Latin America and the Caribbean host some of the most beautiful and diverse destinations in the world. With the increase in tourism in the region, air transport has become an essential means of transportation for both locals and tourists.
But what are the busiest air routes? In this article, we will rank the main pairs of cities in Latin America and the Caribbean based on the number of flights they receive (considering individual airports, not the combined offer between, for example, Guarulhos, Viracopos, and Congonhas in the case of São Paulo). From bustling cities to tranquil beaches, Latin America is pure contrast.
The ranking was assembled with information obtained by Aviacionline through Cirium considering the schedule set by airlines for April 2023.
In a later note, we will publish the ranking based on the seats offer, a measure that better reflects the size of each market, but that would leave out some peculiarities of the region.
The Top 10
1. São Paulo/Congonhas – Rio de Janeiro/Santos Dumont
For those who are knowledgeable about the subject, the first place is no surprise. There are 356 weekly flights each way between the domestic airports of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which represents an average of almost 51 per day.
Such a figure, which translates into an offer of 109,114 seats per week, also places this route among the busiest in the world, more precisely in 8th place.
LATAM, Gol, and Azul compete on the route, dividing the seat capacity with 42.5%, 41.2%, and 16.3% respectively.
2. Bogotá (BOG) – Medellín (MDE)
Second place goes to Colombia. El Dorado and José María Córdova airports are connected with 284 weekly flights, an average of almost 41 per day in each direction.
The seat offer per direction reaches 49,502. Avianca leads the market with 50.8% of the capacity, followed by LATAM with 38.5% and the rest for Wingo.
3. Mexico City (MEX) – Cancún (CUN)
We leave South America and arrive in Mexico, where the third busiest route in Latin America and the Caribbean is located, with an offer of 258 weekly flights, about 37 per day on average and with a capacity of 47,679 seats.
Aeroméxico (37.5% of the offered capacity), Viva Aerobus (34.9%), and Volaris (27.6%) operate between both cities.
4. St. Maarten (SXM) – St. Barthelemy (SBH)
We start with the peculiarities of the region. Between both Caribbean paradises, there are 248 weekly flights, about 35 per day on average.
Of course, the flights are carried out as shuttles with aircraft that on average have a capacity for 14 passengers. This results in a weekly capacity of just about 3,400 seats per direction, divided between Winair (66.5%) and St Barth Commuter (33.5%).
The flight that connects the 32 kilometers over the sea takes only 15 minutes.
5. Bogotá (BOG) – Cali (CLO)
Colombia reappears with this route that connects its capital to the country’s third-largest city.
There is an offer of 226 weekly flights each way, an average of 32 per day, and nearly 40,000 seats.
The pair of cities is served by Avianca (57.7% of the capacity), LATAM Colombia (38%), and Wingo (4.3%).
6. Bogotá (BOG) – Cartagena (CTG)
The geographical and demographic particularities of Colombia make air transport an indispensable means for the country, and that is why there are so many pairs of cities in the ranking.
Between Bogotá and Cartagena, there are 208 weekly flights, representing about 30 daily flights in each direction, and an offer of 36,000 seats led by Avianca with 52.5%, followed by LATAM Colombia with 40.1%, and Wingo with 7.4%.
7. Mexico City (MEX) – Monterrey (MTY)
There are 206 weekly flights between both cities in each direction, about 29 per direction, with an offer of 39,900 seats.
Aeroméxico leads the market with 47.2% of the capacity, followed by Viva Aerobus with 41.3% and Volaris with 11.6%.
8. São Paulo/Congonhas – Brasília (BSB)
Between the main domestic airport of São Paulo and Brasília, there are 201 scheduled weekly flights, up to 28 per day in each direction, with a supply of 35,000 seats.
The seat capacity is divided between Gol (42.7%), LATAM (36.6%), and Azul (20.7%).
9. Belize City (BZE) – San Pedro (SPR)
The Caribbean reappears with another of its unique routes, such as this one that connects Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) with San Pedro, a tourist mecca of the region, with 196 average weekly flights in each direction (up to 27 per day in each direction), and a supply of 7,756 seats.
It is served by Tropic Air and Maya Islands Air, dividing the market with 91.8% and 8.2% respectively of the seat offer.
10. Mexico City (MEX) – Guadalajara (GDL)
The top ten concludes with another pair of Mexican cities between which there are 193 weekly flights each way, an average of up to 27 per day, with an offer of 34,000 seats.
Aeroméxico leads the market with 46.4%, followed by Volaris with 30.1% and Viva Aerobus with 23.6%.
