Tocumen Leads International Passenger Traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2025

• 15 May, 26

Tocumen International Airport positioned itself as the number one airport in international passenger traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2025, according to the preliminary report released by the Airports Council International of Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC).

According to the report, Tocumen handled 20,739,033 international passengers, surpassing airports such as Cancun International Airport, with 19,485,033 passengers; Mexico City International Airport, with 17,482,146; São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, with 16,805,814; and El Dorado International Airport, with 16,216,936.

In addition, the Panamanian airport recorded an 8.2% growth in international traffic compared to 2024, one of the highest increases among the main airports in the region.

Tocumen’s general manager, José Ruiz Blanco, attributed the result to the investments and the airport’s operating model.

“Tocumen’s leadership in international passengers is no accident. It is the result of decisions, investments, and an operation that responds to how the region is moving today. Now the focus is on maintaining that pace and preparing to reach 30 million passengers by 2030,” he stated.

The figures also reflect Panama’s role as an air connection hub between North America, Central America and South America, with thousands of passengers using Tocumen as a regional transit point.

“This growth translates into more routes, more jobs, and more economic activity for Panama,” Ruiz Blanco added.

In total passenger traffic, the airport remained within the top 10 busiest terminals in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 20,978,865 passengers handled in 2025 and a growth of 8.6% compared to the previous year.

The report also highlighted Tocumen’s performance in air cargo. The terminal registered a 14.65% increase, the second-highest growth in the region, surpassed only by Jorge Chávez International Airport, which reported a 16.68% increase.

In air operations, Tocumen recorded 165,964 aircraft movements during 2025, a figure that represented a growth of 8.6%, the highest percentage among the main airports in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For his part, Rafael Echevarne pointed out that the growth of the region’s airports is being driven by infrastructure investments and the dynamism of tourism.

At the regional level, the ten airports with the highest international traffic handled 134 million passengers in 2025, an increase of 3.69%, while total traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean exceeded 790 million passengers, with a growth of 3.8%, according to ACI-LAC.

Cre: Zeta.com.pa