Argentina Breaks Records: January 2026 Marks Highest Historical Level of Passengers and Operations
January 2026 will be recorded as a turning point for Argentine commercial aviation. According to official data from the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC), the air travel system reached the highest volume of passengers and movements in its history, surpassing even the peaks achieved in December 2025. This month marks the greatest total activity since records began, both in terms of airport users and flight operations.
A New Ceiling for Air Traffic in Argentina
During January 2026, a total of 4,964,988 passengers were recorded across the country’s airports. This figure represents:
- A +5% increase compared to the previous record set in December 2025 (4,729,556).
- A +9% increase compared to the previous January 2025 record (4,570,640).
In parallel, 37,874 total movements were registered, implying:
- A +1.6% increase over the previous historical high in December 2025 (37,270).
- A +7% increase compared to January 2025 (35,539).
International Segment: Historical Peak Driven by Increased Connectivity
International traffic served as one of the primary engines of growth. In January, 1,877,558 international passengers were recorded, establishing a new absolute record. This performance represents:
- A +22% increase compared to the previous record of January 2018 (1,534,567).
- A +23% increase compared to January 2025 (1,523,724).
Regarding operations, 12,032 international movements were tallied, which entails:
- A +15% increase over the previous historical peak in January 2018 (10,421).
- A +22% increase compared to January 2025 (9,844).
This growth is linked to the expansion of air connectivity driven by the Open Skies policy, which favored the incorporation of new routes and a greater offering for passengers, boosting international traffic to and from Argentina.
Domestic Flight (Cabotaje): The Best January on Record
The domestic market also showed significant strength. During January 2026, 3,087,430 domestic passengers were recorded, marking the best historical January for this segment. This result represents a 1% increase over the previous record set in January 2025 (3,046,916).
New Routes and Operators: Concrete Network Expansion
The month was accompanied by an effective expansion of the international network, featuring 10 new international connections and the addition of 3 new operators on active routes.
New International Routes
Key additions among the new routes include:
- Buenos Aires – Aruba
- Buenos Aires – Cabo Frio
- Cordoba – Aruba
- Cordoba – Punta del Este
- Mendoza – Aruba
- Rosario – Cabo Frio
- Salta – Florianopolis
- Tucuman – Florianopolis
Additionally, the following routes were reactivated:
- Buenos Aires – Santo Domingo
- Rosario – Sao Paulo
New Operators on Existing Routes
New operators were also incorporated into routes that were already active:
- JetSMART Argentina on the Buenos Aires – Natal route
- LATAM on the Buenos Aires – Florianopolis route
- GOL on the Mendoza – Rio de Janeiro route
For the Argentine commercial aviation sector, January 2026 was not simply a good month. It was the month that redefined its operational scale.
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