Brazil, Colombia and Mexico continued to lead cargo movement in Latin America and the Caribbean during May 2026, reported the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) .

“All three markets also reported higher input costs and delivery delays related to the conflict in the Middle East. Despite this environment, Brazil recorded its second-highest monthly volume in recent history, Colombia reached a record for the month of May, and Mexico again registered a contraction,” the organization emphasized.

In the fifth month of the year, 343,966 tons of international air cargo were transported from, to and within the region , representing a growth of 3.3% compared to the same month in 2025.

Brazil remained the largest international air cargo market , with 82,000 tons, followed by Colombia with 76,000 tons and Mexico with 53,000 tons.

Among the top 10 markets, Brazil and Colombia accounted for most of the growth, offsetting the declines recorded in Mexico and Ecuador.

In the case of Mexico, ALTA specified that the country had a decline of 4.4% during May 2026 , equivalent to two thousand 436 tons less than in the same month of the previous year.

“This was the second contraction recorded in 2016, following the growth observed in April. The corridor with the United States, the country’s main international market, increased by 1.8%, while the largest reductions were concentrated in Hong Kong with -30.2% and Germany with -14.4%,” he explained.

In contrast, the corridor with Spain grew by 21.6% and became the country’s second largest international freight corridor during the period. “Despite the month’s result, the year-to-date figure maintains a growth of 1.4%.”

The agency specified that North America accounted for 48.4% of the international air cargo distribution by origin-destination region. This was followed by Europe with 24.7%, Latin America with 17.2%, and Asia-Pacific with 5.6%.

ALTA explained that Mexico and Colombia increased their volumes, while Brazil, Peru and Chile registered reductions compared to the same month in 2025.

In the corridors with Spain, Mexico led the growth , followed by Colombia and Brazil, while Peru and Chile reduced their volumes.

“Five months into the year, regional growth is beginning to show a clearer pattern. While various markets led the monthly results during the first quarter, in May the expansion once again concentrated in Brazil and Colombia. Peru and Panama maintained positive results, while Chile registered a volume virtually identical to the previous year. This result occurred in a context of higher costs for the manufacturing industry,” ALTA stated in a press release.

Regarding the capacity operated by cargo aircraft to and from Latin America and the Caribbean, there was a year-on-year drop of 4.2%, reaching 869.9 million ton-kilometers, after four consecutive months of expansion.

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El cargo These countries led air cargo in Latin America and the Caribbean during May apareció primero en T21.

FedEx , Cathay Pacific Airways and China Southern were the cargo airlines that registered the largest growth in the transport of goods to Mexico in the period January-May 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, reported the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) .

According to the agency’s statistics, FedEx remained the leading operator in this segment, moving 29,562.04 tons during the period, representing a 10.5 percent year-over-year increase. Furthermore, the company achieved a 16.5% market share, the highest among freight carriers operating routes to Mexico.

For its part, Cathay Pacific Airways transported 21,233.33 tons in the first five months of 2026, representing a 6.9% increase compared to the same period last year. With this performance, the Asian airline captured 11.8% of the market.

The largest percentage expansion was for China Southern, which moved 17,116.77 tons , a growth of 29% compared to January-May 2025. Its market share stood at 9.5 percent.

In contrast, other companies showed a negative year-over-year trend. UPS saw a 16% decrease in cargo volume transported to Mexico, while Lufthansa Cargo registered an 11.2% drop and Air France a 6.3% contraction.

In terms of market share, UPS held 8.3% during the comparison period.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa Cargo recorded a 7.1% share, while Air France accounted for 6.1% of the market during the cycle, according to AFAC.

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El cargo These are the cargo planes that “conquered” the skies in Mexico during January-May apareció primero en T21.

Air cargo transport in Mexico maintains a positive trend during 2026, registering five consecutive months of growth , driven by the international market, mainly from Asia.

According to figures from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , between January and May of this year 507,792.5 tons of cargo were moved, representing an increase of 5.5% compared to the 481,322.3 tons reported in the same period of 2025.

Of the country’s top 10 airports, the largest growth was recorded by the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) , as it ended the period with 167,262.9 tons, that is, 14,738.5 tons more.

Meanwhile, the Toluca International Airport (AIT) experienced a 27.2% year-on-year decline, going from 13,151.5 tons in the January-May 2025 cycle to 9,580.4 tons in the same period of 2026.

