Punta del Este’s international airport of Laguna del Sauce receives almost 200,000 passengers a year, second only to Montevideo’s Carrasco. But the two main Uruguayan airports are not rivals – part of Corporación América since 2008, Punta del Este airport works in synergy with Carrasco to increase the connectivity and break the limitation to the summer season.

In that season Punta del Este receives over 60% of its annual total, 120,000 passengers last summer or 25% up on the previous holiday season. As one example of the increased connectivity with other centres in the region, the airport recently announced an agreement with Amaszonas Uruguay airline to incorporate a new frequency linking Punta del Este with Jorge Newbery Aeroparque in Buenos Aires. In the summer season Amaszonas services Punta del Este, Asunción and Buenos Aires while maintaining flights throughout the year between Montevideo, Córdoba and the Argentine and Paraguayan capitals.

Other permanent connections are supplied by Aerolíneas Argentinas (with Buenos Aires) and Latam (with Sao Paulo). During the summer season other links are provided by Azul (Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo), Sky (the Chilean capital of Santiago) and Andes (Buenos Aires) airlines.

The terminal is an important employer, creating 60 direct jobs and incorporating 50 more during the summer season, to which should be added hundreds of indirect jobs. In response to the worldwide demand for pilots and true to its innovative spirit, the airport also supports the Punta del Este Flight School, the first CIAC/CEAC training centre certified by Uruguay’s Dinacia (Dirección Nacional de Aviación) authority in an alliance geared to promoting the training of pilots at regional level.