LATAM Cargo has begun accelerating its runway for 2026. The airline is planning a year focused on capitalizing on the network it consolidated in 2025 —with routes from Brazil to Europe—and on continuing to leverage its operations through passenger aircraft, a segment it recognizes as “a very attractive market.” For Mexico, however, no new routes are anticipated, although there is the possibility of adjusting frequencies based on demand.

“The Mexican market is very interesting. Currently, we serve with wide-body passenger aircraft connecting with South America and some freighters operating over Mexico City. We are always open to exploring opportunities, but it needs to be a very robust market. It is attractive, but very competitive, but we have no plans beyond adding some cargo flights in response to customer demand,” says Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo Group.

In an interview with T21, the executive acknowledged that the Mexican market has undergone significant adjustments . One of the most notable has been the decrease in demand between Mexico and Brazil; however, he assured that, should a recovery occur, the company would be in a position to reactivate additional flights, particularly to Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) .

In this context, he explains that most of the cargo handled by the airline is transported on passenger flights arriving at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) . “The adjustment was due to demand issues; we believe our value proposition for domestic flights is quite good, and we are always looking for ways to improve it,” he states.

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El cargo LATAM Cargo: growing without more planes, the challenge for 2026 apareció primero en T21.

At the close of the first quarter of 2026, cargo movement in Mexico increased by 6.5% compared to the same period last year, driven mainly by international traffic.

According to statistics from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , from January to March 300,731.1 tons were transported in the country, 18,452.2 tons more year-on-year.

During this period, domestic cargo registered a decrease of 0.5% year-on-year , going from 88,829.2 tons to 88,353.5 tons.

AFAC specified that of the 10 airports nationwide, Hermosillo, San Luis Potosí, Cancún, Guadalajara and Tijuana impacted the total movement of goods, as they reported drops in the reference cycle.

Meanwhile, international cargo saw a year-on-year increase of 9.8% , reaching 212,377.6 tons, which is 18,928 tons more than in the same period of 2025.

According to AFAC, this increase was driven by the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) with a 16.1% increase, the Mexico City Airport (AICM) with just a 0.1% increase, and the Guadalajara Airport with a 28.9% increase.

During this period, of the top 10 airports handling cargo, Toluca registered a drop of 33.7% , followed by Cancun with a decrease of 15.7%, San Luis Potosí with a decrease of 12.8% and Tijuana with a decrease of 3.4 percent.

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico “takes off” in the first quarter of 2026 apareció primero en T21.

Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) ranked  third in the top 10 airports in Latin America and the Caribbean for cargo handling during 2025, only behind El Dorado in Colombia and  Guarulhos in Brazil.

This was reported by the Airports Council International-Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) , which also revealed that the volume of air cargo has had a slight increase of around 1.7% in relation to 2024, reaching more than 3.8 million tons transported last year.

Preliminary figures show that traffic is most concentrated at El Dorado International Airport, located in Bogotá, Colombia.

While Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, increased cargo by 16.6% in 2025 compared to 2024, followed by Tocumen International Airport in Panama, with 14.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) ranked ninth, with a year-on-year growth of 4.3%.

ACI-LAC reported on the busiest airports in the region for 2025, with Guarulhos Airport being the busiest , handling over 47.1 million passengers. It was followed by El Dorado with over 45.4 million passengers, and Mexico City International Airport (AICM) with over 44.6 million.

The total number of passengers exceeded 790 million in 2025, representing a 3.8% increase in air traffic compared to 2024.

“The 2025 results demonstrate the strength of the region’s main airports. Guarulhos, El Dorado, and Benito Juárez have consolidated their position as strategic hubs, driven by international connectivity and the recovery of domestic demand. These figures confirm that aviation in the region continues to expand, even in the face of global challenges, and underscore the role of our airports as essential drivers of economic and social development,” stated Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACI-LAC.

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El cargo AIFA “lands” in third place in the top 10 cargo movement in Latin America and the Caribbean apareció primero en T21.

Lufthansa , the German airline, announced that its plans for the Mexican market include increasing flights from Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to Munich by the end of 2026, thus once again ruling out a possible landing at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) .

