Argentina leads air traffic growth in Latin America with record figures in July

Argentina positioned itself in July as the market with the highest percentage growth in air traffic across Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the latest report from the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA).

The country recorded an increase of 8.3% in domestic flights and 14% in international connections, reaching a historic high for that month and exceeding 2019 levels by 6%.

Between January and July, 19 million passengers have already been transported, representing a 14.7% increase compared to 2023. This data confirms the  recovery of air connectivity and the sustained demand from Argentine travelers, in a context where tourism is consolidating itself as one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy.

At the regional level,  air traffic  reached 42.8 million passengers in July, with a  year-on-year growth of 4.4%. Latin American airlines once again led global expansion with a 7.2% increase, and more than 60% of the growth came from intraregional flights.

"Latin American airlines recording a year-on-year growth of 7.2% reflects the strength of our industry and the confidence in connectivity", highlighted Peter Cerdá, CEO of ALTA.

The report from the organization also noted significant performances in other countries. Panama grew 9% in its total traffic, driven by routes to Central America and the Caribbean. Peru advanced 8.6%, with a record in domestic flights, meanwhile Brazil reached historic figures with nine million passengers on domestic flights and a 13.6% increase in international operations.

In contrast, Mexico and Colombia showed more moderate rebounds after previous declines, Chile barely advanced by 0.8% and Ecuador by 4.1%. In the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica led the recovery.

The Argentine case is significant for two reasons. First,  because it consolidates the rebound of the private airline sector after years of restrictions and distortions that affected competitiveness. Second, because it positions the country as a regional benchmark in terms of connectivity, with a direct impact on inbound tourism and the inflow of foreign currency.

The record reached in July confirms the potential of aviation as an economic engine and reinforces the need for stable policies that ensure predictability for investments.

With projections anticipating a second half in line with this trend,  the challenge will be to sustain the market conditions that made this recovery possible.