AFAC specified that at the domestic level there was a year-on-year drop of 0.5% , as it ended with 151,170 tons during the comparison period, that is, 759.6 tons less.

The airports of Guadalajara, Tijuana, San Luis Potosí, Hermosillo and Cancún showed a decrease during that period, with 2.1%, 4.7%, 10.6%, 23.1% and 3.9%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the international market increased by 8.3% year-on-year , rising from 329,392.7 tons to 356,622.5 tons. AIFA remains the leading airport in cargo traffic, with an 11.3% increase from January to May of this year compared to the same period in 2015.

The agency indicated that the fastest growing routes were Shanghai-AIFA with a 42.3% increase , Mexico-Madrid with 19.5% more, Saint Lucia-Frankfurt with a 1.5% increase, and Memphis-Guadalajara with 15.3 percent.

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico marks its fifth consecutive month of growth: AFAC apareció primero en T21.

During April 2026, international air cargo traffic reached 345,900 tons to, from and within Latin America and the Caribbean, representing a year-on-year growth of 3.7 percent .

According to the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) , Colombia, Brazil and Mexico were the three largest markets in the region, as they showed year-on-year growth for the second consecutive month.

Colombia moved 82,547 tons, an increase of 3.2% compared to April 2025. Brazil moved 77,678 tons, which meant an increase of 4% annually; while Mexico transported 54,842 tons, 8.4% more than in the same month last year.

“Mexico was the third largest international air cargo market in April and the main contributor to regional growth. The result was driven by the Mexico-United States corridor, which grew 9.1% and accumulated two consecutive months of expansion after the 32.1% drop recorded in February,” the organization emphasized.

ALTA explained that this behavior coincided with a 16.3% increase in air imports from the United States to that country.

Among the main international corridors, Mexico-China registered the highest growth with 28.2%, derived from a 38.8% increase in imports from that Asian country.

Meanwhile, the United States continued to be the main source and destination market for international air cargo in the region, accounting for more than half of the tons transported.

“Traffic between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean grew 2.2% year-on-year in April and marked two consecutive months of growth,” ALTA said.

The market between Spain and Latin America and the Caribbean also maintained a positive trend during April. Air cargo grew 6.2% year-on-year, supported by increased flows between Spain and Mexico, as well as between Brazil and Spain. In the first four months of the year, traffic between the region and Spain accumulated growth of 7%.

ALTA also reported that regional growth was concentrated mainly in Mexico, Panama and Brazil , which showed most of the net increase observed in April.

In the January-April period, the market registered an expansion of 0.3% , driven mainly by growth between the United States and Argentina.

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El cargo Air cargo grows in Latin America and the Caribbean during April apareció primero en T21.

Influenced by competitive rates compared to maritime transport and e-commerce , air cargo traffic in Mexico continues to rise. From January to April 2026 alone, it registered a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year.

According to statistics from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , the country handled 403,069.2 tons during the first four months of the year, that is, 24,317.1 tons more year-on-year.

Humberto López, head of Air Product at  Eternity Group Mexico , explained that due to the conflict in the Middle East, as well as an increase in demand and certain complications in maritime routes, there was an increase in fares.

“The difference between air and sea freight is decreasing, and therefore, many customers, in order to meet their commitments and deliver on time, are switching from ships to planes; in other words, the volume has increased precisely because of the variations in sea freight,” he said in an interview with T21.

He specified that the merchandise being transported by plane is from e-commerce, which continues to grow despite trade restrictions and tariffs ; the Mexico-China route alone continues to increase.

“We see that, in the case of China, the fastest-growing route was from Shanghai to AIFA and from Hong Kong to Guadalajara. This has a lot to do with e-commerce, but also with electronics, spare parts in general, textiles, and consumer products; this is what has been driving the increase in volume,” he commented.

The AFAC reported that domestic cargo increased from 119,121.6 tons between January and April 2025 to 119,740.2 tons during the same period in 2026, representing a 0.5 percent rise. The airports of Querétaro, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , Guadalajara, and Monterrey stood out in this regard, showing growth.

Internationally, cargo volume increased by 9.1% , reaching 283,329 tons by the end of the period. The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and Guadalajara contributed to this increase.

“The conflict affected maritime cargo and caused many customers to withdraw; on the other hand, the constant growth of e-commerce and other products on routes from Asia to Mexico, and there are also companies that have been changing their way of working, making inventory adjustments,” Humberto López emphasized.

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El cargo Air cargo in Mexico “soars” in the first four months; e-commerce plays a role apareció primero en T21.