Frank Naeve, senior vice president of Global Sales and Distribution for Lufthansa Group Passenger Airlines, said they expect the AICM authorities to grant them the slots (takeoff and landing times) to begin the new flights.

“This decision to increase flights is recent. We will be approaching the authorities to explore the possibility of implementing this increase. We want to bring more tourism to Mexico. We will continue investing in Mexico, working with our partners in the country, and seeking opportunities in this market, which is very important to us,” he emphasized.

At a press conference commemorating the airline’s 60th anniversary of operations in Mexico , Lufthansa acknowledged the limitations on flight slots at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , but stated that this does not diminish their interest in investing in the country. “We will discuss this with the authorities to determine the extent to which we will be able to operate additional flights,” they explained.

“We don’t have a plan B. We’ve been fighting for years to have more operations in the country, and we’re happy that our parent company is investing in and believing in Mexico. The limit of 44 operations per hour doesn’t allow us to grow in Mexico City, even though passenger demand will continue to grow in the coming years; hopefully, we can have more operations in the future,” Naeve said.

Regarding AIFA, he reiterated that it is a very good airport, but what is needed is better access for passengers to reach this infrastructure . “At the moment, we have no plans or vision for operating at Felipe Ángeles Airport in the future, but if ground transportation can be improved, it will be feasible.”

He noted that they currently operate daily flights to Frankfurt and Munich with three frequencies, so if approved by the AICM, the latter would increase to five weekly frequencies.

For the 2026 World Cup, Naeve commented that they have operations in each of the cities where games will be held , “we are seeing a lot of demand and making sure that football fans get to their matches.”

“There is a lot of additional demand, especially from Europe, to see the games, and we will be there to transport soccer fans to the 13 matches that will be played in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara,” he noted.

At a general level, Frank Naeve recalled that they will receive 220 aircraft, one every week starting this year , whose investment will be three billion euros annually until 2032, in addition to the actions they carry out in cabin service, where they allocate resources of 70 million euros, “we want the experience of traveling with us to be more comfortable going forward.”

Regarding a possible impact from the rise in jet fuel prices resulting from the conflict in the Middle East, he ruled out any problems arising from this situation, as they have a dedicated unit for the supply of this fuel, which includes advance purchases to ensure stability.

“We are reviewing flights across our network to reduce them due to the high cost of fuel. Last week, we made the decision to cut 1% of Lufthansa Group flights on short routes within Europe and also to cancel operations for a German airline that operated for us. We are talking about 20,000 flights affecting our hubs in Frankfurt and Munich; there is no impact on Mexico. We are closely monitoring this geopolitical situation to make the right decisions,” he emphasized.

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El cargo Lufthansa seeks to expand operations at Mexico City International Airport (AICM); rules out landing at Federal Airport (AIFA) apareció primero en T21.

In the first two months of 2026, air cargo in Mexico increased by 7.3% compared to the same period in 2025, with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) having the highest volume of goods, thus resuming its growth.

According to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , in the January-February cycle of this year, 191,249.2 tons were moved, 13,052.1 tons more than in the same period of 2025.

AIFA, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , as well as the airfields of Guadalajara, Querétaro and Monterrey had the highest cargo traffic, with year-on-year increases of 17.4%, 1.6%, 19.2%, 4.6% and 7.1%, respectively.

AFAC specified that the cargo at the national level went from 58,480.4 tons to 56,350.2 tons , which represented a year-on-year decrease of 3.6%.

He indicated that among the top 10 routes for handling goods within Mexico, San Luis Potosí-Monterrey decreased by 34.7% in the reference period, while Santa Lucía-Guadalajara fell by 16.9%.

The Tijuana-Guadalajara route saw its cargo volume increase from 533 tons in the January-February period of 2025 to 748 tons in the same period of 2026, representing a 40.3 percent growth. The Monterrey-Mexico City route registered a 54.7 percent increase, rising from 1,522 tons in the first two months of last year to 2,354 tons in the same period of 2026.

