Medellín Airport Runway Closure November 2026: Exact Hours

Quick answer: the Medellín airport runway closure in November 2026 shuts the runway at José María Córdova International Airport (MDE), in Rionegro, from 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. on early mornings from November 11 to 22, and from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. from November 23 to 29. That is 19 early mornings and 88 hours in total, per El Colombiano (published November 6). The passenger terminal stays open 24 hours, but the airport has a single runway, so no aircraft can take off or land during those windows (a second runway is in Aerocivil’s master plan but has no committed state funding, as we reported in August). This concerns José María Córdova in Rionegro, not Olaya Herrera (EOH), the separate city airport in Medellín, which the reports do not mention. All times are Colombia time (UTC−5), the same as US Eastern Standard Time during these dates.

Verified November 9, 2026, against press reports. El Colombiano attributes the closure details to the airport concession and Telemedellín to the airport. We found no separate published notice from Airplan, Aerocivil or ANI, so this article relies on those reports.

Some reassurance comes from Minuto30 which reports that airlines do not usually schedule departures or arrivals in these early-morning hours, though some itineraries could see adjustments. We have not tested that against a flight board, so we cannot name any specific route or flight time that falls inside a window. Travelers on overnight red-eye routes from the US should still check their landing time against the windows above.

Medellín airport runway closure: exact hours, November 11–29

The closure is split into two phases, both overnight:

Early mornings (2026)	Count	Runway closed (Colombia time)	Hours each
Wednesday, November 11 – Sunday, November 22	12	12:30 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.	5
Monday, November 23 – Sunday, November 29	7	1:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.	4

The first closure begins at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, which is the night of Tuesday, November 10. The last ends at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 29. Both El Colombiano and Telemedellín (published November 8) report the same windows. The math checks out: 12 × 5 hours plus 7 × 4 hours equals 88 hours.

Only the runway is affected. Telemedellín says the closures happen “únicamente en horario nocturno” (only at night), and El Colombiano reports the passenger terminal stays open 24 hours so travelers can check in within the required times.

What the work involves

The scheduled maintenance includes rubber decontamination of the runway, crack sealing, and pavement replacement and rehabilitation, among other tasks (Telemedellín). The closures have authorization from Aeronáutica Civil (Colombia’s civil aviation authority) and were coordinated in advance with airlines, per El Colombiano. The airport is operated by the Airplan group, per Minuto30.

Is my flight affected? What to check

Neither El Colombiano nor Telemedellín reported specific cancellations or rescheduled flights as of November 9, 2026. We did not check individual Avianca, LATAM or JetSMART notices, so confirm directly with your carrier. El Colombiano’s advice is direct: contact your airline, check whether your itinerary changed, and confirm your departure time before heading to the airport.

• Look at any flight scheduled in the closure windows: roughly 12:30 to 5:30 a.m. (November 11–22) or 1:00 to 5:00 a.m. (November 23–29), both departures and arrivals.
• Check the booking itself, not your memory of it. Open the app or confirmation email in case a time was moved.
• Early departures just after the window (a 6 a.m. flight, say) may sit near the reopening time. Confirm the current time with your airline.
• Flying JetSMART’s new route? The Medellín–Buenos Aires nonstop starts November 12, per Mercado, while AeroRoutes lists November 13 for the Ezeiza–Medellín direction. None of the three runway reports mention the route, so check JetSMART’s timetable.
• Arriving late at night? The terminal is open around the clock, but your transfer plan should match your confirmed landing time. If a flight is retimed, tell your driver or host.

Getting to and from the airport overnight

Minuto30 advises planning ground transport to and from Rionegro in advance, since early-morning service can be thinner.

The El Encuentro–San Diego airport bus hub was reported by El Colombiano, as of October 7, 2026, to run buses 24 hours a day in both directions. El Colombiano reported departures about every five minutes; overnight frequency was not separately reported, so treat that as a guide, not a guarantee.

On the road, our guide to the Túnel de Oriente night closures and the Las Palmas detour covers the separate tunnel closures that affected the airport route in October. As of November 9, 2026, we found no announced November Túnel de Oriente closure, but closures have recurred during 2026, so check the concession’s channels before a late transfer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Medellín airport closing? Only the runway closes, overnight, on the dates above. Because José María Córdova has one runway, no flights can take off or land in those windows, but the terminal stays open 24 hours, per El Colombiano. Olaya Herrera, the city’s other airport, is not mentioned in the reports.

Will my flight be cancelled? Not necessarily. Minuto30 reports airlines do not usually schedule flights in these hours, though some itineraries could be adjusted. Check with your airline.

Is the terminal open overnight? Yes, 24 hours a day, according to El Colombiano and Minuto30.

When does the work end? The last closure runs until 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 29, 2026.

Bottom line

If your flight touches 12:30–5:30 a.m. between November 11 and 22, or 1:00–5:00 a.m. between November 23 and 29, confirm it with your airline now, not at the check-in counter. We will update this article if the airport or airlines publish revised schedules.