Record December: Argentina's Air Transport Sector Grows Like Never Before
Argentina's air transport sector experienced a record-breaking year, with 29.3 million passengers transported in 2024. December set new benchmarks, as domestic recovery and international connections drove growth. Key airports like Jorge Newbery and Ezeiza posted historic passenger traffic, while international routes from provincial cities surged, led by markets such as Santiago de Chile and Panama
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The air transport sector in Argentina recorded a record-breaking December in terms of growth, as reported by the Secretary of Transportation of the Nation, Franco Mogetta, through his account on the social network X.
"The air sector continues to grow. We had a record December in air passenger transportation according to data from @ANACargentina, with 2,850,356 passengers transported, surpassing December 2018, which saw a total of 2,587,039 passengers," Mogetta stated.
He explained that domestic flights experienced sustained recovery, driven by the country’s economic stabilization. This growth occurred in a more transparent air transport market, without subsidies like the preViaje program or the "plan platita," which artificially inflated and distorted the system.
This growth was also evident in the private sector. "Aeropuertos Argentina (@AeropuertosAR) identified December 2024 as a historic milestone in Argentine aviation. Measuring passenger traffic, they recorded a total of 3,948,859 users, making it the month with the highest passenger traffic in the history of their airports," Mogetta emphasized.
"The opening of the air transport market, supported by our Open Skies policy and deregulations, paved the way for unprecedented growth," he concluded.
According to data from the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC), growth consolidated during the final months of 2024. A total of 29,336,371 passengers was reported for the year, surpassing the 29,119,598 transported in 2023. This trend was also highlighted by Aeropuertos Argentina, which operates 35 airports nationwide.
December 2024 set a new benchmark for passenger traffic, with 3,948,859 users, surpassing the previous record set in July 2019 with 3,901,087 travelers. Jorge Newbery Airport recorded a new passenger record with 1,467,317 passengers, exceeding the November 2024 figure of 1,424,251. Meanwhile, Ezeiza also broke its record, with 1,107,976 users, surpassing the previous peak of 1,093,443 in January 2020.
ANAC reported 1,538,676 passengers on domestic flights in December, representing a 6% increase compared to November 2024 and a 1% rise from December 2023.
The international sector also experienced exceptional growth, with 1,311,680 passengers recorded in December—a 12% increase over the previous month and 20% more than December 2023. This trend persisted throughout 2024, with annual growth of 14% compared to 2023.
One of the most notable developments in the international segment was the significant growth of direct connections from Argentina's interior to international destinations, bypassing Buenos Aires. In December, 155,679 passengers used such connections, a 30% increase compared to December 2023.
Key routes included:
- Mendoza - Santiago de Chile: A 47% increase, driven by Jetsmart's return to the route after five years.
- Bariloche - Santiago de Chile: A 29% increase over December 2023.
- Córdoba - Panama: A 25% increase.
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