Viru Viru International Airport (IATA: VVI, ICAO: SLVR) is the largest and busiest airport in Bolivia, serving as the country’s primary international gateway. The airport is located approximately 15 to 17 kilometres north of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia’s largest city, in the Santa Cruz Department.
The airport opened in 1983, replacing the older El Trompillo Airport to become Bolivia’s main international gateway. It serves as the principal hub for Boliviana de Aviación (BoA), the country’s state-owned national carrier. The airport is managed by Servicios de Aeropuertos Bolivianos Sociedad Anónima (SABSA) under a concession agreement.
Viru Viru is the only airport in Bolivia with the infrastructure and geographic position to potentially operate as a regional hub for the Southern Cone. Its runway measures 3,500 metres by 45 metres with a concrete surface, capable of accommodating large aircraft including the Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 747-800.
In 2024, Viru Viru handled approximately 4.1 million passengers and recorded 35,114 aircraft movements, concentrating 29.53% of Bolivia’s total national passenger traffic and leading the country in cargo movement with 7.6 million kilograms — nearly 38% of the national total. The airport generates an estimated economic impact of between USD 800 million and USD 1.6 billion annually and supports approximately 44,000 direct and indirect jobs.