Tourists Drive Up to 500 km Because Operational Airport Doesn’t Receive Flights: The Surprising Reality of São Raimundo Nonato, Gateway to Serra da Capivara

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 15/11/2025 at 09:34

A falta de voos para São Raimundo Nonato obriga turistas a viajar até 500 km por terra, mesmo com o aeroporto em condições de uso

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Even With a Fully Functional Airport, São Raimundo Nonato Remains Isolated Due to Lack of Commercial Flights, Forcing Tourists to Travel Long Distances on Northeast Roads to Visit the Serra da Capivara, One of the World’s Largest Archaeological Heritage Sites

Now in November, it has been eight months since the Serra da Capivara International Airport, in São Raimundo Nonato, about 500 kilometers from Teresina, suspended its operations by Azul Airlines.

The suspension changed the pace of tourism in São Raimundo Nonato and Coronel José Dias, municipalities that concentrate a large part of the Serra da Capivara National Park.

The airline stated that it made the decision due to rising operational costs in aviation and the adjustment between supply and demand.

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Until the suspension, about 50 flights were recorded at the airport in 2025, while nearly 500 operations occurred between 2023 and 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Ports and Airports.

It is worth noting that the airport had only commercial flights from the airline. This results in a significant problem: there is an airport, but no commercial flights.

AmpliAR Seeks Solutions for Regional Airports

The Ministry of Ports and Airports states that the São Raimundo Nonato Airport is part of the first round of the AmpliAR program, an initiative aimed at expanding air connectivity and strengthening regional aviation.

The proposal aims to unlock the operation of airports with low demand by allowing private concessionaires to take over management in exchange for contractual rebalancing, such as reduced grants or extended concession periods.

The ministry emphasizes that the measure is strategically important for tourism and the economy of the semi-arid region of Piauí, as the airport serves as an entry point to the Serra da Capivara National Park, recognized by UNESCO as one of the world’s largest archaeological heritage sites on the planet.

The modernization seeks to ensure updated infrastructure, operational stability, and new regional routes.

Currently, visitors to the Serra da Capivara need to travel to Teresina, over 500 kilometers away, or to Petrolina, nearly 300 kilometers from São Raimundo Nonato.

Even so, the park maintains a large flow of visitors. Until July of this year, it received an average of 4,000 tourists per month, including Brazilians and foreigners, mainly from Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Expected Impacts on Tourism and the Local Economy

By including the airport in AmpliAR, the government aims to facilitate access to the park, strengthen sustainable tourism, and stimulate new development opportunities in southern Piauí. The expectation is to boost various sectors, such as hospitality, food, transportation, handicrafts, tour guides, and cultural production.

The program may also expand scientific and educational tourism. The Serra da Capivara is home to over 1,300 cataloged archaeological sites and attracts researchers and students drawn by the historical significance of the location, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

Minister Silvio Costa Filho emphasizes the strategic role of the airport for preservation and scientific dissemination. He states that by integrating into AmpliAR, the terminal should receive upgrades capable of changing the regional dynamics. According to him, the program seeks to attract investments, modernize airports, and expand routes in areas with social, economic, and tourist relevance.

The public bidding session for the management of the airports in the first stage of AmpliAR is scheduled for November 27, at 10 a.m., at B3 in São Paulo.

Government of Piauí Projects Return of Flights

During a recent agenda in São Raimundo Nonato, Governor Rafael Fonteles highlighted the expectation of the return of commercial flights.

He stated that he is working to ensure daily operations and believes that the region will receive positive news soon.

Fonteles considers the airport essential to strengthen tourism in the Serra da Capivara and Serra das Confusões, as well as the entire tourist complex of the Piauí caatinga.

The terminal has already received commercial flights in the past and is seen as a key piece to facilitate the movement of tourists, researchers, and investors.

Logistical Advancement and Regional Development

The possible return of flights also represents an important logistical advancement. The operation of the airport can contribute to the interiorization of development, improve regional mobility, and energize the local economy.

The state government believes that reactivating the airport will help consolidate southern Piauí as a hub for tourism, science, and environmental preservation, reinforcing the role of the Serra da Capivara National Park as a global reference in archaeology.

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Claudio Lemes Louzada

#192924

15/11/2025 10:18

O mesmo blá, blá, blá de sempre. O gargalo aeroportuário é a pista de pouso curta para receber outros modelos de aeronaves e empresas aéreas. É urgente e necessário uma expansão da pista em, pelo menos, 150m para torna-la assim, com 1.800m de comprimento. Medida está considerada como comprimento de pista básica. Pista menor não serve!!!!

Veja os bons exemplos de pistas de pouso em construção:
– Vitória da Conquista, Bahia 2.100 x 45m
– Aeroporto Antares, Goiânia 2.100 x 45m em construção
– Jericoacoara, Ceará 2.200 x 45m
– Olímpia, São Paulo 2.200 x 45m em construção
– Maragogi, Alagoas 2.200 x 45m em construção
– Águas Lindas, Goiás 2.200 x 45m em construção
– Caruaru, Pernambuco 2.250 x 45m em construção

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Tourists Drive Up to 500 km Because Operational Airport Doesn’t Receive Flights: The Surprising Reality of São Raimundo Nonato, Gateway to Serra da Capivara

Even With a Fully Functional Airport, São Raimundo Nonato Remains Isolated Due to Lack of Commercial Flights, Forcing Tourists to Travel Long Distances on Northeast Roads to Visit the Serra da Capivara, One of the World’s Largest Archaeological Heritage Sites

Major Oil, Gas, and Energy Event Will Take Place in Brazil: Macaé Energy Will Gather Petrobras, Equinor, Prio, Among Other Suppliers and Energy Executives for Business, Networking, and Employment Opportunities

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Government of Piauí Projects Return of Flights

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Tourists Drive Up to 500 km Because Operational Airport Doesn’t Receive Flights: The Surprising Reality of São Raimundo Nonato, Gateway to Serra da Capivara

Even With a Fully Functional Airport, São Raimundo Nonato Remains Isolated Due to Lack of Commercial Flights, Forcing Tourists to Travel Long Distances on Northeast Roads to Visit the Serra da Capivara, One of the World’s Largest Archaeological Heritage Sites

Major Oil, Gas, and Energy Event Will Take Place in Brazil: Macaé Energy Will Gather Petrobras, Equinor, Prio, Among Other Suppliers and Energy Executives for Business, Networking, and Employment Opportunities

AmpliAR Seeks Solutions for Regional Airports

Expected Impacts on Tourism and the Local Economy

Government of Piauí Projects Return of Flights

Logistical Advancement and Regional Development

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At just 14 years old, a boy creates a system without energy, using steel pipes buried in the ground, that irrigates seedlings with moisture from the air, to combat the water scarcity threatening reforestation in northern China.

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