Latin American and Caribbean Air Market Sees Significant Growth in April 2024

Air passenger traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean surged by 7.4% in April 2024, marking a significant rise from the previous year. A total of 38.8 million passengers were registered, an increase of 2.7 million compared to 2023. Notably, the international market witnessed a 10% growth, with 18.3 million passengers traveling to and from the region. Leading the pack in international travel were Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Panama.

The extra-regional international segment experienced an 8.3% increase, with nearly 14 million passengers, reflecting an addition of 1.06 million travelers from April 2023. The Mexico-United States route emerged as the most traveled, recording 3.3 million passengers in April.

In the intraregional segment, the growth was even more pronounced, with a 16% rise, adding 603,000 passengers. Significant increases were seen in traffic between Brazil and Chile (up 56%) and between Argentina and Brazil (up 23%).

Traffic to Europe grew by 7%, with a notable 30% increase in frequencies on the Lima-Madrid route. Additionally, travel to and from Africa saw a remarkable 80% growth.

April proved to be a robust month for air traffic in the Latin American and Caribbean region, reinforcing positive trends observed in recent months. The region recorded a 9% increase in air movement for the year, amounting to 159.6 million passengers, highlighting the critical role of air transport in the region despite ongoing industry challenges, according to José Ricardo Botelho, executive director and CEO of ALTA.

Colombia led the domestic market with a 12.6% increase in passenger traffic, reaching 2.4 million passengers and contributing to 61% of the regional growth in domestic traffic. The Bogotá-Medellín route was the second busiest in the region, with 443,268 passengers.

The most prominent domestic route in Latin America and the Caribbean was Sao Paulo (CGH) to Rio de Janeiro (SDU), with 556,952 passengers and a 5% increase.

Conversely, Mexico saw a 7% drop in national traffic, with 360,000 fewer passengers, primarily due to a 26% reduction in flights on the Cancún-Monterrey route. However, the Santa Lucía-Cancún route saw an 86% increase. Argentina also experienced a 10.3% decrease, losing 133,000 passengers due to the cancellation of 378 flights in April.

José Ricardo Botelho emphasized the need for the region to enhance its infrastructure, regulations, and capabilities to sustain the growing demand for air travel. He expressed confidence in the future, committing to promoting the development and accessibility of safe and efficient air transport in Latin America.