In 2021, the traffic at Foz do Iguaçu International Airport increased from 37,085 passengers in April to 124,326 in December, an increase of 70.1%.
Last year closed with 948,913 passengers between arrivals and departures, i.e., a movement 14.3% higher than in 2020, when 829,689 passengers transited through the terminal. The figures come from Infraero, the state-owned company that manages airports in Brazil.
According to what was reported by our partner Aeroin, more than 100,000 passengers are expected in January on 521 different flights that were booked for the entire month. This also signals the change of administration of the terminal to CCR, which should increase the number of scheduled and charter flights for tour operators and passengers transported.
“The expectation is quite good because the concessionaire wants to attract more flights to the airports it manages. Foz do Iguaçu airport is the best in the south of the country, with the potential for growth not only in terms of passenger movement but also cargo. We are rapidly moving forward to become a Mercosur hub, that is, a connection center for international flights,” said Paulo Angeli, Secretary of Tourism, Strategic Projects, and Innovation.
According to the Acting Mayor, Delegate Francisco Sampaio, Foz do Iguaçu will be a new gateway for foreign tourists and, in addition to the United States and Europe, a door for South American tourists: “We are consolidating ourselves as a nature destination in great demand by foreign and Mercosur tourists, and we will continue to be an international commercial hub for Brazilians in this decade,” added Angeli.
The Record
The numbers of the air terminal during last year alone do not exceed those of January (248,287), February (201,453), and March (124,957) of 2020 and 2019, when the airport had historical traffic of 2,283,897 passengers: “In 2021, month by month, the movement grew since May, reached 101,332 in October, went to 114,144 in November and 124,326 in December,” Angeli points out.
Companies and operators in the sector expect to beat the record surpassed in 2019 between 2023 and 2024: “The figures for 2019 are very expressive, but the trend is upward. We already restarted 2 direct weekly flights from Chile and we expect other low-cost flights from Colombia and Mexico, which opens connections to the United States and Canada, and from Europe,” said Sampaio.
The acting mayor also states that the number of foreign tourists is expected to increase by 25% in the coming years: “According to our pre-pandemic profile, 40% of the tourists coming to Foz do Iguaçu are foreigners. We have the perspective of increasing that level and reaching 50%”.
Triple Border
Foz do Iguaçu shares the Triple Border area with Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay with Puerto Iguazu and Ciudad del Este, known for hosting not only the world-famous Iguazu Falls but also one of the most important commercial centers of the region on the Paraguayan side.
In Argentina, Pto. Iguazu airport handled a total of 401 thousand passengers in 2021, 13% higher than in 2020 but barely a third of what it managed to handle in 2019 (1.56 million).
Meanwhile, the airport of Ciudad del Este, in Paraguay, has not received regular flights again, maintaining its operation focused on cargo.
