State-run operator Infraero expects a sharp spike in domestic and international traffic as Brazil enters the extended Carnaval holiday. In a note issued on 13 February, the company said its 10 commercial airports will handle about 120 000 passengers and 1 020 aircraft movements from Tuesday 13 February through Wednesday 18 February. Peak days are projected for Friday 14 February and Ash Wednesday, when Brazilians traditionally return home.
The busiest terminal will be Rio de Janeiro’s downtown Santos Dumont Airport, forecast at 110 900 passengers on 906 flights—27 % more than last year. Regional gateways such as Passo Fundo (Rio Grande do Sul) and Vale do Aço (Minas Gerais) also expect double-digit growth, reflecting a broader trend of Brazilians substituting shorter domestic trips for long-haul vacations.
Whether you’re a Brazilian resident looking to jet off internationally after the festivities or an inbound visitor planning to catch the parades, VisaHQ can cut through the red tape. Its user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) lets travellers confirm entry requirements and secure visas for Brazil and more than 200 other countries in just a few clicks, ensuring paperwork doesn’t become another bottleneck during the peak-season rush.
![Carnaval rush: Infraero forecasts 120 000 passengers across its airports between 13–18 February]()
Infraero says it has beefed up security staff, cleaning crews and passenger-service teams, and is urging travellers to arrive 90 minutes before departure. The operator is coordinating with the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) to deploy mobile customer-service kiosks that can issue real-time alerts on delays—a pilot that could become permanent if successful.
For mobility managers, the compressed travel window means higher fares and tight seat inventory on trunk routes such as São Paulo–Rio and Brasília–Salvador. Employers with critical-staff rotations should re-check flight statuses and allow extra layover time, especially for connections involving smaller regional jets that have lower priority in slot rescheduling.
The Carnaval traffic surge is also a stress test for Brazil’s ongoing airport-privatisation programme. Six of Infraero’s airports are slated for concession by 2027, and robust holiday performance could raise their valuation—important intelligence for multinational ground-handling and duty-free operators eyeing those tenders.
The busiest terminal will be Rio de Janeiro’s downtown Santos Dumont Airport, forecast at 110 900 passengers on 906 flights—27 % more than last year. Regional gateways such as Passo Fundo (Rio Grande do Sul) and Vale do Aço (Minas Gerais) also expect double-digit growth, reflecting a broader trend of Brazilians substituting shorter domestic trips for long-haul vacations.
Whether you’re a Brazilian resident looking to jet off internationally after the festivities or an inbound visitor planning to catch the parades, VisaHQ can cut through the red tape. Its user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) lets travellers confirm entry requirements and secure visas for Brazil and more than 200 other countries in just a few clicks, ensuring paperwork doesn’t become another bottleneck during the peak-season rush.
Infraero says it has beefed up security staff, cleaning crews and passenger-service teams, and is urging travellers to arrive 90 minutes before departure. The operator is coordinating with the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) to deploy mobile customer-service kiosks that can issue real-time alerts on delays—a pilot that could become permanent if successful.
For mobility managers, the compressed travel window means higher fares and tight seat inventory on trunk routes such as São Paulo–Rio and Brasília–Salvador. Employers with critical-staff rotations should re-check flight statuses and allow extra layover time, especially for connections involving smaller regional jets that have lower priority in slot rescheduling.
The Carnaval traffic surge is also a stress test for Brazil’s ongoing airport-privatisation programme. Six of Infraero’s airports are slated for concession by 2027, and robust holiday performance could raise their valuation—important intelligence for multinational ground-handling and duty-free operators eyeing those tenders.
