft have resumed standard direct flight operations across Europe and the Americas.

Focus Shifts to Secondary Runway Overhaul

With the intersection works completed on schedule, engineering teams under airport operator Aeropuertos Argentina have shifted work exclusively to the full rehabilitation of Runway 17-35. The secondary runway, measuring 3,000 metres in length and 45 metres in width, is undergoing comprehensive structural milling, deep pavement reconstruction, and the installation of high-efficiency LED airfield lighting systems.

Aeropuertos Argentina confirmed that upgrading Runway 17-35 is scheduled for final delivery before the close of the year. Once commissioned, the dual-runway configuration will provide reinforced runway pavement ratings and renewed threshold markings capable of supporting projected traffic growth across South American regional and intercontinental networks.

Wider Modernization and Cargo Infrastructure

The runway project forms the core of an active US$100 million infrastructure investment package across Ezeiza. Key airside developments include the construction of Apron Golf, an independent parking apron designed to accommodate the simultaneous ground handling of seven narrow-body aircraft.

Cargo and processing facilities are also expanding significantly. Aeropuertos Argentina Cargas is preparing to inaugurate the Single Courier Terminal, a 12,000-square-metre dedicated logistics building, alongside the expansion of temperature-controlled perishable export warehousing from 4,500 square metres to nearly 7,000 square metres. Environmental upgrades incorporate a newly installed wastewater treatment facility utilizing reverse osmosis filtration. Terminal passenger processing is additionally supported by the integration of more than 1,700 connected digital peripherals. The programme integrates into the broader US$1.5 billion National Airport System Expansion Plan, which anticipates long-term terminal additions including standalone international and domestic passenger facilities at the capital hub.