In 1965, the first commercial flights began in Yopal when Aerotaxi Casanare S.A. was founded. It was the only airline until 1992 when the Aeronautica Civil allowed Aires S.A. to operate from this airport. In 1996, Ecopetrol, BP, and other companies were interested in the petroleum that the department has and decided to invest 6100 million pesos for improving the runway and offices with the goal of adapting the airport to allow the Antonov 124 a safe landing. On 27 November 1996, Ernesto Samper, a former president of Colombia, arrived in a Boeing 707 at El Alcaraván airport to inaugurate the improvements that were made by the oil companies. In September 2006, the Camara de Comercio de Casanare (Casanare Chamber of Commerce) asked the Ministry of Transport to make El Alcaraván an international airport, because it has all the facilities that are needed, it would increase the economy of the department, and it would let the flights that come from North America and South America refuel. In July 2018, renovations were completed at the airport and the new terminal was opened, at a cost of around $100 million USD.