Brazil Turns to Regional Airports to Meet E-Commerce’s Next-Day Promise

Goiânia, Brazil

By Maria Kalamatas | The Logistic News
May 27, 2025 – Section: Air

Brazil’s air freight strategy is undergoing a quiet but decisive transformation. This week, aviation authorities confirmed that five secondary airports will receive immediate upgrades to support the rapid rise in domestic parcel volumes — a move driven almost entirely by the explosive growth of online shopping.

The decision reflects a changing demand pattern: major retailers and logistics providers are no longer focused only on São Paulo or Rio. Instead, they’re targeting faster connections to inland cities where customers now expect the same delivery speed as those in coastal hubs.

“The pressure is coming from the ground up,” said Camila Duarte, logistics director at a top national courier firm. “E-commerce has expanded beyond the big centers — now our network must follow.”

The airports selected — including Goiânia, Joinville and Teresina — will receive expanded freight terminals, new cargo handling systems, and night-time operational upgrades to support higher rotation. Airlines are responding by converting short-haul passenger aircraft into dedicated freighters, often flying two or three loops per day to keep pace.

Rather than investing only in volume, Brazil is betting on precision — connecting demand clusters with small-scale, high-frequency cargo operations. Analysts say it’s a necessary shift, especially in a country where ground transport can take days between regions.

“This is the evolution of air logistics in action,” said Eduardo Farias, an air cargo strategist. “You don’t need more planes — you need smarter networks.”

With the first upgrades expected to go live in July, the message from Brazil is clear: speed isn’t just for urban centers anymore. And in the age of one-click delivery, air freight is once again proving why it matters.

✎ Maria Kalamatas
Senior Correspondent – Aviation & Last-Mile Logistics
The Logistic News

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