WAGA 2026 opened its first full conference day in Lima, Peru, on September 28, bringing the global airport industry together as Latin America and the Caribbean face a central challenge: turning strong passenger growth into stronger regional connectivity. ACI-LAC Director General Rafael Echevarne said the region handled 797 million passengers in 2025, equivalent to around 8% of global passenger traffic.
The first Conference Day of WAGA 2026 places connectivity, airport investment and regional development at the heart of discussions in the Peruvian capital.
The September 28 programme includes the “State of the Industry – Global & Regional Perspectives” session with Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World, and Rafael Echevarne, Director General of Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC).
Other sessions focus on airports as gateways to tourism and regional development, the state of air connectivity, national airport investment strategies and an international Airport CEOs Panel.
Aviation is a development tool in Latin America
Ahead of Conference Day One, Rafael Echevarne addressed journalists during an ACI-LAC media workshop in Lima, setting out some of the structural issues facing airports across Latin America and the Caribbean.
For Rafael Echevarne, the role of aviation in the region cannot be viewed through the same lens as in markets with extensive rail and road alternatives.
The Andes, the Amazon, large distances and other geographical constraints make air transport a critical part of regional mobility.
“Aviation is not a luxury here in our region. It is a fundamental part of the economic and social development of our countries…” Rafael Echevarne said, in remarks translated from Spanish.
ACI-LAC’s Director General also stressed the role airports play in positioning cities, destinations and countries within international markets. For many territories, accessibility by air is directly linked to their ability to attract tourism, investment and economic activity.
797 million passengers in 2025
The scale of the Latin American and Caribbean aviation market is already significant.
Figures presented by Rafael Echevarne show that airports across the region handled 797 million passengers in 2025, accounting for approximately 8% of global passenger traffic.
Globally, passenger traffic currently stands at around 9.4 billion passengers, with ACI projections pointing towards a doubling of that volume by 2045.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, however, rising traffic does not automatically translate into an equally developed network of air connections.
Connectivity remains a structural challenge
Rafael Echevarne identified connectivity as one of the region’s most important aviation challenges.
ACI-LAC argues that Latin America and the Caribbean still have significant potential to improve the ease with which airlines can establish routes between markets. Echevarne contrasted the regional framework with Europe, where liberalisation allows airlines to operate across borders under a much more integrated regulatory environment.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, carriers continue to navigate different national authorisation processes and regulatory frameworks when developing international networks.
According to Rafael Echevarne, this fragmentation slows the development of new services and reduces the dynamism needed to stimulate the regional market. ACI-LAC is therefore advocating greater openness, liberalisation and deregulation of air transport.
Connectivity moves to the centre of WAGA 2026
Those concerns are reflected directly in the WAGA 2026 agenda.
Conference Day One in Lima combines the broader State of the Industry discussion with dedicated sessions on tourism, connectivity and infrastructure investment. The programme also brings airport executives from different regions together to discuss how operators are responding to changing passenger demand and long-term development requirements.
The September 28 programme concludes with the ACI-LAC and ACI World Annual General Assemblies, followed by the official WAGA reception hosted by Lima Airport.
As WAGA 2026 moves through its main conference programme, the discussions in Lima are placing a fundamental regional question back at the centre of the airport agenda: how Latin America and the Caribbean can convert growing demand for air travel into more extensive, efficient and competitive connectivity.
What is WAGA 2026?
WAGA is the Airports Council International World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, bringing together airport leaders and aviation stakeholders from around the world.
Where is WAGA 2026 being held?
WAGA 2026 is being held in Lima, Peru.
How many passengers did Latin America and the Caribbean handle in 2025?
According to figures presented by Rafael Echevarne, airports in Latin America and the Caribbean handled 797 million passengers in 2025, around 8% of global passenger traffic.
What are the main issues on the WAGA 2026 Conference Day One agenda?
The September 28 programme includes global and regional industry perspectives, tourism and regional development, air connectivity, airport investment strategies and airport leadership.
