Air Traffic in Latin America and Caribbean Grows in June Driven by Brazil, Argentina, and Peru
Air traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) reached 38.3 million passengers in June 2025, marking a 3.4% year-on-year increase—equivalent to 1.3 million additional travelers—and an acceleration of 0.8 percentage points compared to May, according to IATA data. The strongest growth came from regional airlines, which recorded the highest global increase for the month (+7.9%).
Brazil: Historic Record and New Routes
The South American giant achieved its fourth consecutive month of record domestic traffic. In June, 8.22 million passengers flew within the country, an 11.2% increase compared to the same month in 2024. Air travel remains the service with the highest cumulative deflation for the year (–28% compared to 2024).
Domestic connectivity improved with 43 additional routes compared to June 2024, including Viracopos–Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte–Rio de Janeiro, and Aracaju–Salvador. In the international segment, traffic grew by 12.8%, driven by a 35% surge in foreign tourists arriving by air.
Argentina: All-Time High and Expanding Routes
Argentina led in percentage growth, with year-on-year increases of 12% in the domestic market and 14% in international traffic. Total traffic reached a new record, 3% above June 2019. Notable routes included Argentina–Brazil (+28%) and Argentina–Colombia (+36%) internationally, as well as Buenos Aires–Iguazú (+40%) and Buenos Aires–Neuquén (+37%) domestically.
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Peru: Strong Growth and Lower Fares
Peru posted its best June on record for domestic traffic, with 1.3 million passengers (+5.2%). International traffic rose by 8.3%, with significant growth to Colombia (+22%), Brazil (+13%), and Mexico (+7.6%). Additionally, airfares saw year-on-year declines for both domestic (–1.2%) and international routes (–2.1%).
Mexico: Slight Contraction Due to Lower International Demand
Mexico recorded 9.8 million passengers, a 0.4% drop compared to June 2024, amid declining consumer confidence (–1.1 points versus May). The domestic market rose marginally by 0.2%, while international traffic, which accounts for 47% of the total, fell by 1%. The United States—representing 73% of international traffic—declined by 2.1%, affected by a 3.6% drop in passengers on U.S. airlines. Growth with Canada (+12.4%) mitigated the decline. Mexican airlines maintained stable capacity (+1.5%) and increased their share of international flights (45% compared to 43% in 2024).
Colombia and Chile: Mixed Results
Colombia’s domestic traffic fell by 4.7% in June, marking five consecutive months of decline and a 2.1% drop for the first half of the year. Only the Medellín–Cartagena and Medellín–Santa Marta routes avoided decreases. In contrast, international traffic grew by 9.2%, driven by Ecuador (+30%), Brazil (+27%), and Peru (+22%).
Chile saw a 4.2% rebound in domestic traffic after two months of decline, while international traffic rose by 2.5%.
The Caribbean and Central America: Dominican Republic and Panama Lead
In the Caribbean, traffic increased by 0.9% year-on-year. The Dominican Republic grew by 1.2%, despite declines in the U.S. (–1.1%) and Canada (–9%), which have seen six months of contraction. Growth with Colombia (+10%), Panama (+9%), and Peru (+31%) resulted in a net positive.
Central America advanced by 4.2%, with Panama leading (+6%), notably in connections with Argentina (+38%), Colombia (+14%), and Brazil (+12%). Costa Rica grew by 0.9% but suffered a 4.5% drop in international tourist arrivals, impacted by a 4.9% decline from the U.S., its primary market.
Regional Overview
From January to June 2025, LAC air traffic totaled 237 million passengers, a 3.6% increase. Over 90% of net growth came from intraregional markets. According to Peter Cerda, CEO of ALTA, airlines operated 11.2% more international flights between regional countries compared to the first half of 2024, solidifying aviation as a key driver of regional integration.
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