Afonso Pena International Airport (IATA: CWB, ICAO: SBCT) is the main airport serving Curitiba, Brazil, located in the neighboring municipality of São José dos Pinhais. It is named after Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena (1847–1909), Brazil’s sixth president, and is operated by Infraero.
The airport was built during World War II by the Brazilian Air Force Ministry in partnership with the United States Army. Completed in 1945, it saw mostly civilian operations, as heavy military traffic never materialized. The original terminal operated until 1959, after which a new building was constructed for passenger use. That terminal is now used for cargo operations, while the current passenger terminal opened in 1996.
Afonso Pena faces operational challenges due to regional weather, particularly morning fog and smog in winter. The auxiliary runway 11/29 is short and outdated, while plans are underway to upgrade the main runway 15/33 from ILS CAT II to CAT III, improving landing capabilities in low-visibility conditions. Cargo capacity is a key focus; the main runway was extended in 2008 to support larger cargo aircraft, and the cargo terminal was modernized. In 2009, Infraero announced a BRL 30 million (USD 16 million) investment to upgrade the airport ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, including apron enlargement and new taxiways, completed by 2011.
In 2025, the airport continues to see steady growth. In the first quarter, it handled 1,369,300 passengers, a 4.75% increase over the same period in 2024. By August, traffic rose to 538,000 passengers, up nearly 10% year-on-year. For the first half of 2025, passenger movements across the state’s airports increased by 18.2%, with Afonso Pena contributing roughly 3 million travelers. This growth reflects both the airport’s strategic importance for Curitiba and ongoing investments in infrastructure and operational efficiency.
Afonso Pena International Airport has a runway length of 2,000 m (6,562 ft), suitable for small props, regional and medium jets, long-range jets, and large airliners, supporting both commercial and cargo operations while continuing to expand its capabilities to meet rising demand.
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