El Dorado International Airport

The main passenger terminal is known as Terminal 1 (T1). The T1 building is shaped like a lowercase "h" and is divided into two piers or concourses: the international one to the north side and the domestic pier/concourse on the south side. Terminal 1 has four airline lounges (operated by LATAM, Avianca, Copa and American), in addition to the El Dorado Lounge by Mastercard in the international concourse and one airline lounge (operated by Avianca) in the domestic concourse. It also offers a variety of food options, both on the air and land side, and several retail stores and cafés in the duty-free area. There are also car rental facilities, ticket counters, ATMs, telephones, restrooms, luggage storage space and even a small casino. The terminal has complimentary Wi-Fi service.

T1 has several check-in counter areas, check-in kiosks and expanded immigration lanes compared to the previous terminal. "Express lanes" were added for holders of biometric passports and Global Entry Membership. The new terminal has moving walkways, escalators and elevators to guarantee universal access and faster connections. The new terminal contains 32 gates: 10 for international flights and 22 for domestic flights, five of which are remote stands.

The "Puente Aéreo" is currently Terminal 2 (T2). It had previously been Avianca's exclusive terminal for domestic flights. On April 29, 2018, the airline moved the remainder of its domestic operation from T2 to T1, which in turn meant the switch from T1 to T2 of EasyFly and Satena, who are currently the sole operators at the terminal. Terminal 2 contains a revamped food plaza, some retail stores, and ATMs.

The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics (Aerocivil) is located in the new Aerocivil Building, located on the airport property.[12][13] Previously it was located on the fourth floor of the main terminal building.[14][15]

Due to the high demand for passengers, the need has become apparent to build a new, more modern airport with a larger capacity for both commercial and cargo flights. The process began with the creation of the new terminal. On 7 February 2007, the airport gave a concession to the consortium Opain. The national government accepted the proposal with Opain (airport operating company), to demolish the airport on 14 March 2008, after having given its concession. Initially the grant provided for the modernization of existing buildings and the construction of some additional buildings connected to the main terminal, but during the upgrading works (see below, Milestone 1), structural defects were discovered, which do not compromise the integrity of the building today. Opain from the beginning had proposed to demolish the aging terminal and had even submitted a new design to replace it, but the government had strongly opposed it due to pressing budget and legal issues (because it would be a big change to the terms of the concession, which could make Opain as well as other competitors who participated in the tender submitted claims), although many sectors of public opinion agreed with Opain. After the structural problems were discovered, the government agreed to the demolition of the airport and compensation for the renovations that Opain had already been hired to perform (Milestone 1). For the airport to handle 16 million passengers annually and 1.5 million tons of cargo, Opain plans to move the cargo terminal to allow the expansion of the passenger terminal and ensure access for at least an additional avenue to 26th Street.

On 19 September 2007, the implementation of Milestone 1 of the plan for modernization and expansion of the airport began. This consists of expanding the current Central Arrivals Hall of the terminal and installation of the CUTE system at the terminal. This was completed in March 2008. Additionally, the construction of the new cargo terminal, a new building for the office of civil aviation, a new fire station, an administrative center and quarantine were completed in September 2009.

The third milestone of the project began in late November 2009. Terminal 2, located on the north side of the current terminal, will handle all international passengers and its construction was set for 2012. The old building or Terminal 1 will handle only national passengers, except for Avianca's which will continue being served on Terminal Puente Aereo. Soon after Terminal 2 begins its operation, the old Terminal 1 building will be demolished in order to build a new terminal for domestic passengers. On 17 October, the new Terminal 2 was inaugurated and on the 19th, every international operation was moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. The new El Dorado International Airport, designed by Zyscovich Architects, was the largest infrastructure project in the city, when it was completed in July 2014.[16]

Windows on the main platform

Vehicles on the apron

In January 2015, a two-stage plan was proposed to improve Bogota's aerial access, as part of a greater endeavor to modernize Colombia's airports. The plan included a major expansion to the current main terminal with the effect of increasing the number of gates from 37 to 56 and thus raising the capacity of the airport from 27 million passengers to 40 million. Phase 1 also includes improvements to the runway to increase efficiency. The time scale for phase one was announced as approximately 24 months. Phase 2 involves the construction of a brand new secondary airport, currently called El Dorado II, in the suburb of Facatativa west of Bogota. The new airport was due to open in 2023.[17] It was expected that El Dorado and El Dorado II will be connected via a commuter/light rail project.[18]

In 2023, plans were announced to double the capacity of El Dorado Airport with capacity to reach 60 million passengers with a contract awarded by 2025.[19]

