Airports Council International (ACI) called on governments to incorporate airport capacity growth into their long-term national infrastructure and economic development plans, as well as to modernize slot allocation policies (takeoff and landing times).
“We are asking governments to plan ahead for aviation growth, enable capacity before reaching a tipping point, and modernize regulatory frameworks and slot policies . And we cannot ask airports to expand their capacity while limiting their ability to finance it. It simply doesn’t work,” said Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World.
At WAGA 2026 – ACI-LAC / ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition , jointly organized by ACI World and ACI-LAC and hosted by Lima Airport Partners, it was emphasized that the global airport sector will require approximately US$4.6 trillion in investments by 2055 to meet projected demand growth. However, it was stressed that the challenge lies not only in building new infrastructure, but also in optimizing existing capacity, strengthening coordination among airports, airlines, and air navigation service providers, and establishing stable regulatory frameworks to attract the necessary investments.
In this context, he said that the modernization of airport slot policies and market access acquires strategic importance ; therefore, he specified that the allocation goes beyond the operational coordination of schedules, that is, the policies that regulate access to airports with limited capacity can have direct implications on connectivity, competition and socio-economic development.
Rafael Echevarne, Director General of Airports Council International-Latin America and Caribbean (ACI-LAC) , considered that the modernization of slot policies is particularly relevant for Latin America and the Caribbean , where a more efficient use of airport capacity can contribute to strengthening connectivity, expanding competition and supporting economic growth.
“Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, governments are working to expand tourism and attract investment. Modern slot policies can help support these priorities by making the best use of available airport capacity. Slots are more than an operational process. They are a strategic tool that determines access to markets,” he noted.
During the event, the growth prospects for global and regional air traffic were also presented.
According to estimates, global passenger traffic will double by 2047 compared to 2025 levels , with an average annual growth rate of 3.5 percent. After reaching a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, global growth slowed during the first half of 2026, when 4.7 billion passengers were recorded, an increase of 0.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, traffic is expected to reach 809 million passengers in 2026 and practically double by 2045, reaching about 1.5 billion passengers.
To respond to this growth and maintain adequate service levels, ACI-LAC estimated that approximately $178 billion in investments will be needed over the next 30 years to modernize and expand the region’s airport infrastructure.
Echevarne mentioned that compared to 2019, 133 airports are registering passenger traffic levels lower than pre-pandemic levels, while the region has lost about 20% of its connections between city pairs.
To further boost the development of air transport, he recalled that ACI-LAC promotes greater liberalization of the sector, going beyond traditional bilateral agreements and reducing barriers that hinder market access , with the aim of fostering competition and expanding regional connectivity.
“ACI-LAC is very clear on this: international experience shows that liberalization can boost the development of air transport. What we need now is for governments to move from signing agreements to implementing them,” Echevarne stated.
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