The growth of e-commerce and the dynamism in exports have not been enough to trigger the development of air cargo infrastructure in Latin America , where most airports still have limitations in this segment, despite having the necessary space to expand.

Key airports in the region, such as those in Lima, Bogotá, Quito, and Santiago, have focused their efforts on growing passenger traffic, neglecting the development of cargo facilities. However, there is a significant opportunity to strengthen this area without building dedicated cargo airports.

“We don’t need dedicated cargo airports, but we do need better use of existing airports for this segment,” says Peter Cerdá, regional vice president for the Americas at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in an interview with T21.

The executive emphasizes that, unlike saturated terminals such as Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , where there is no longer room to expand infrastructure, most Latin American airports still have enough physical space to develop specialized cargo facilities, a sector that continues to grow, driven by the export of products such as flowers, fruits, meats and fish from countries such as Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Brazil and Ecuador.

Cerdá warns that, in addition to expanding infrastructure, it is essential to improve competitiveness by reducing taxes and optimizing operating conditions. As an example, he cites the case of Lima, where a new passenger terminal was built without a parallel development of the cargo terminal, resulting in operations continuing at their limit.

If you wish to continue reading this text published in the June 2026 edition of T21 magazine, we invite you to consult the digital version  by clicking here .

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El cargo The invisible debt of Latin American airports 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.

Major cargo airlines and courier companies reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining and expanding their operations at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) , the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported .

During a meeting between sector authorities and leaders of the air and land cargo industry, progress in the modernization of the airport’s infrastructure and systems was reviewed .

The event recognized AIFA, as well as its ability to manage large-scale operations , which positions it as a world-class logistics center.

The Mexican government emphasized that technological integration and streamlined customs processes at the airport have allowed for a significant reduction in transit times, strengthening the country’s competitiveness in global trade.

“Collaboration between the federal government and the air cargo sector is fundamental to strengthening and further developing the capabilities of the Metropolitan Airport System of the Valley of Mexico. Today we confirm that this infrastructure is already a benchmark for operational efficiency and safety in the transport of goods,” stated the Secretary of Foreign Affairs , Roberto Velasco Álvarez; and the Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation, Jesús Esteva Medina.

Similarly, they indicated that there are  advances in land and air connectivity that facilitate national and international distribution, in addition to the commitment to continue investing in their own infrastructure within the airport complex to strengthen the logistics ecosystem .

With the participation of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , the modernization of customs was also highlighted, “which guarantees rigorous, but agile control, vital for the movement of high-value and perishable products.”

The SICT stated that this joint effort reaffirms the private sector’s confidence in the public policies for regional development and connectivity promoted by the federal government.

According to statistics from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , in the first two months of 2026,  air cargo in Mexico increased by 7.3% compared to the same period in 2025, with AIFA being the airport with the highest movement of goods.

In the January-February cycle of this year, the Felipe Ángeles moved 63,845.2 tons, which represented a growth of 17.4% year-on-year.

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El cargo Air cargo industry seeks to expand operations at AIFA apareció primero en T21.

The conflict in the Middle East impacted air cargo demand during March 2026, registering a 4.8% year-on-year drop , the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported .

The agency detailed that capacity, measured in available cargo ton-kilometers (ACTK), also showed a negative trend, decreasing 4.7% year-on-year.

“This was primarily due to severe disruptions at major Gulf (Persian) hubs because of the war in the Middle East. The usual timing of the post-Lunar New Year slowdown also contributed to the decline. Importantly, air cargo networks are providing the necessary flexibility to support global supply chains as they adapt to geopolitical, tariff, and operational tensions. All eyes are on fuel supply and pricing, which are expected to test the industry’s resilience in the coming months,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

IATA indicated that Middle Eastern airlines experienced a 54.3% year-over-year decrease in air cargo demand in March 2026, the weakest performance of all regions. Capacity decreased 52.4% year-over-year.

“The Middle East was the determining factor in the industry’s performance. Cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK) contracted by 54.3% year-on-year, reflecting the sharpest decline among all major markets, as the conflict disrupted hub connectivity and reduced aircraft utilization,” Walsh emphasized.

The agency pointed out that jet fuel prices rose sharply in March , up to 106.6% year-on-year, along with a 43.1% increase in crude oil costs and a 320% increase in refining margins during the period.

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El cargo Global air cargo “not taking off” in March; impact of Middle East conflict apareció primero en T21.