Colombia Airports After the Quake: What’s Open and What’s Closed

As of 13 August 2026, five airports in Colombia are back in service following the 10 August 2026 earthquake. These include Cali, Quibdo, Armenia, Buenaventura and Manizales. Cali, the main hub, has resumed normal commercial flights. Quibdo, Armenia and Buenaventura are operating at regular schedules, though with some limitations. Manizales is flying again but lacks a functional control tower, which may cause delays or changes.

Pereira's Matecana airport, however, remains closed to scheduled passenger flights. It is currently handling only government, medical and humanitarian aircraft. The airport has sustained damage to its runway, control tower and communications, and repairs and safety checks are still ongoing. The authorities have not set a reopening date, so any bookings through Matecana should be treated as canceled until confirmed by the airline.

Cartago's airport is also limited in its capabilities. Open only for state, emergency and humanitarian flights, it operates without control tower service, making it unsuitable for typical tourist flights. Therefore, treat Cartago as closed for regular travel purposes.

Popayan's airport is closed due to volcanic ash emissions from the nearby Purace volcano. While the ash is dangerous to aircraft engines, making airports close as a precaution, the situation is volcano-dependent and thus can change without notice. Operations there are suspended until further notice, so keep an eye on updates if your route involves Popayan.

In summary, although five airports are open, their statuses can fluctuate rapidly due to aftershocks, inspections and ash emissions. To avoid any surprises, always confirm your airport status with your airline and Colombia's civil aviation authority on the day of travel. And remember, if your airport is closed, the coffee towns of Cali, Pereira, Armenia and Manizales remain accessible by road.