Capitan V A Almonacid Airport — La Rioja, Argentina

IRJ is Capitán V. A. Almonacid Airport, serving La Rioja, the capital of La Rioja Province in northwestern Argentina. The airport connects this arid, mountainous wine-producing region to Buenos Aires and other domestic destinations via Argentina's national carriers. La Rioja Province is known for Torreón peaks, red rock formations, and a growing viticulture industry that benefits from air links for both trade and tourism. The airport is named after a local aviator and reflects a common Argentine practice of honoring military or aviation figures in provincial airport naming. IRJ's traffic is modest but steady, supporting government travel, small business, and visitors drawn to the province's desert canyons and colonial-era architecture in a part of Argentina that sees far less tourism than Patagonia or Mendoza.