During heavy travel times, the airport registers 900 operations monthly, serving approximately 20,000 passengers from Mexico, the United States, Canada and Central America.

In early 2009, the Chiriqui regional director for the Authority of Civil Aeronautics (AAC), Inés de Esquivel, informed La Estrella: "...in the last five years, $1.5 million in investments have been made for the improvement of various areas at the Enrique Malek airport.

"[3] An estimated US$12 million improvement fund was passed by the Panamanian legislature that included runway expansion to allow for heavy aircraft.

Additionally, the DAV perimeter fencing, first responders, hospitals, security, baggage claim, and terminal facilities were all included in the expansion.

It accommodated a variety of United States Army Air Forces personnel, dedicated for the most part in training and reconnaissance missions over the Southeast Pacific coastline, from Honduras in the north, to Peru in the south as part of the defense of the Panama Canal.