Joya Andina International Airport — Quijarro, Bolivia

Joya Andina International Airport, identified by the code UYU, sits on Bolivia's high Altiplano near Uyuni, the town that gives its name to the vast salt flat sprawling just beyond the runway. At an elevation exceeding 3,600 meters, it ranks among the higher-altitude commercial airports in South America, which affects aircraft performance and requires longer takeoff distances for departing flights. The airport opened in the early 2010s specifically to shorten the journey for travelers heading to the Salar de Uyuni, previously reachable only by lengthy bus rides from La Paz or Potosi. Domestic carriers connect UYU to La Paz with regular flights, and the route has become a well-worn path for visitors chasing the mirror-like reflections the salt flat produces during the rainy season. Beyond tourism, mining and salt-harvesting communities in the surrounding region predate the airport by generations.