Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU) Guide: Asuncion / Luque, Paraguay

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport is Paraguay’s main international airport and the gateway for Asuncion, Luque, business travel, and most long-distance arrivals into the country. ASU is compact compared with the big South American hubs, but it has useful links to Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Panama City, Madrid, Lima, Santiago, Montevideo, Bogota, Santa Cruz, and regional capitals.

This guide is written for travelers who want the useful details first: the real airport name, where it sits, how much to budget for transport, what to expect in the terminal, where to search for flights, and which services to arrange before landing. Prices and routes are updated for June 2026 and should be treated as practical planning ranges rather than fixed promises.

Quick airport facts

Item	Details
Full airport name	Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
Short codes	ASU / SGAS
Also searched as	Asuncion Airport, Luque Airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Silvio Pettirossi
City and country	Asuncion / Luque, Paraguay
Practical address	Luque, Greater Asuncion, Paraguay; coordinates -25.240156, -57.519227.
Distance to city	About 13-17 km from central Asuncion; taxis and app rides usually take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic.
Updated	2026-06-15

Best for: Asuncion, Paraguay business travel, regional South America links, and Madrid-Europe access.
Main route logic: Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Panama City, Montevideo, Lima, Santa Cruz, Santiago, Bogota, and Madrid are the key searches.
Airport style: manageable national gateway with practical services, taxis, car rental, food, and duty-free.
Planning rule: app rides or official taxis are easiest; buses are cheap but less comfortable with luggage.

Address and location

Use Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU) for flight searches and Asuncion Airport, Luque Airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Silvio Pettirossi as backup search wording in maps, hotel messages, and taxi conversations. The practical address is:

Luque, Greater Asuncion, Paraguay; coordinates -25.240156, -57.519227.

About 13-17 km from central Asuncion; taxis and app rides usually take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic. For a serious itinerary, save the airport coordinates offline, download the city area in Google Maps or Organic Maps, and keep your hotel address in both English and the local language where possible.

How to get from the airport to the city

Option	Typical time	Approximate cost	Best use
Taxi or app ride to central Asuncion	20-40 min	Often PYG 80,000-150,000 / USD 11-20	🚕 Best overall arrival option.
Hotel/private transfer	20-45 min	Usually USD 20-45	✅ Good for late arrivals, business hotels, and first visits.
Local bus	45-75 min	Low local fare, usually under USD 1 equivalent	🚌 Cheapest, but not ideal with heavy luggage.
Rental car	25-45 min to center	From about USD 25-55/day	🚗 Best for regional Paraguay trips rather than central parking.

The airport is in Luque, not in the historical center. Confirm whether your destination is downtown, Villa Morra, Carmelitas, the corporate corridor, or a hotel near the airport before accepting a fare.

Transport tips

🧾 Confirm the fare before loading luggage, especially when there is no visible meter or posted rate.
📍 Save the exact hotel pin offline; airport drivers may know districts better than street names.
💵 Carry small local cash for the first transfer, baggage carts, snacks, or phone calls.
🌐 Install an eSIM before departure so you can message your driver immediately after landing.

Public transport and metro

Asuncion has no metro or airport rail link. Use taxi, app ride, hotel transfer, bus, or rental car.

Where public transport exists, it is usually best for daylight arrivals with light luggage. For late flights, family travel, heavy bags, or first-time visits, a taxi, hotel transfer, or pre-booked private driver is usually worth the extra cost.

Taxi prices and transfer strategy

Taxi prices around airports are rarely as neat as an official table. Time of day, luggage, driver availability, fuel prices, and whether the destination is inside or outside the central city all matter. The ranges above are realistic planning budgets, but the best practice is simple: agree the fare before moving, keep your phone map open, and avoid changing money with random drivers.

For smoother arrival logistics:

🚕 Use official taxi ranks or a hotel-arranged driver where available.
🧳 Pre-book a transfer if you land late, carry equipment, or travel with children.
🚗 Compare rental cars before arrival with DiscoverCars if you need regional freedom.
🏨 Use Expedia to check hotels near the airport and in the city before choosing a transfer.

Airport facilities, shops, and restaurants

International check-in, immigration, baggage, cafes, restaurants, duty-free, ATMs, currency services, car rental, and airline offices.
The terminal is easy to navigate but can be busy around early-morning and late-night regional flights.
Food and shopping are adequate for a short wait, not a destination in themselves.
Keep small guarani cash for taxis, tips, and convenience purchases.