In the international market the increase was 12.7% , as the period ended with 134,898.9 tons.

The Santa Lucía-Hong Kong route showed an increase of 10.1% in January-February 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Mexico-Madrid reported a year-on-year growth of 38.4%.

Meanwhile, AIFA-Luxembourg recorded a drop of 22.2%, with 2,245 tons moved in the first two months of 2026.

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico takes “flight” again during the first two months of 2026 apareció primero en T21.

Servicios Aeroportuarios Andinos (SAASA) announced its intention to expand in Mexico, both at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) , as well as in Toluca and Mérida.

“Also in other stations that are just as important. Mexico is a very important country, with a lot of activity, tourism and very rich, so we believe that such a large market should be one of those on the company’s radar,” highlighted Guillermo Vega, regional director of Security, Protection and Quality Control at SAASA.

In an interview with T21, he recalled that operations in Mexican territory began in 2023 providing services to Iberia and Air France , while on March 20th they inaugurated their cargo warehouse at Madrid Airport, Spain.

He stated that the company’s consolidation has led it to handle 14% of export cargo and 31% of import cargo in Peru , and noted that it has eight stations. “We will continue to seek opportunities for international expansion,” he indicated.

“From the moment of harvest to the airline’s warehouse, from there to the plane and vice versa, when it arrives at its destination, we are all responsible for maintaining the cold chain, segregating the products to prevent cross-contamination, giving them the appropriate temperature, and protecting them from humidity. However, many times the cargo is handled with great care at the origin, but when it arrives at a connection point or destination, where there are no facilities for the cold chain, sufficient space, or the temperature is only five degrees and does not meet cargo requirements—as with blueberries, mangoes, or asparagus—the product is affected, and there are other times when the product is left on the platform,” he explained.

In the case of pharmacists, “more care must be taken” and they must comply with World Health Organization (WHO) standards , he emphasized.

“We must be very careful with the cold chain and the exact temperature, and unlike fruit and vegetables, whose deterioration is noticeable, in the case of vaccines or medicines it is not noticeable, and it could become a harmless or harmful product,” he pointed out.

He explained that the transport of live animals has encouraged the growth of air cargo, especially in Peru, due to changing consumer preferences, with a demand for healthier products, including organic cotton clothing.

“We are hopeful that cargo volume will recover. There are countries with better conditions. Peru, for example, moved 243,000 tons in 2025, half of which was imports and half exports, of which 80% was perishable. Over the last 30 years, agricultural exports have grown twentyfold, and the region has maintained sustained growth for the last 10 years. Exports of perishable goods to the United States have grown by 45%, to Europe by 60%, and to Asia by 200%. While it is true that asparagus exports have been declining due to competition from countries like Mexico that are doing very well, products like mango and blueberry are growing exponentially, and we are already among the top exporters,” he explained.

Guillermo Vega stated that SAASA has opted for artificial intelligence to have more information to make decisions, streamlining the traceability of cargo from 22 airlines, which have real-time data.

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El cargo Andean Airport Services seeks to expand in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

LIMA, PE.- Mexico needs to work on a master plan for the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) that will allow it to meet the growth expected in the coming years, as it requires a “dramatic change” and not just an aesthetic one, like the one being carried out in the framework of the 2026 World Cup.

“It has to be a national agenda. We know that the airports we have today are the ones we’ll have in the coming years. First, we need to develop a master plan for the next 25 years and start planning the budgets, choosing who will do the construction, and how it will be designed,” emphasized Peter Cerdá, regional vice president of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the Americas.

In an interview with T21, within the framework of the 19th IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) , which is being held in Lima, Peru, he reiterated the need for the master plan, since a growth of between 4% and 8% year-on-year is expected at the AICM in passenger traffic over the next 14 or 15 years.

“We need a master plan to be developed so we know what the airport designs are and can work together. We want to implement the best practices that have been used at other airports. IATA has collaborated with the Mexican government on the construction of Tulum Airport and the verification of Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) . We have experience and want to contribute, but the airport does require a dramatic change to adapt to the growth of Mexico City,” he stated.

