International air cargo traffic across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) reached 4.1 million tonnes in 2025, marking a 3.2 percent year-on-year increase, according to industry data. The regional growth was moderate overall, reflecting a split between stable large markets and robust expansions in mid-sized economies.
Mid-Sized Markets Drive Regional Expansion
The year’s growth was largely powered by mid-sized markets, which recorded double-digit increases:
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- Peru: +15.4%
- Panama: +14.7%
- Argentina: +11.1%
- Costa Rica: +10.9%
- El Salvador: +10.7%
These countries contributed significantly to the overall increase, highlighting a diversification of growth beyond the region’s traditional air cargo powerhouses.
Large Markets Showed Mixed Performance
The largest markets—Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico—accounted for approximately 60 percent of total regional volume, but registered only marginal changes:
- Brazil: 880,930 tonnes (−1.2%)
- Colombia: 818,415 tonnes (+1.6%)
- Mexico: 661,429 tonnes (−0.3%)
While their performance remained largely stable, these markets continue to dominate the LAC air cargo landscape in absolute volume terms.
United States Remains Key External Market
The United States maintained its role as the primary external trading partner, with over half of the region’s international air cargo either originating in or destined for the U.S. The Colombia–United States corridor remained the largest in the region, transporting 500,333 tonnes during the year.
Mexico Expands Trade with Asia, Especially China
Mexico strengthened its international cargo ties with Asia in 2025. While the Mexico–United States corridorcontinues to be the country’s main route, cargo volumes between Mexico and China surged 14.6 percent, largely driven by higher imports from China.
Cargo Operations Concentrated in Major Hubs
Air cargo activity remained highly concentrated in key regional hubs. Airports including São Paulo–Guarulhos (GRU), Bogotá (BOG), Lima (LIM), Panama City–Tocumen (PTY), and Santiago (SCL) handled the bulk of their countries’ international cargo volumes. These hubs continue to serve as the dominant logistics nodes in Latin America’s air cargo network, reinforcing the region’s reliance on a limited number of high-capacity airports.
The 2025 performance highlights a region balancing steady volumes in its largest markets with dynamic growth in mid-sized economies, underscoring the evolving nature of LAC’s international air cargo landscape.
