The aerocommercial sector in Argentina reached an unprecedented milestone in February 2026: 4,377,562 passengers were mobilized at airports across the country, a 7% increase compared to the previous record of February 2025, according to the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC). Despite an adverse context that included a general strike on February 19, activity managed to maintain historic levels in the country. The double holiday of Carnival on February 16 and 17 worked in its favor.

According to the official report, domestic flights accounted for 2,723,224 passengers in February, marking a 1% increase. In contrast, the international segment was the main driver of growth, with 1,654,338 travelers, an 18% increase compared to 2025, in line with a growing trend: more and more Argentines are choosing to travel abroad due to the rising costs of domestic tourism. As usual, the domestic market was led by Aerolíneas Argentinas, the state-owned airline, which held a 53% market share in February 2026 (722,286 passengers), although it lost five percentage points compared to 2025.

Nevertheless, it maintained an occupancy rate close to 90%. Following behind, the local low-cost carrier Flybondi regained second place with 25% (341,066 passengers), boosted by the addition of 10 aircraft rented exclusively for the summer season. However, this advantage is expected to be temporary as the additional fleet is set to cease operations in March.

Flybondi's performance remains a critical point, having recorded a punctuality rate of 57. 4% according to the consulting firm Adventus, amid concerns over a series of cancellations and rescheduling that have become common in its operations. In contrast, JetSMART, which originated in Chile but is backed by U.

S. capital, captured 21% of the market (292,648 passengers) last month, ranking third after Flybondi, and established i…

In 2025, there were moments when the airline achieved second place in market share for the first time since it began operating in Argentina. In international flights, Aerolíneas Argentinas led with 18% of passengers, followed by the Chilean group LATAM Airlines (10%) and JetSMART (10%). Additionally, 282,093 people traveled directly abroad from airports in cities across Argentina without passing through Buenos Aires, a 49% year-on-year increase reflecting a greater federalization of air travel offerings.

Chile stands out as a destination with a strong air presence. Despite prices not being as attractive as in previous times, Chile remained one of the most relevant markets for international traffic from Argentina, excelling as a destination and in airline operations. In terms of market share, LATAM led the routes between the two countries with 46%, followed by Sky Airline (24%) and JetSMART (16%).

On international routes, LATAM achieved an 86% occupancy rate, tying with Aerolíneas Argentinas, and reaffirmed itself as the second most chosen airline for flying abroad from Argentina, with 268,824 passengers. Among the busiest connections, the Aeroparque-Santiago route emerged as the third most important international route from Argentina, with 558 flights and around 87,000 passengers transported in February, only surpassed by Aeroparque-São Paulo and Aeroparque-Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile, the Mendoza-Santiago route also showed significant traffic across the Andes, with 238 flights and nearly 30,000 passengers, solidifying its position as the second most important corridor to Chile.

In addition to Chile, destinations such as Brazil and the Caribbean ranked among the most popular choices for Argentines. Regarding land travel, the overall tourism figures in Argentina indicate an imbalance. According to the International Tourism Statistics reported by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Argentina (Indec), the tourist movement between Argentina and abroad in February 2026 showed a picture characterized by this imbalance.

Approximately 852,000 non-resident visitors entered the country, of which 534,200 were international tourists, while departures rose to 1. 63 million. Year-on-year, inbound tourism grew by 8%, but outbound tourism fell by 10.

7%. Chile was the main source of tourism to Argentina, accounting for 21. 1% of the total, even surpassing travelers from Europe (19.

5%) and from the United States and Canada (13. 8%). The geographical proximity and land connectivity largely explain this flow: 43.

1% of foreign tourists entered via land through the Cristo Redentor-Los Libertadores crossing, far exceeding other modalities. However, the relationship reverses when analyzing outbound tourism, meaning Argentines traveling to other countries. A staggering 82.

2% of Argentines who traveled abroad chose neighboring countries, with Brazil leading (36. 4%), followed by Uruguay (16. 5%) and Chile in third place (15.

3%). In the latter case, around 250,000 travelers were recorded, showing a significant drop of 32. 2% year-on-year, a clear sign of the cooling in crossings to the neighboring country.

The most striking data regarding this decline is observed at the Cristo Redentor crossing (Mendoza): in February, about 84,200 tourists left Argentina for Chile through this corridor, representing a 40. 7% drop compared to the same month in 2025, the worst decline among all routes.