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Haiti has opened its third international airport, providing a much-needed alternative for travelers and aid organizations amid ongoing violence in the capital. The Antoine Simon Airport, located in the coastal city of Les Cayes, is now ready to receive international flights, officials announced Wednesday.
The move comes as commercial airlines have suspended flights to Port-au-Prince due to escalating gang violence. Authorities believe that the airport’s reopening could ease travel challenges and create new economic opportunities for the country’s southwest region.
Named after early 20th-century Haitian president Antoine Simon, the airport has operated for nearly two decades. Renovations began in 2013 to extend the runway and modernize its facilities, a process that has now reached completion.
With this upgrade, Les Cayes joins Cap-Haïtien and Port-au-Prince as the country’s third airport capable of handling international flights. Local leaders hope it will help decentralize economic activity and attract investment outside the capital.
The new airport has generated optimism among aid organizations and businesses operating in southern Haiti.
Hugh Aprile, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Mercy Corps, also welcomed the expansion, suggesting it could encourage more humanitarian groups to shift their operations to Les Cayes rather than relying on Port-au-Prince.
With gangs controlling key roads in and out of Port-au-Prince, air travel has become even more critical for movement within Haiti. The reopening of Antoine Simon Airport offers a safer option for both domestic and international flights.
Authorities have not yet confirmed which airlines will begin operating international routes to Les Cayes. However, officials expect humanitarian flights and private charters to take advantage of the new facility in the short term.
