Campo de Marte Airport is the first airport built in São Paulo, Brazil, opened in 1929. It is named after Champ de Mars, in Paris, which in turn got its name from Campus Martius, in Rome. The airport is operated by Pax Aeroportos.

History

Campo de Marte was the first airport built in São Paulo, officially opened on July 26, 1929. The airport was bombarded during the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution. On 12 November 1933 a ceremony marking the start-up of scheduled flights of VASP took place at the airport. The first two routes linked Campo de Marte to São Carlos and São José do Rio Preto, and to Ribeirão Preto and Uberaba. It handled all air operations in São Paulo until VASP opened Congonhas Airport in 1936. VASP considered it a necessary move because of unexpected growing demands, and to avoid a problem of constant flooding by the adjoining Tietê River, particularly the one that happened in 1929. São Paulo Air Force Base was created on 22 May 1941 by Decree 3,302 at Campo de Marte Airport. On 26 January 1945 the base at Campo de Marte was decommissioned and transferred to its present location, then called Cumbica Farm at Guarulhos. Presently it houses the São Paulo Flying club, founded in 1931, helicopters and general aviation services. It has limited night operations capability, usually reserved to helicopters. The 4th command of the Brazilian Air Force is also located on the premises. On 11 May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI canonized the first Brazilian-born saint, Frei Galvão, during a mass on the site. An agreement to establish an aerospace museum at the airport was signed in 2017. Previously operated by Infraero, on August 18, 2022 Pax Aeroportos controlled by XP Inc. won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.

Airlines and destinations

No scheduled flights operate at this airport.

Accidents and incidents

Access

The airport is located 6 km from downtown São Paulo in the district of Santana.