The rest of the ranking of the top 100 air routes with the most flights in Latin America and the Caribbean is composed as follows (sorted first by the number of flights per week and second by the number of seats offered).
| Rank | From | To | Km | Weekly Flights (each direction) | Dayli Avg (each direction) | Weekly seats (each direction) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Porto Alegre (POA) | 835 | 176 | 25 | 30516 |
| 12 | Lima (LIM) | Cusco (CUZ) | 584 | 166 | 24 | 28698 |
| 13 | Belo Horizonte (CNF) | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | 523 | 158 | 23 | 24902 |
| 14 | Bogotá (BOG) | Barranquilla (BAQ) | 689 | 147 | 21 | 25610 |
| 15 | Quito (UIO) | Guayaquil (GYE) | 282 | 144 | 21 | 21320 |
| 16 | Curitiba (CWB) | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | 332 | 143 | 20 | 23540 |
| 17 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Tijuana (TIJ) | 2.300 | 132 | 19 | 26348 |
| 18 | Belize City (BZE) | Dangriga (DGA) | 61 | 124 | 18 | 2166 |
| 19 | Lima (LIM) | Arequipa (AQP) | 766 | 122 | 17 | 21720 |
| 20 | Tijuana (TIJ) | Guadalajara (GDL) | 1.901 | 119 | 17 | 25423 |
| 21 | Bogotá (BOG) | Bucaramanga (BGA) | 288 | 117 | 17 | 20088 |
| 22 | La Paz (LPB) | Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) | 554 | 117 | 17 | 17062 |
| 23 | Bogotá (BOG) | Santa Marta (SMR) | 710 | 116 | 17 | 20356 |
| 24 | Brasilia (BSB) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 925 | 116 | 17 | 18684 |
| 26 | Santiago (SCL) | Antofagasta (ANF) | 1.102 | 113 | 16 | 22848 |
| 25 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Merida (MIX) | 999 | 113 | 16 | 20880 |
| 27 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) | Cochabamba (CBB) | 323 | 110 | 16 | 14433 |
| 29 | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | Porto Alegre (POA) | 864 | 103 | 15 | 19688 |
| 28 | Caye Caulker (CUK) | San Pedro (SPR) | 21 | 103 | 15 | 1322 |
| 30 | Calama (CJC) | Santiago (SCL) | 1.221 | 102 | 15 | 20962 |
| 31 | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 344 | 102 | 15 | 15636 |
| 32 | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | Córdoba (COR) | 650 | 99 | 14 | 16303 |
| 34 | Por of Spain (POS) | Tobago (TAB) | 82 | 99 | 14 | 6824 |
| 33 | Curazao (CUR) | Bonaire (BON) | 76 | 99 | 14 | 1678 |
| 35 | Mendoza (MDZ) | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | 980 | 97 | 14 | 14747 |
| 37 | Recife (REC) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 2.095 | 93 | 13 | 18612 |
| 36 | Belo Horizonte (CNF) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 494 | 93 | 13 | 16840 |
| 39 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Salvador (SSA) | 1.476 | 92 | 13 | 16206 |
| 38 | Bogotá (BOG) | Pereira (PEI) | 179 | 92 | 13 | 14812 |
| 40 | Belo Horizonte (CNF) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 372 | 88 | 13 | 12542 |
| 41 | Curitiba (CWB) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 359 | 85 | 12 | 14410 |
| 42 | Lima (LIM) | Tarapoto (TPP) | 615 | 85 | 12 | 13970 |
| 44 | Santiago (SCL) | Concepción (CCP) | 430 | 84 | 12 | 16514 |
| 43 | Placencia (PLJ) | Belize City (BZE) | 111 | 84 | 12 | 1246 |
| 48 | Puerto Mont (PMC) | Santiago (SCL) | 916 | 83 | 12 | 17012 |
| 47 | Iquique (IQQ) | Santiago (SCL) | 1.460 | 83 | 12 | 16738 |
| 46 | Cancún (CUN) | Monterrey (MTY) | 1.452 | 83 | 12 | 16678 |
| 45 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Florianópolis (FLN) | 486 | 83 | 12 | 14400 |
| 50 | Santiago (SCL) | Lima (LIM) | 2.453 | 81 | 12 | 16311 |
| 49 | Fort de France (FDF) | Pointe-a-Pitre (PTP) | 193 | 81 | 12 | 6167 |
| 51 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Puerto Vallarta (PVR) | 660 | 80 | 11 | 14591 |
| 52 | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | San Pablo/Viracopos (VCP) | 407 | 80 | 11 | 11192 |
