La Paz Airport (LPB)
La Paz Airport (LPB), El Alto, is one of the oldest airports of Bolivia: its history begins in 1913, it was inaugurated in 1965 as the John F. Kennedy Airport and it has been called El Alto since 1999. The airport was modernised in 2008 and the wifi is free all over the terminal.
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Updated 21 October 2026
The terminals at La Paz Airport
El Alto is the airport of La Paz, and the state operator NAABOL says its history begins in 1913, when a piece of land was cleared in Nuevo Potosí, that it was officially inaugurated in 1965 with the name John F. Kennedy Airport, and that it has been called El Alto since 1999.
The terminal was modernised in 2008 to improve the departure and the baggage collection areas, and the wifi is free all over it: NAABOL provides the internet without charge inside its international airports.
Getting to and from La Paz Airport
The airport has a covered custody car park, where the vehicle stays under watch while the family travels, with permanent security, and the airport's own pages give the taxi information for the city of La Paz.
The airport is called El Alto and it is the airport of La Paz: the state operator groups it with the airports of La Paz, and the same page gives the taxi information for the city. The free wifi in the terminal means the family can keep the children busy while it waits.
What happens when you arrive at LPB
Keep your passport and any form you filled in on the plane with you the whole way, from the aircraft door to the exit.
On an international arrival you clear immigration, collect your bags and pass through customs, and the airport's own page explains the rules that the children of the family have to follow before the flight.
La Paz Airport with children
For the trips between Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, the airport's own page says that a child between 5 and 11 who travels alone needs a travel authorisation, and that for the minors between 5 and 17 that authorisation is asked for at the offices of the Defensoría Municipal de la Niñez y la Adolescencia and has to be shown when the ticket is bought.
Keep the water within reach in the carry-on bag for the walk to the taxi, and the terminal has a free wifi for the wait. Leave the children's documents in the carry-on bag, not in the checked luggage, and remember that a child who flies alone needs the authorisation before the ticket is bought.
Plan your stop at La Paz Airport
Terminals, airlines and arrival procedures change, so check with the airline and the airport's own site before you travel. And check with the embassy or consulate about the documents your family needs for the entry rules of every country on your route.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the history of La Paz Airport (El Alto)?
NAABOL says its history begins in 1913, when a piece of land was cleared in Nuevo Potosí, that it was officially inaugurated in 1965 with the name John F. Kennedy Airport, and that it has been called El Alto since 1999.
Is there wifi at La Paz Airport?
Yes. NAABOL says the wifi is free all over the airport, in the terminal, and it is the internet service it provides inside its international airports.
Where can the family leave the car at La Paz Airport?
In the covered custody car park, where the vehicle stays under watch while the family travels, with permanent security. The airport's own pages also give the taxi information for the city of La Paz.
What does a child need to travel alone through La Paz Airport?
For the trips between Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, a child between 5 and 11 who travels alone needs a travel authorisation, and for the minors between 5 and 17 it is asked for at the Defensoría Municipal de la Niñez y la Adolescencia offices and has to be shown when the ticket is bought.
What do I do first when I land at LPB?
Keep your passport and any form you filled in on the plane with you the whole way, clear immigration, collect your bags and pass through customs.