# Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID)

> Espargos, CV · IATA: SID · ICAO: GVAC · Large Airport

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `SID` |
| ICAO | `GVAC` |
| City | Espargos |
| Country | CV |
| Type | Large Airport |
| Elevation | 54 m |
| Cargo | ❌ |
| GPS | 16.74140, -22.94940 |

## Description

For decades, Sal Island was a mandatory refuelling stop for piston and early jet aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and that legacy explains why Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) still holds the largest aviation infrastructure in Cape Verde. Its 3,000-metre runway and apron for up to ten aircraft far exceed what today's traffic demands. In 2019 the airport handled about 1,192,828 passengers but only 443 tonnes of cargo, confirming that tourism, not freight, drives its operations. Air cargo moves almost entirely as belly capacity aboard scheduled flights of TAP Air Portugal, Cabo Verde Airlines and other carriers, with no dedicated freight terminal or resident forwarding community. Shippers needing genuine airfreight volume from the archipelago typically consolidate via Lisbon (LIS) or Dakar (DSS), where intercontinental links and customs facilities are established. Since 2023 the site has been run by Cabo Verde Airports under a 40-year VINCI concession, raising the prospect of upgrades. For logistics professionals, SID is best read as a passenger gateway with supplementary belly-cargo rather than a freight station.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/amilcar-cabral-international-airport-sid](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/amilcar-cabral-international-airport-sid)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/amilcar-cabral-international-airport-sid](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/amilcar-cabral-international-airport-sid)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/amilcar-cabral-international-airport-sid/llm-summary*