Rafael Núñez International Airport

Rafael Núñez International Airport is unusual among major city gateways: the runway sits inside Cartagena’s urban fabric, in the coastal neighborhood of Crespo, rather than far beyond the metropolitan edge. For a traveler, that can mean a short transfer toward the walled historic center, but it also means airport traffic, construction and city streets are part of the same arrival experience. The airport is a practical starting point for Cartagena, not an attraction to tour, and its changing role reflects the city’s long relationship with aviation and tourism.

A city airport woven into Cartagena’s growth

The airport’s story is closely tied to Cartagena’s growth as a Caribbean destination. Its present location in Crespo puts an operating runway inside the city rather than at a distant regional hub. The airport has gone through successive management and infrastructure phases, and a new concession launched in 2024 opened another period of planned modernization. Older summaries can blur the difference between a project announcement, construction work and a completed facility, so it is useful to read dated operator and government updates rather than treating the project as finished.

The airport is named for Rafael Núñez, the Cartagena-born politician and writer who served as president of Colombia and authored the words of the national anthem. Its location gives it a distinctive geography: the Caribbean coast lies to one side, while the Ciénaga de la Virgen wetland sits inland from the northern neighborhoods. The airport’s official directions page places it in Crespo and describes the facility as operating every day, around the clock. Administrative offices have separate business hours, so those should not be confused with terminal operations.

Today, Rafael Núñez is a key air connection for Cartagena and the wider northern Caribbean region of Colombia. The operator reported that the airport handled more than 7.7 million passengers during 2025, a useful measure of the pressure on a terminal embedded in a dense city. That figure is the operator’s published annual total, not a forecast or a guarantee of future traffic. It helps explain why the airport’s ongoing expansion is being discussed alongside the practical questions of access, capacity and the surrounding neighborhood.

A terminal being modernized while the city keeps moving

A new concession brought Operadora Internacional Aeropuerto de Cartagena, known as OINAC, into the project. The airport’s published account describes a planned international terminal of about 17,360 square metres and remodeling of roughly 2,814 square metres of existing terminal space. Those figures describe project scope; they do not mean the new building is already open. The concession also covers operation and maintenance alongside expansion, so construction progress is only one part of the airport’s changing management and passenger-service plan.

The National Infrastructure Agency reported on September 12, 2026 that the Cartagena project had reached 4 percent progress, placing it among several airport upgrades under way nationally. The modernization is intended to expand the terminal and improve passenger service, but these are dated official project updates and goals, not a promise that work will finish on a particular day. Travelers should expect that construction phases and access arrangements can change while the airport continues operating.

The airport sits near residential streets and the coast, so its expansion has a local dimension beyond the passenger hall. Construction decisions involve the runway environment, airport access, service areas and nearby communities. The project’s official material describes added passenger space and operational improvements, while the agency’s progress updates show that the work is still in development. For visitors, the useful takeaway is straightforward: do not rely on older photos or old directions alone; check the airport’s current notices and allow extra time if roadworks or terminal changes are announced.

Arriving, departing and planning the transfer

The operator places the airport in Crespo and estimates a journey of about ten minutes to the historic center and Cartagena Convention Center, and about fifteen minutes to the hotel zone. These are approximate trip times published by the airport, not guaranteed drive times; traffic, time of day, weather and works can change them. The address published for the terminal is in the Crespo area on Calle 70. Confirm the exact pickup point with your airline, hotel or transport provider, especially if you are arriving late or carrying bulky luggage.

Airport operations are listed as 24 hours daily, but that does not mean every transport option or service counter runs all night. The airport FAQ notes that Transcaribe buses serve the Crespo area on published schedules, with different operating hours on weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Check the transit operator’s latest timetable before relying on a bus for an early flight or late arrival. Taxis and app-based rides may be more convenient at off-peak hours, but verify pickup arrangements and local fares through current official or provider information.

Inside a compact, busy airport, the practical basics matter: check in with your airline, follow security and boarding instructions, and use official airport information for lost property or passenger assistance. The airport publishes a 2026 airport tax notice, but whether a charge is already included in a ticket depends on the fare and itinerary; ask the airline before budgeting for it. For a dependable trip, confirm flight details, transport schedules and construction notices shortly before travel. Rafael Núñez is both a convenient urban arrival point and an infrastructure project still changing around Cartagena.