Guatemala
2.2.8 Guatemala Retalhuleu National Airport
Home

Airport Overview

The Retalhuleu Airport is a medium-sized airport in Retalhuleu, Guatemala, also known as Southern Air Base (Base Aérea del Sur). The airport has one runway, the ICAO code for the airport is MGRT and the IATA code is RER. The other closest airports are Coatepeque Airport, Quezaltenango Airport, SANTIAGO, San Marcos Airport and Santo Tomas Airport. 

The airport is located in the municipality of Retalhuleu in southern Guatemala. It is operated by the Guatemalan Air Force. It has an asphalt runway (PCN: 054FBWT) that is 1,544 meters long and 30 meters wide in direction 04/22. 

The Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civl foresees in its operative plan the Retalhuleu aerodrome as the second airport in the Pacific region, which will operate mainly as a receiving airport for local flights, thus enabling the arrival of tourists to the recreational complexes of IRTRA and to the Pacific beaches. It will also function as a connection between the country's plateau (highlands) with the network of national airports, and in a second stage, international. 

As part of the economic reactivation, the government promotes an air bridge to Retalhuleu to facilitate local tourism to the IRTRA https://irtra.org.gt/  theme park, 22 km far from the Retalhuleu airport. IRTRA is  an area of ​​recreational parks and hotels. Retalhuleu is located in the south of the country and has a beautiful view of the Pacific shore.

Airport Location and Contact

Country 

Guatemala 

Province or District 

Retalhuleu 

Nearest Town or City  
with Distance from Airport 

Retalhuleu, 1 km. 

Airport’s Complete Name 

Aeropuerto de Retalhuleu 

Latitude 

14.52143 

Longitude 

-91.697 

Elevation (ft and m) 

199 m , 653 ft  (masl) 

IATA Code 

RER  

ICAO Code 

MGRT 

Managing Company or Airport Authority 

Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Guatemala) 

Management Contact Person 

N/A 

NGO and/or UN Presence at Airport? 

NO 

Runway

Runway #1

Runway Dimensions 

1,544 m x 30 m 

Runway Orientation 

 4/22 (049°/229°) 

Runway Surface 

Asphalt (PCN: 054FBWT) 

Runway Condition 

Good, Cat 3C 

Retalhuleu is operated by the Guatemalan Air Force. It has an asphalt runway (PCN: 054FBWT) that is 1,544 meters long and 30 meters wide in direction 04/22. Initially the runway, inaugurated on September 16, 1956, was 1,200 meters long and 30 meters wide, with a grass surface. In 1963 it was enlarged and asphalted, and it had a military detachment to the north of the runway, which became the base of Military Zone No. 16 and later Military Zone No. 1316. It is currently the Southern Air Base. 

Airport Infrastructure Details

Infrastructure

Passenger / Cargo Security Screening

Yes  

Runway Lighting

No 

Refueling Capacity

No 

Ground Handling Services

No 

Air Traffic Control

Tower: 118.8 freq. 

Fire Fighting Equipment

Yes, basic 

Weather Information

Yes 

Aircraft Parking Space

Yes  

Navigation Aids

Yes (*) 

Perimeter Fencing

Yes 

Windsock

Yes  

 



(*) Nearby VORs <50NM 

TAPACHULA VOR-DME 

49.1 NM 

TAP 

freq: 115.30 

W 292° 

(*) Nearby NDBs 

RETALHULEU NDB 

0.1 NM 

REU 

freq: 340 

NE 41° 

(*) Airport Radio Frequencies 

Tower: 

118.8 


Jump to top