In 2020, the number of air passengers fell dramatically on account of COVID-19, but the following year showed an improvement. In 2021, the number of passengers in Brazil increased by 20.4%, according to a survey by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac).
According to the federal agency’s data, more than 62.5 million people arrived to Brazilian airports. December was the main highlight, with the highest volume of passengers transported since January 2020. The total was 7.7 million people on flights, figures close to the time before the pandemic crisis.
In 2020, the total number of passengers flying within Brazil was 51.9 million. The current data shows a gradual recovery in tourism and travel around the country over the past year. This comes after the increase in vaccinated people and the adoption of sanitary protocols within the tourism sector.
“More than 30.600 establishments and tourism guides have already signed up to the Ministry of Tourism’s Responsible Tourism Seal. They are adopting safer practices, with Brazil standing in a prominent position on the world stage as a safe and responsible destination,” said Tourism Minister Gilson Machado Neto.
Guarulhos, in São Paulo, is the country’s largest airport. That is why it stands out among the places with the highest number of passengers: a total of 24 million over the year. Brasília and Viracopos come next, with around 10 million each.
The International Airport of Recife, Pernambuco, also stands out with 7.5 million people. Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, added 4.8 million passengers. Maceió, the capital of Alagoas, registered 1.9 million people.
It is important to remember that some Brazilian airports have been privatized and others operate under Infraero – these recorded a total of 37.8 million passengers, a rise of 38%.