Natal Airport Sets Record Passenger Volume for First Half of 2026
Natal International Airport recorded 1,387,440 passengers between January and June 2026, an 18% increase over the same period in 2025 and the highest first‑semester total for any airport in Rio Grande do Norte since 2002. Domestic traffic reached 1,286,949 passengers, up 15% year‑on‑year, while international traffic rose to 100,491 passengers, a 92% jump.
The surge is linked to new international routes: JetSMART began daily flights to Buenos Aires in December 2025, and GOL launched a seasonal service to Montevideo in March 2026. The growth reflects coordinated efforts by Zurich Airport Brasil, the state government and tourism promoters, and follows the terminal’s opening in 2014.
Entities: Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) · GOL Linhas Aéreas · JetSMART · Natal International Airport · Zurich Airport Brasil
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] It is the highest first‑semester passenger count for any airport in Rio Grande do Norte since 2002. (ANAC historical data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The current terminal of Natal Airport opened in 2014. (airport history)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Domestic passenger traffic was 1,286,949, a 15% increase year‑on‑year. (Zurich Airport Brasil data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Natal International Airport handled 1,387,440 passengers between January and June 2026. (Zurich Airport Brasil data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] International passenger traffic was 100,491, a 92% increase year‑on‑year. (Zurich Airport Brasil data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] GOL launched a seasonal route to Montevideo in March 2026. (airport concessionaire)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 1,387,440 passengers represent an 18% increase compared with the same period in 2025. (Zurich Airport Brasil data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] JetSMART began daily flights to Buenos Aires from Natal Airport in December 2025. (airport concessionaire)