The smart rule at ASU is to treat the terminal as a transfer point rather than as a shopping destination. Eat before arriving when possible, keep a refillable bottle where security rules allow, and bring a small power bank. If you have a long delay, an airport-area hotel or city hotel is usually more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airlines and where the airport flies

FlightConnections lists ASU with a regional route map led by Buenos Aires Aeroparque, Sao Paulo, Panama City, Montevideo, Santa Cruz, Lima, Madrid, Santiago, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires Ezeiza, Salta, and Jujuy in June 2026.

Paranair, LATAM, JetSmart, Gol, Avianca, Air Europa, Aerolineas Argentinas, Copa Airlines, and Boliviana de Aviacion are among the airlines to compare depending on route.

Cheap routes to check first

Asuncion to Buenos Aires Aeroparque: usually the strongest short regional fare search.
Asuncion to Sao Paulo or Panama City: useful for onward global connections.
Asuncion to Montevideo, Lima, Santiago, or Santa Cruz: good regional comparison routes.

Cheap airport strategy is different from simply sorting by lowest fare. Always compare the final cost after checked baggage, seat selection, payment fees, transfer costs, and missed-connection risk. A slightly more expensive flight into the correct airport can be cheaper than a low base fare that forces a long taxi ride or overnight hotel.

Where to buy flights and hotels

Start with broad searches, then verify the exact airport code before paying. This is especially important in cities with more than one airport or with airport transitions.

Need	Recommended booking link	Why it matters
Internet on arrival	🌐 Yesim eSIM	Install before flying so maps, airline apps, WhatsApp, and hotel messages work as soon as you land.
Flights and hotels	🏨 Expedia flights and stays	Useful for comparing nearby hotels, airport overnights, and onward tickets in one search.
Tours and transfers	🎟️ Viator tours and airport transfers	Best for guided city tours, day trips, private arrival transfers, and skip-the-line activities.
Rental cars	🚗 DiscoverCars	Compare local and international rental agencies before accepting a walk-up airport rate.
Travel medical insurance	🛡️ SafetyWing	Check coverage, exclusions, and country wording before travel, especially on complex itineraries.
Support this airport-guide project	🤝 Patreon: HEDONISMcloud	Helps keep airport guides updated with fares, route changes, and city transport notes.

eSIM, internet, insurance, and car rental

🌐 Internet: install Yesim eSIM before the flight. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, blocked by SMS verification, or unavailable exactly when you need maps.
🛡️ Insurance: compare policy wording with SafetyWing. Read exclusions for the destination, adventure activities, medical evacuation, political/security events, and pre-existing conditions.
🚗 Cars: compare vehicles on DiscoverCars before arrival. Airport counters can run out of automatic cars or quote higher walk-up rates.
🎟️ Tours: use Viator for airport transfers, city tours, day trips, and guided experiences when independent transport is inconvenient.

Practical arrival checklist

Before you fly	Why it matters
Check the IATA code on the ticket	Prevents booking a hotel or transfer for the wrong airport.
Save airline, hotel, and driver contacts offline	Messaging apps may not work until data is active.
Carry local cash	Useful for taxis, snacks, and small airport expenses.
Recheck live departures	Regional schedules can change more quickly than major-hub schedules.
Keep insurance documents accessible	Helps at medical facilities and during airline disruption.

Safety and travel notes

Paraguay guidance varies by government: the U.S. lists normal precautions overall with increased caution in several departments, while Canada advises a high degree of caution due to crime. Use official transport, be discreet with phones, and take extra care in border and tri-border areas.

The most reliable traveler is the boringly prepared traveler: documents printed, data working, transport confirmed, hotel address saved, and enough time between every moving part of the itinerary.

Short airport excursion idea

If you have a long layover or an overnight stop, choose one simple plan rather than trying to see everything. Stay close to the city center or a known hotel district, keep the return transfer booked, and avoid cutting the return to the airport too close. In smaller airports, a missed flight may mean waiting a day or more for the next practical departure.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Silvio Pettirossi International Airport from Asuncion / Luque?

About 13-17 km from central Asuncion; taxis and app rides usually take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic.

How much is a taxi from ASU airport?

Typical taxi planning ranges are shown in the transport table above. The safest method is to confirm the price before loading luggage and to use a hotel-arranged driver when arriving late or visiting for the first time.

Are there restaurants and shops at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport?

Yes, but the depth of choice depends on the airport size and operating schedule. Expect practical cafes or snack options at smaller airports and a better range at major hubs. Carry backup snacks and water for delays.

Which airlines should I check first?