Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport

In 1942, a grass track measuring one thousand meters (runway 09/27), which served the airbase of the Brazilian Army, was the only way that São Luís had to receive flights. Runway 06/24 was built as part of the US base which began operating in 1943.^{[citation needed]}

In 1974, technical jurisdiction, administrative and operational services were transferred to Infraero.^{[citation needed]}

The new terminal of the airport was opened in June 1998 and in October 2004, it was upgraded to international category.^{[citation needed]}

Previously operated by Infraero, on April 7, 2021, CCR won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.^[6] On April 26, 2025 CCR was rebranded as Motiva.^[7]

On November 18, 2025 the entire airports portfolio of Motiva was sold to the Mexican airport operator ASUR. Motiva will cease to operate airports.^[8] On February 10, 2026 the transaction was still pending government approval.

Following are the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Infraero (2007-2021) and CCR (2022-2025) reports:^[23][24][1]

More information Year, Passenger ...

Year	Passenger	Aircraft	Cargo (t)
2025	1,839,199 23%	21,565 12%
2024	1,490,915 4%	19,192 5%
2023	1,548,876	20,205	4,060
2022a	1,128,108	16,585	3,403
2021	1,116,871 34%	15,754 28%	3,611 39%
2020	836,336 50%	12,311 31%	2,602 52%
2019	1,675,549 5%	17,816 5%	5,430 2%
2018	1,598,004	18,733 5%	5,300 27%
2017	1,601,836 5%	19,695 4%	4,188 20%
2016	1,520,847 11%	18,880 20%	3,495 30%
2015	1,701,015 7%	23,470 9%	4,488 24%
2014	1,833,799 1%	25,821 8%	6,530 8%
2013	1,815,909 9%	27,975 8%	7,063 12%
2012	1,991,099 8%	30,358 9%	8,018 15%
2011	1,843,384 34%	27,924 18%	9,477 18%
2010	1,379,146 40%	23,643 23%	8,000 9%
2009	984,756 13%	19,284	7,330 5%
2008	870,784 3%	19,310 3%	7,693 10%
2007	900,357	19,994	6,973

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Note:
^a: 2022 series provided by CCR is incomplete, lacking data for the months of January, February and part of March.

• 1 June 1973: a Cruzeiro do Sul Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI N registration PP-PDX operating flight 109 from Belém-Val de Cans to São Luís crashed on approach to São Luís. Engine no.1 lost power and the aircraft attained an extreme nose-up attitude. It stalled and crashed 760m to the right of the runway. All 23 passengers and crew died.^[25][26]
• 3 February 1984: a Cruzeiro do Sul Airbus A300B4-203 operating flight 302 en route from São Luís to Belém-Val de Cans with 176 passengers and crew aboard was hijacked by 3 persons who demanded to be taken to Cuba. The flight reached Camagüey in less than a day. There were no deaths among the victims.^[27]

The airport is located 15 km (9 mi) from downtown São Luís.

• List of airports in Brazil