In the first quarter of 2026, Brazil's air transport market maintained its growth trajectory, primarily driven by increased travel demand, expanded international capacity, and the recovery of domestic flights. Data shows that Brazil's total departing seat capacity reached 143.4 million in 2025, up from 134.5 million in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. International capacity has grown more than fourfold since 2021, reaching 17.6 million departing seats in 2025, while domestic seat capacity increased to 125.8 million.

This growth trend continued into the first quarter of 2026. Brazilian airports are projected to handle approximately 37.2 million departing seats, higher than the 34.9 million in the same period of 2025. Domestic capacity grew 6.1% year-on-year to 32.2 million seats, while international seat capacity increased 10.4% to just over 5 million, indicating robust overall expansion in Brazil's air transport market.

In terms of airlines, LATAM Airlines Group and GOL Linhas Aéreas remain the two carriers with the highest departing and domestic flight seat capacity in Brazil, both showing increased capacity. LATAM's seat count rose from 12.2 million in Q1 2025 to 13.6 million, while GOL's increased from 9.7 million to 10.9 million.

Among airport data, São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport maintained its position as Brazil's largest airport, with departing seat capacity growing to 7.1 million in Q1 2026. Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport, as the host of Routes Americas 2026, recorded a significant increase among major hubs, rising from 2.63 million seats a year ago to 3.14 million.

In the international market, Argentina was Brazil's largest foreign market in Q1 2026 by seat capacity, followed by the United States, Chile, Portugal, and Spain. Capacity to Argentina grew over 30% year-on-year, reflecting strong inbound tourism flows. Brazil's National Tourism Board reported that international arrivals reached 9.3 million in 2025, a 37% increase, largely driven by rapid growth from Argentina and steady improvements from Chile and the United States.

Airlines are adding targeted long-haul and regional routes. In February, new Canada-Brazil routes were launched, including the first-ever direct flight from Montreal to Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile, regulatory changes, such as the recently modernized Brazil-France air services framework, have expanded available frequencies and eased restrictions, providing support for further growth in Brazil's air transport market.