While the region’s largest cargo markets remained broadly stable, strong expansion in mid-sized economies pushed international air cargo volumes in Latin America and the Caribbean up by 3.2% in 2025.
International air cargo traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 4.1 million metric tonnes in 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 3.2%, according to the latest data from the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA).
However, the regional expansion was not driven by the largest markets, which showed limited variation compared with the previous year. Instead, mid-sized markets recorded the strongest growth rates, playing a key role in supporting the region’s overall cargo performance.
Largest markets remained broadly stable
The three largest air cargo markets in the region — Brazil, Colombia and Mexico — together accounted for nearly 60% of total international cargo volumes in 2025. Yet their performance remained largely stable.
Brazil handled 880,930 metric tonnes, representing a 1.2% decline year-on-year, while Mexico recorded a slight contraction of 0.3%, with 661,429 tonnes transported.
Colombia, the second-largest cargo market in the region, registered modest growth of 1.6%, reaching 818,415 tonnes.
The limited variation across these major markets meant that the region’s overall cargo growth was largely supported by smaller economies posting significantly higher expansion rates.
Mid-sized markets emerged as key growth drivers
Several mid-sized markets recorded double-digit growth in international air cargo volumes in 2025, highlighting their increasing importance within the region’s logistics network.
Peru led the expansion, with cargo traffic increasing 15.4% year-on-year. Other strong performers included Panama (+14.7%), Argentina (+11.1%), Costa Rica (+10.9%), and El Salvador (+10.7%).
Although these markets represent a smaller share of total cargo volumes compared with the region’s largest economies, their growth helped sustain the overall expansion of the Latin American air cargo sector.
The data suggests that a broader group of countries is becoming more integrated into regional and global logistics chains, supporting the development of new cargo flows across the region.
The United States remains the region’s main cargo partner
Despite the diversification of growth across several markets, the structure of international cargo flows in Latin America remains heavily concentrated on trade with the United States.
In 2025, 49.1% of the region’s international cargo had North America as either its origin or destination, confirming the United States as the dominant external trading partner for the region’s air freight sector.
The Colombia–United States corridor remained the largest international cargo route in Latin America, with 500,333 metric tonnes transported between the two countries during the year.
Other major cargo flows across the region are also closely linked to U.S. markets, reflecting the strong trade integration between Latin America and North America.
Cargo flows concentrated in a limited number of hubs
Air cargo operations in Latin America also remain highly concentrated in a small number of major airports, which act as the primary gateways for international freight.
Key cargo hubs in the region include São Paulo–Guarulhos (GRU) in Brazil, Bogotá (BOG) in Colombia, Santiago (SCL) in Chile, Lima (LIM) in Peru, and Panama City–Tocumen (PTY) in Panama.
These airports handle the majority of international cargo traffic in their respective countries and continue to play a central role in regional logistics connectivity.
Signs of a more diversified cargo landscape
While the largest economies remain the backbone of the region’s air cargo network, the strong performance of mid-sized markets in 2025 suggests a gradual diversification of cargo activity across Latin America.
The expansion of secondary markets reflects both the development of logistics infrastructure and the growing participation of a wider range of economies in global supply chains.
“Air cargo growth in 2025 was moderate but steady. Mid-sized markets recorded double-digit percentage increases, while the region’s largest markets showed only limited variation,” said Peter Cerdá, CEO of ALTA.
“These results highlight both the logistical potential of Latin America and the Caribbean and the importance of continuing to strengthen infrastructure and operating conditions to enhance competitiveness.”