He mentioned that the analysis will have to determine whether a third terminal needs to be built or what changes are required in Terminal 1. He recalled that in the case of LaGuardia Airport in New York, a new terminal was built on top of the existing infrastructure, although it had no impact on passengers; “the impact was minimal.”

Cerdá considered that although the AICM remains the main entry point to Mexico, various airlines such as Air France or Iberia have expanded their connectivity to other airports such as Guadalajara, Cancun or Monterrey , “that gives the airport some breathing room, but it still remains the most important point of entry, especially in economic terms.”

Regarding the allocation of airport slots (takeoff and landing times) in the country under international standards, Cerdá expressed confidence that implementation will take place this year, given that progress is between 85% and 90% complete, although work remains on issues such as the regulatory framework. In this regard, he indicated that the goal is for implementation before the third quarter of the year.

“What we’re trying to do is accelerate that implementation. There’s no reason to wait until the end of the year, when we can already start working on certain mechanisms. There’s a regulatory framework that has the approval of the Congress of the Union to amend laws, but in a government where Congress is from the same political party, it should be relatively quick and easy. We want to move it forward because we see great opportunities for improvement, and there’s really no need to delay it any longer,” he stated.

Peter Cerdá announced that they will be meeting with the head of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , Jesús Esteva, in the coming months to maintain a close and open relationship, with the purpose of working in an aligned manner so that the aeronautical industry can contribute to the development of the country.

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El cargo Mexico City International Airport (AICM) needs a master plan to address growth in the coming years: IATA apareció primero en T21.

Copa Airlines considered that the Cancun International Airport, belonging to the Southeast Airport Group (Asur), could be a “good transit point” for the movement of cargo to Europe; however, the customs system delays the handling of merchandise.

Jaime Álvarez, Senior Cargo Director of the airline, commented that as a result of this situation they have stopped using this Mexican airport, diverting this operation through the Dominican Republic, where they handle up to 40 tons per week.

“The location is cheaper than Mexico, and the biggest problem is time. They want to hold the cargo and inspect it, doing things that have no value, and that’s why it takes longer, and that doesn’t help us. Air cargo should move quickly and without additional costs; paying more doesn’t make sense,” he stated.

In an interview following his participation in Cargo Facts Latam, he reiterated that the key factor in air cargo is speed and competitiveness; otherwise, there is maritime transport.

He explained that Cancun has a high volume of passenger flights, so there is a large availability for cargo transport through its cargo holds, but the customs system is not an option.

In this regard, he commented that they have met with Mexican authorities on several occasions, however, there has been no progress on the issue.

“Cancun is a place where Mexico has a lot of opportunity and they haven’t solved it,” he said.

Copa Airlines currently operates two cargo flights to Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) , in addition to passenger flights to Cancún, Guadalajara, Los Cabos, Monterrey and Mexico City International Airport (AICM)

Regarding their operations at AIFA, he noted that “there are no opportunities, since it is the only airport that allows us to operate cargo flights; it is a good airport and we are functioning well. There are always possibilities (to increase operations), but we just implemented an increase, and after it is consolidated, we will see if there is a need for more.”

Luis Alejandro Ortiz, Cargo Manager, commented that cargo operations at Felipe Ángeles Airport are not saturated and allow the use of slots (takeoff and landing times), however, they want to improve customs, staff rotation, among other things.

However, he noted that Copa Airlines handles more cargo through Mexico City International Airport (AICM) due to the large number of passenger flights it operates to that airport. It runs six daily flights, although the cargo is different.

On another topic, Jaime Álvarez mentioned that the airline is making investments in the Panama International Airport for cargo handling, including increasing the cargo reception and dispatch areas, given the increase in merchandise handling they have registered.

“Panama has the advantage of having space; it’s not compromised. It continues to grow very rapidly and will continue to do so; the cargo sector is also experiencing very healthy growth. The country is an ideal location for cargo; it’s in the heart of the Americas,” he explained.

He ruled out adding more cargo planes to the company this year; they currently operate two, although they have 130 passenger aircraft that can carry up to three tons.