• On 19 April 1960, a Lloyd Aéreo Colombiano Curtiss C-46 Commando crashed on approach to BOG because of loss of height and speed in the final approach turn. Six crew and 31 passengers out of 51 on board were killed.[31]
• On 22 September 1966, an Avianca Douglas DC-4 struck trees attempting to return to the airport following engine problems. Both occupants died.[32]
• On 18 December 1966, a Aerocondo-Aerovías Cóndor de Colombia Lockheed L-1649 Starliner crashed on approach 10-20m short of the runway threshold. Four crew and 13 passengers died out of the 59 on board.[33]
• On 21 January 1972, a Lineas Aereas La Urraca Vickers Viscount crashed during a rainstorm shortly after leaving Bogota for San Andes. All five crew and 15 passengers perished.[34]
• On 7 June 1973, Vickers Viscount HK-1061 of Aerolíneas TAO was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident on landing.[35]
• On 27 August 1973, an Aerocondor-Aerovías Cóndor de Colombia Lockheed L-188 Electra flew into a mountain 12km (7.4mi) SE of BOG because the flight crew did not follow the prescribed departure procedure following takeoff. All six crew and 36 passengers died.[36]
• On 10 July 1975, an Aerocondor Lockheed L-188 Electra veered to the right shortly after lift off, sank back and struck another aircraft, causing a fire that destroyed both aircraft. Two occupants out of the four occupants died.[37]
• On 29 April 1978, a LAC Colombia Douglas DC-6 crashed 1km NW of the airport because the aircraft was configured for cargo, not for carrying passengers. All three crew and five out the nine passengers were killed.[38]
• On 22 August 1979, a SATERA Hawker Siddeley HS 748 was stolen by a 23 year old man who was an airline mechanic who was just fired. The aircraft crashed into a Bogota suburb, killing the pilot and three on the ground.[39]
• On 24 January 1980, Douglas C-53D HK-2214 of Aerotal Colombia crashed after an in-flight engine failure following which the propeller on the engine was feathered. The aircraft was on a test flight. All four on board were killed.[40]
• On 8 February 1986, Douglas DC-3 HK-3031 of SAEP Colombia crashed on approach. The port engine had lost power shortly after take-off on a cargo flight to Rondon Airport and the decision was made to return to Bogotá. Although the aircraft was destroyed in the post-impact fire, all five people on board survived.[41]
• On 27 November 1989, Avianca Flight 203, flying from Bogota to Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport in Cali, was destroyed by a bomb while flying over Soacha. All 107 passengers and crew and three people on the ground died. Pablo Escobar bombed the plane in an attempt to assassinate presidential candidate César Gaviria Trujillo, who was not on the plane and was elected President of Colombia in 1990.
• On 25 January 1990, Avianca Flight 52, flying on a Bogotá-Medellín-New York JFK route, crashed on Long Island after running out of fuel.
• On 20 February 1993, a Cargo Three Panama Convair CV-440 crashed into a field 3km (1.9mi) W of the airport because of an engine fire. Both occupants perished.[42]
• On 20 April 1998, Air France Flight 422 from Eldorado Airport to Quito, Ecuador, using an aircraft leased from TAME and flown with Ecuadorian crew, crashed less than two minutes after taking off into a mountain in eastern Bogotá. All 43 passengers and 10 crew died.[43]
• On 11 October 2007, a Rio Jur Beechcraft Super King Air impacted the ground after banking right abruptly, passed a hangar, then impacted houses near the approach end of the runway. All five occupants were killed along with two on the ground. [44]
• On 7 July 2008, a Kalitta Air Boeing 747-209B, operating as Centurion Air Cargo Flight 164 on an aircraft that had been leased to Centurion Air Cargo, crashed shortly after departing from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá at 3:55 am. The plane was en route to Miami, Florida, with a shipment of flowers. After reporting a fire in one of the engines, the plane attempted returning to the airport but crashed near the village of Madrid, Colombia. One of the plane's engines hit a farm house, killing an adult and two children who lived there. The crew of eight survived.[45][46]

In 2016 and 2017 the airport was named the best in South America by World Airport Awards.[6] It received four-star rating by Skytrax and was listed in the top 50 of the "World's Top 100 Airports" list in both years.[8] Its staff was rated the best in South America by the World Airport Awards in 2017.[7][47]

• This airport was featured in episodes of 'Airport security Colombia' Documentary show of National Geographic HD TV channel.[48]

• Transport in Colombia
• List of airports in Colombia
• List of the busiest airports in Colombia
• Guaymaral Airport
• Migración Colombia

Media related to El Dorado International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Accident history for BOG at Aviation Safety Network
• (in Spanish) El Dorado International Airport Official Site
• (in Spanish) Authorized itineraries by the Aerocivil (only passenger airlines)
• Current weather for SKBO at NOAA/NWS