Southeast region has the highest air passenger movement in February since 2000

Civil aviation in Southeast Brazil reached a historic milestone in February this year, 4,902,827 passengers boarded at the region’s airports. The number represents the best performance for the second month of the year in the entire historical series, started in 2000 by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), and exceeds by 6.8% the movement recorded in February 2025, which was 4,590,505 passengers.

Among the busiest terminals, Guarulhos International Airport (SP) leads the ranking, with 3.6 million passengers arriving and departing in February. Next are Congonhas Airport, with 1.8 million passengers; Galeão International Airport (RJ), with 1.6 million; and Confins International Airport (MG), with 907 thousand passengers in the period. The traditional air bridge between Congonhas and Santos Dumont topped the ranking, with 299,963 passengers transported.

For the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, the data reflects the environment of trust in the sector and the advancement of public policies aimed at expanding infrastructure. “The consistent growth of aviation in the Southeast shows that we are on the right path. More passengers and flights mean more jobs, more tourism and more economic development. We continue working to strengthen the country’s connectivity and ensure that the airport infrastructure keeps up with this pace of expansion”, he stated.

International connections

The international market stood out during the period. There were 1,039,931 passengers traveling abroad, compared to 929,596 in the same month of 2025, an increase of 11.8%. In the same period, the number of international flights departing from the Southeast increased from 5,121 to 5,573, expanding Brazil’s air connectivity with all continents.

Another international highlight were the connections between Santiago, the Chilean capital, and Galeão, with 137,976 passengers, and between Galeão and Buenos Aires, in Argentina, which had 95,022 travelers in February.

Investments

Throughout 2025, the Ministry of Ports and Airports intensified investments in airport and logistics infrastructure in the Southeast with a focus on expanding operational capacity, modernizing terminals and strengthening air connectivity, with R$5.6 billion in investments announced in 21 airports across the country, including terminals in the region.

“We are creating a more stable and attractive environment for investments, which translates into more efficient airports, better services for passengers and more development opportunities for the regions” highlights Costa Filho.

In this package, the most significant contributions were concentrated in high-flow terminals, such as Congonhas Airport (SP), which leads with a planned amount of around R$2.5 billion. The actions aim to expand service capacity, improve user experience and reinforce the competitiveness of Brazilian airports, especially in a scenario of continuous growth in passenger demand and recovery of the airline sector.