Aviation grows 10.8% in the South and drives record projection for 2025

Air traffic is driven by winter tourism and airport expansion

Aviation in the Southern Region is taking on new contours in 2025. After the impacts suffered during the pandemic and the heavy rains that affected Rio Grande do Sul in 2024, the sector shows clear signs of recovery and expansion. Between January and May of this year alone, the region's airports already indicate a tendency to surpass pre-pandemic numbers, especially due to the greater demand for traditional winter destinations.

In the first five months of the year, air traffic in the South Region grew by 10.8%, more than double the growth recorded in the same period in 2024, which was 5.0%, according to the Demand and Supply Report of the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). In domestic and international flights, the region's terminals registered 10.4 million passengers, an increase of 13.8% compared to the 9.1 million of the previous year.

The numbers show a positive trend month after month. In January, passenger movement grew by 6.9%, reversing the 1.5% drop recorded in 2024. In February, the increase was 7.3%, compared to 3.0% in the previous year. March showed growth of 9.5%, compared to 5.2% in 2024. April recorded a significant jump of 13.4%, more than double the 6.0% growth in the same month last year. The highlight was May, which recorded an increase of 17.9%, much higher than the modest 0.3% in 2024, a clear indication of the robust recovery of aviation in the region.

In total, between January and May, the South Region handled 51,533,635 passengers, surpassing the 48,134,589 in the same period in 2024, an increase of 7.05%. With the recovery of the tourism sector and greater consumer confidence, the expectation is that aviation will maintain this pace in the coming months, driven mainly by winter tourism.

For the Director of Strategic Management of the National Secretariat of Civil Aviation, Thairyne Oliveira, after a difficult year like 2024, the region's air traffic is showing increasingly clear signs that it is recovering and ready to receive more investments from the Federal Government. “The development of the Southern Region is strategic for the country and aviation plays a prominent role in this scenario. More people flying brings new business opportunities, especially in the tourism chain of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul”, she says.

Impacts on the local economy

The growth of aviation in the Southern Region goes beyond passenger transportation; this growth also impacts the local economy and generates direct and indirect jobs in the tourism, trade and services sectors. This growth is mainly driven by the greater demand for tourist destinations, favored by the arrival of milder temperatures.

Florianópolis International Airport – Hercílio Luz (SBFL) is leading this expansion, with an increase of 20.59%, totaling 2,177,676 passengers. This is due to the strengthening of local tourism, in addition to the increase in regional and national flights, which also contribute to this growth. Porto Alegre International Airport – Salgado Filho (SBPA) also recorded significant performance, with growth of 18.54% and 2,639,759 passengers handled.

The regional airports of Maringá (SBMG) and Joinville (SBJV) showed significant increases, with increases of 12.28% and 13.15% respectively. Maringá airport serves as an important regional hub for business travel and event tourism, in addition to having improvements in its air network and connections with other capitals in the country. Joinville airport, on the other hand, is driven by the city's industrial dynamism, especially in the metallurgical and technological sectors.