Civil aviation in Southeast Brazil reached a historic milestone in February this year, with 4,902,827 passengers boarding at airports in the region. The figure represents the best performance for the second month of the year in the entire historical series, which began 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 terminals with the highest movement, Guarulhos International Airport (SP) leads the ranking, with 3.6 million passengers in February, arriving and departing. Following are Congonhas Airport, with 1.8 million passengers; Galeão International Airport (RJ), with 1.6 million; and Confins International Airport (MG), with 907,000 passengers in the period. The traditional air bridge between Congonhas and Santos Dumont led the ranking, with 299,963 passengers transported.
For the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, the data reflects an environment of confidence 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 airport infrastructure keeps pace with this expansion rate," he said.
International connections
The international market stood out in the period. There were 1,039,931 passengers on trips abroad, compared to 929,596 in the same month of 2025, an increase of 11.8%. In the same interval, the number of international flights departing from Southeast Brazil rose from 5,121 to 5,573, expanding Brazil's air connectivity with all continents.
Another international highlight was connections between Santiago, the Chilean capital, and Galeão, with 137,976 passengers, and between Galeão and Buenos Aires, in Argentina, which totaled 95,022 travelers in February.
Investments
Throughout 2025, the Ministry of Ports and Airports intensified investments in airport infrastructure and logistics in Southeast Brazil, focusing on expanding operational capacity, modernizing terminals and strengthening air connectivity, with R$ 5.6 billion in investments announced at 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 regions," Costa Filho stresses.
In this package, the most significant contributions were concentrated in high-traffic terminals, such as Congonhas Airport (SP), which leads with an anticipated amount of around R$ 2.5 billion. The actions aim to expand service capacity, improve user experience and strengthen the competitiveness of Brazilian airports, especially in a scenario of continuous growth in passenger demand and recovery of the airline sector.
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