Brazil, Argentina and Peru led passenger traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) last June, while Mexico fell slightly, reported the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA ) .
According to its latest report, traffic reached 38.3 million travelers , a year-over-year increase of 3.4%, equivalent to 1.3 million additional users, accelerating the growth rate by 0.8 percentage points compared to May.
The overall increase in traffic in the region was driven primarily by the performance of LAC-based airlines, which, according to the latest report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) , recorded the largest traffic growth globally in June.
“Air traffic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean during the first half of 2025 demonstrates sustained dynamism. More than 90% of this net passenger growth came from markets within the region itself, confirming the increasingly active role of aviation in regional integration. During the same period, LAC airlines operated 11.2% more international flights between countries in the region than in the first half of 2024,” said Peter Cerdá, CEO of ALTA.
The agency explained that Brazil recorded its fourth consecutive record-breaking month in domestic traffic . In June, 8.22 million passengers flew within the country, an 11.2% year-over-year increase. Air transport remains the service category with the greatest deflation year-to-date.
“Domestic connectivity in Brazil continues to improve. In June 2025, 43 routes were operational within Brazil that had not been operated since the same month in 2024. These include: Viracopos-Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte-Rio de Janeiro, and Aracaju-Salvador. In the international segment, it grew 12.8% year-over-year, driven by a 35% increase in international tourist arrivals by air,” he emphasized.
While Argentina was the market with the highest percentage growth in the sixth month of the year, with year-over-year increases of 12% in the domestic segment and 14% in the international segment, total traffic reached a new all-time high, surpassing the year-over-year record by 3%.
Peru showed one of the strongest performances in the region . In that month, it reached a record high in domestic traffic, with 1.3 million passengers, an increase of 5.2%, while international traffic grew 8.3%, with good results in markets such as Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico. “This growth was accompanied by a year-over-year reduction in prices for both domestic and international air transport services.”
In Mexico, ALTA reported a slight drop in total traffic due to weaker international performance . During the period, 9.8 million passengers flew, a 0.4% year-over-year decrease in a context of lower consumer confidence, whose index fell 1.1 points compared to May.
“Domestic traffic grew slightly (+0.2%), while international traffic, which represents 47% of the total, fell 1%. The United States accounted for 73% of Mexico’s international traffic and registered a 2.1% decline, driven primarily by a 3.6% drop in passengers carried by U.S. airlines,” he detailed.
Meanwhile, traffic growth with Canada of 12.4% partially offset this contraction . Total capacity offered by Mexican airlines, measured in ASK (available seat kilometers), remained relatively stable. However, in June they allocated a greater proportion to the international segment.
ALTA reported that mixed performance was recorded in Colombia and Chile. Domestic traffic in the former fell 4.7%, marking five consecutive months of decline and a cumulative decline of 2.1% in the first half of the year. In contrast, international traffic grew 9.2%, driven primarily by traffic with countries such as Brazil and Peru. In Chile, domestic traffic grew 4.2%, after two consecutive months of decline, while international traffic grew 2.5%.
Regarding traffic to and from the Caribbean, the organization reported a 0.9% year-over-year increase in June , reflecting mixed signals among the major markets. In the Dominican Republic, the largest market in the subregion and the eighth largest in LAC, passenger traffic increased 1.2%, despite declines in its two largest markets, the United States and Canada, which have seen six consecutive months of decline.
Air traffic in Central America grew 4.2% year-over-year , driven primarily by Panama, which registered a 6% increase, with significant increases in connections with Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. In contrast, Costa Rica saw marginal growth of 0.9%, amid a slower tourism boom.
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