Latin America and the Caribbean's travel sector has experienced a remarkable recovery after its worst historic crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Every year, the Airports Council International (ACI) releases a report measuring passenger traffic in Latin American airports and, according to the latest available information, the busiest one in the region by passenger traffic was Mexico City's, with 46.26 million total passengers in 2022. The was figure 28.3% higher than the previous year but still lower than its pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, the 'Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez' saw 50,3 million people flying.
The El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá secured the second position in 2022 with 35.36 million passengers, surpassing São Paulo/Guarulhos Airport (34.48 million passengers). This achievement marks the first time in its history that El Dorado International Airport has claimed the title of South American leader, reported specialized outlet Aviación Online.
However, some of the Latin American capital cities have more than one airport. Comparing the two airports of San Pablo and those two of Mexico City, the former ranked at the top.
"São Paulo's main airport, Guarulhos, is third-busiest in LatAm, but the city is also home to Congonhas airport. When combining the flight traffic of both, São Paulo is the most popular flight destination in the region," the specialized statistic firm Latinometrics explained in a X formerly Twitter) thread.
Why is São Paulo such a busy city for flight traffic? Brazil's largest municipality, with a population of 12.33 million in 2020, and its surrounding metropolitan area, have more residents than any other city in the region. It holds the fourth position among the most densely populated urban agglomerations globally, according to Statista.
Latinometrics highlighted two significant aspects of the analysis of the 'massive flight industry' in Brazil. First, they pointed out that the largest country in Latin America boasts 12 out of the 30 busiest airports in the region. Secondly, they added that the national aviation market 'is worth some $10 billion in annual revenue.'
Beyond the significance of each city in flight traffic, here is a list of the 10 Busiest Airports in Latin America and the Caribbean by total passengers in 2022.
Top 10 Busiest Airports in Latin America
- Mexico City International Airport 'Benito Juárez'
- El Dorado International Airport, in Bogotá, Colombia
- Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, Brazil
- Cancún International Airport, Mexico
- 'Jorge Chávez' International Airport, in Lima, Peru
- 'Arturo Merino Benítez' International Airport, in Santiago de Chile
- Congonhas International Airport, in São Paulo, Brazil
- Tocumen International Airport, in Panama
- Guadalajara International Airport, Mexico
- Brazilia International Airport
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