Brazil Expands Regional Aviation with 13 Airport Concessions
Brazil significantly bolstered its regional aviation infrastructure with the awarding of concessions for 13 airports in a recent auction spearheaded by the Ministry of Ports and Airports under the AmpliAr Project. The project aims to modernize and expand 100 smaller airports nationwide through private investment.
GRU Airport, the operator of São Paulo International Airport, emerged as the major winner, securing the rights to manage 12 of the airports for a 30-year period. These include airports serving Lençóis, Paulo Afonso, barreirinhas, Porto Alegre do norte, Araripina, Garanhuns, Serra Talhada, São Raimundo Nonato, Canoa Quebrada, Cacoal, Vilhena and Araguaína. GRU Airport is controlled by the Brazilian investment group Invepar.
The winning bidders collectively committed to investing 700 million reais (approximately 112.9 million euros) in the modernization of the facilities. While many of the locations serve smaller communities with limited commercial air traffic, several possess tourism potential – notably Lençóis and Canoa Quebrada – or offer opportunities for cargo transport.
Competition for the Jericoacara airport concession was notably strong, attracting bids from Fraport, GRU Airport, and PRS Aeroportos. The German operator, Fraport, ultimately won the concession for jericoacara, improving its initial offer to secure the contract. The airport’s strategic location near Fortaleza airport, which Fraport already manages, was a key factor in their decision.
Following the auction, Fraport is left managing only the Jericoacara airport, a meaningful contrast to GRU Airport’s substantial gains. The AmpliAr Project represents a major step towards strengthening regional connectivity and economic development across Brazil.
