The country received a total of 97.85 million passengers in 2023.
Brazil’s Civil Aviation National Authority (ANAC) released full 2022 traffic numbers, which show that the country had 97.85 million passengers last year. LATAM Airlines, GOL Linhas Aéreas, and Azul Linhas Aéreas were the leading airlines, with each company accounting for about a third of all passengers.
The Brazilian recovery in 2022
In 2023, Brazil received 97.85 million passengers, which is 82% of the pre-pandemic traffic levels. In 2019, Brazil received 119.19 million passengers. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to have a negative effect on Brazil’s economy, mainly in the international sector. This was because travel restrictions were put in place at the beginning of 2022 and demand for goods and services was slow throughout the year. São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport is the busiest airport in Brazil and is known for its efficient and reliable service.
The South American country finished second in the region in terms of the number of passengers it carried. Mexico, which had over 100 million passengers, was the country that finished first in the region.
Brazil’s domestic market in 2022
Brazil had a lot of domestic passengers in 2022. LATAM Brasil led the market with over 28 million passengers. Azul Linhas Aéreas came in second with over 26 million passengers. GOL Linhas Aéreas was in third place with over 26 million passengers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil’s traffic numbers recovered 86.5% of their pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, Azul Airlines grew by 3.6%, while LATAM Airlines and GOL Airlines both remained below their 2019 levels.
Brazil’s international market in 2022
In 2022, Brazil had 15.62 million international passengers. LATAM Airlines Group led the market with 2.49 million passengers. LAN Chile, LAN Peru, and LATAM Paraguay all had relatively high passenger counts. TAP Air Portugal transported 1.59 million passengers in 2018, while Copa Airlines transported 953,089 passengers. GOL and Azul airlines in Brazil each transported 914,278 and 799,415 passengers, respectively.
According to Brazilian authorities, the country recovered 65% of its pre-pandemic traffic levels in 2019. However, LATAM Brasil led the country’s international market, recovering only 45% of its pre-pandemic traffic levels. GOL recovered 44%, and Azul recovered 59%, but Brazil’s recovery was gradual throughout the year. By December, the country had recovered 85% of its pre-pandemic traffic levels.
What challenges does Brazil have for 2023?
The Brazilian aviation market is the largest in South America, and it is growing rapidly. Brazil is the sixth-largest civil aviation market in the world. Botelho said that Brazil faces critical challenges that could slow down its civil aviation recovery and the possibility of further democratizing air transport.