| 53 | Goiania (GYN) | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | 818 | 79 | 11 | 13926 |
| 54 | Tortola (EIS) | San Juan (SJU) | 154 | 78 | 11 | 1882 |
| 55 | Cali (CLO) | Medellín (MDE) | 309 | 77 | 11 | 13512 |
| 56 | Vitoria (VIX) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 418 | 77 | 11 | 11056 |
| 57 | Brasilia (BSB) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 851 | 75 | 11 | 13996 |
| 59 | Lima (LIM) | Piura (PIU) | 847 | 75 | 11 | 13110 |
| 58 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Navegantes (NVT) | 412 | 75 | 11 | 12954 |
| 60 | San Pedro (SPR) | Belize City - Municipal (TZA) | 50 | 74 | 11 | 1400 |
| 62 | Río de Janeiro/Galeao (GIG) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 338 | 72 | 10 | 14182 |
| 61 | Bariloche (BRC) | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | 1.337 | 72 | 10 | 11900 |
| 63 | Cochabamba (CBB) | La Paz (LPB) | 240 | 71 | 10 | 9429 |
| 65 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | San José del Cabo (SJD) | 1.180 | 70 | 10 | 13416 |
| 64 | Belo Horizonte (CNF) | San Pablo/Viracopos (VCP) | 497 | 70 | 10 | 11346 |
| 66 | Bogotá (BOG) | Cucuta (CUC) | 399 | 67 | 10 | 11772 |
| 67 | Belize City (BZE) | Caye Caulker (CUK) | 37 | 67 | 10 | 854 |
| 68 | Cartagena (CTG) | Medellín (MDE) | 473 | 66 | 9 | 11166 |
| 70 | Medellin (EOH) | Quibdo (UIB) | 132 | 65 | 9 | 3096 |
| 69 | Brasilia (BSB) | Belo Horizonte (CNF) | 591 | 65 | 9 | 1050 |
| 71 | Bogotá (BOG) | Panamá (PTY) | 753 | 64 | 9 | 10724 |
| 72 | Curazao (CUR) | Aruba (AUA) | 119 | 64 | 9 | 2251 |
| 75 | Fortaleza (FOR) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 2.337 | 63 | 9 | 12576 |
| 73 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Recife (REC) | 2.123 | 63 | 9 | 11298 |
| 77 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Tuxtla Gutierrez (TGZ) | 715 | 63 | 9 | 10856 |
| 76 | Grand Turk (GDT) | Providenciales (PLS) | 122 | 63 | 9 | 1142 |
| 74 | Dangriga (DGA) | Belize City - Municipal (TZA) | 60 | 63 | 9 | 690 |
| 79 | Guadalajara (GDL) | Monterrey (MTY) | 668 | 62 | 9 | 13041 |
| 78 | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | Iguazú (IGR) | 1.049 | 62 | 9 | 9924 |
| 81 | Porto Alegre (POA) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 1.118 | 62 | 9 | 9864 |
| 80 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Oaxaca (OAX) | 367 | 62 | 9 | 8323 |
| 83 | Culiacan (CUL) | Tijuana (TIJ) | 1.265 | 61 | 9 | 14011 |
| 82 | San Pablo/Congonhas (CGH) | Vitoria (VIX) | 756 | 61 | 9 | 10572 |
| 84 | Ciudad de México (MEX) | Villahermosa (VSA) | 668 | 61 | 9 | 9887 |
| 85 | Cuiaba (CGB) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 1.328 | 60 | 9 | 11142 |
| 88 | Hermosillo (HMO) | Ciudad de México (MEX) | 1.617 | 59 | 8 | 11272 |
| 86 | Ciudad Juarez (CJS) | Ciudad de México (MEX) | 1.540 | 59 | 8 | 10802 |
| 87 | Caye Caulker (CUK) | Belize City - Municipal (TZA) | 31 | 59 | 8 | 714 |
| 89 | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | 1.693 | 58 | 8 | 10008 |
| 90 | Curitiba (CWB) | Río de Janeiro/Santos Dumont (SDU) | 676 | 58 | 8 | 9390 |
| 91 | Cancún (CU) | Guadalajara (GDL) | 1.712 | 57 | 8 | 12079 |
| 92 | Iquitos (IQT) | Lima (LIM) | 1.011 | 57 | 8 | 9918 |
| 93 | Lima (LIM) | Trujillo (TRU) | 488 | 57 | 8 | 9912 |
| 95 | Tucumán (TUC) | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | 1.075 | 57 | 8 | 9037 |
| 94 | San Juan (SJU) | Vieques (VQS) | 64 | 57 | 8 | 513 |
| 98 | Porto Alegre (POA) | San Pablo/Viracopos (VCP) | 872 | 56 | 8 | 9790 |
| 97 | Lima (LIM) | Chiclayo (CIX) | 652 | 56 | 8 | 9064 |
| 96 | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | Salta (SLA) | 1.273 | 56 | 8 | 8338 |
| 99 | Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP) | Neuquén (NQN) | 996 | 55 | 8 | 9373 |
| 100 | San Pablo/Guarulhos (GRU) | Santiago (SCL) | 2.617 | 54 | 8 | 11170 |