Álvarez explained that the airline avoided the impact of US tariffs because its operations are primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“There’s a tendency to avoid the United States when cargo comes from Asia or Europe, and we handle a lot of merchandise from these countries. We operate a large volume in the Caribbean, where we get cheaper space, more frequent service, good product and service, and we make this a good transit point for Europe,” he said.

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El cargo Cancun is not an option for Copa Airlines in cargo. apareció primero en T21.

In 2025, air cargo handling in Mexico registered a drop of 2.4% compared to 2024 , due to the United States’ tariff policy, the review of trade with Asia, among other factors, specialists agreed.

Alik García, deputy director of Stock Market Analysis at  VALMEX Casa de Bolsa , added that the reconfiguration of air transport after the departure of dedicated cargo from the  Mexico City International Airport (AICM)  generated uncertainty.

“The freight sector is facing, on the one hand, tariff uncertainty, though not to the extent that had been expected. Furthermore, we have seen a gradual recovery at the end of last year. There has also been a cooling of nearshoring expectations due to the policies of US President Donald Trump and the review of trade with China, as well as the pressure Mexico has received to limit imports from that country,” García explained in an interview with T21.

He emphasized that the  review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , and the impacts of meteorological phenomena, such as the case of the Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte (OMA) and its Monterrey airport, influenced the results.

The  Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reported that during the past year 1,232,808.4 tons were transported, 30,777.2 tons less than in 2024, that is, a decrease of 2.4% year-on-year.

Juan Antonio José, an independent aviation analyst, agreed that the reduction originated from decisions made by the U.S. government. He also noted that cargo shippers are utilizing more ship capacity due to lower tariffs.

“If you have good supply chain planning, you don’t have to pay the premium for air freight for some supplies; it’s better to move them by sea, since they have more capacity and that means less need for air freight,” he commented.

The AFAC indicated that national air cargo volume fell from 391,667 tons in 2024 to 383,222.6 tons in 2025, representing a 2.2 percent annual decrease . Tijuana, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí, Mérida, Hermosillo, and Cancún experienced declines of 1.2%, 8.6%, 4.3%, 1.6%, 17.4%, and 6.9%, respectively.

In the international market, the decrease in air cargo was 2.6% year-on-year , as 2025 closed with 849,585.7 tons, 22,332.9 tons less than in 2024.

The agency specified that the  Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and the Monterrey Airport suffered annual declines of 7.7% and 11.9%, respectively.

Data from AFAC highlighted that AICM, Guadalajara and Cancun grew 3.4%, 10.9% and 4%, respectively, in the period January-December 2025.

Regarding the growth and decline for AICM and AIFA, Alik García considered that logistical issues played a role in this situation, since “the routes and connections that the airport (AIFA) will have are still not well defined and it is very likely that some cargo operations that were initially transferred are trying to relocate to other airports.”

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico ends 2025 “in a nosedive”; tariffs play a role apareció primero en T21.

From January to November 2025, air cargo movement in Mexico decreased by 3.2% compared to the same period in 2024, going from 1,160,037.7 tons to 1,122,434.1 tons, according to statistics from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) .

The agency specified that, of the 10 main airports handling cargo in the country, eight reported declines . Toluca registered a drop of 21.6%, Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) saw a decrease of 10.8%, and Monterrey experienced a 5.1% year-over-year decrease.

Conversely, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Guadalajara International Airport, belonging to the Pacific Airport Group (GAP) , increased cargo movement by 5.7% and 4.6% , respectively, year over year.

AFAC reported that in the first 11 months of 2025, AIFA had a market share of 32.8%, followed by AICM with 20.5%, Guadalajara with 14.9%, Monterrey and Querétaro with 6.2% each.

Meanwhile, domestic cargo from January to November of last year was 351,093.1 tons , a decrease of 2.2% compared to the same period in 2024, when 359,135.1 tons were transported.

Regarding international cargo, the agency also reported a decrease of 3.7% , as it went from 800,902.6 tons in the first 11 months of 2024 to 771,341 tons in the same period of 2025.

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico decreases during January-November 2025 apareció primero en T21.