Aeronautics and Aircraft Maintenance in El Salvador
The cluster at the airport
Aeroman, part of MRO Holdings, has worked from the international airport San Óscar Arnulfo Romero in La Paz for three decades. Its seventh hangar adds 16 production lines. Avianca also runs maintenance operations there. INVEST put MRO exports at USD 284 million in 2023.2,3,5
Maintenance and repair services made up 6.5% of the USD 6,213.5 million of services El Salvador exported in 2025, according to SIECA. The airport had 35 direct routes in 2025, according to INVEST.4,1
Where to set up
- AirCity: an airport free zone being built at the international airport by Grupo Aristos, with USD 250 million planned; construction started in December 2025.
- Innovation and technology manufacturing law: covers plants for aircraft and unmanned vehicles, with 15 years of exemptions.
Source: Diario El Mundo: construction of AirCity starts at the international airport, December 2025; INVEST: Law for the Promotion of Innovation and the Manufacture of Technologies, English translation6,7
Skills and rules
A civil aviation reform in March 2026 removed the priority the law gave to Salvadoran nationals as cabin crew, according to the US Investment Climate Statement. Companies should check licensing and work permit rules for foreign engineers before hiring.8
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is aircraft maintenance in El Salvador?
Aircraft maintenance exports reached USD 315.6 million in the first three quarters of 2025, up 12%, according to INVEST.
What is Aeroman?
An aircraft maintenance company at the international airport. It opened its seventh hangar in April 2026, more than 20,000 m², bringing the centre to 65 production lines for narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.
How many people work at Aeroman?
More than 5,500 direct jobs, and the company expects the new hangar to add more than 1,700.
Sources
- INVEST: aeronautics sector
- Revista E&N: Aeroman opens its seventh hangar at the international airport, 17 April 2026 (in Spanish)
- El Diario de Hoy: Aeroman opens a new hangar and now has seven (in Spanish)
- Diario El Mundo: El Salvador is the third country in the region by services exports, SIECA (in Spanish)
- INVEST: Investor’s Guide El Salvador 2024 (PDF)
- Diario El Mundo: construction of AirCity starts at the international airport, December 2025 (in Spanish)
- INVEST: Law for the Promotion of Innovation and the Manufacture of Technologies, English translation (PDF)
- US Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement, El Salvador
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
