The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has confirmed that leaders of the global aviation industry are gathering in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit from 6 to 8 June 2026.
Some 1,500 industry leaders, government officials and media are expected to attend, with LATAM Airlines Group serving as host airline. The event marks IATA’s first Annual General Meeting in South America since 1999, which was also held in Rio de Janeiro.
That 1999 gathering introduced the World Air Transport Summit format, establishing the IATA AGM as the leading industry platform for high-level debate on the critical issues facing aviation. The return to the city after 27 years places Brazil’s fast-growing aviation sector firmly in the spotlight.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said the region had transformed in the intervening decades. “We are thrilled to meet in South America after 27 years. Over the past decades the entire region has made significant investments in aviation infrastructure, positioning the continent to benefit economically and socially from air connectivity,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
He added that the agenda would focus on unlocking the country’s potential. “Brazil’s rapidly modernizing aviation sector already supports 2.1% of the country’s GDP. With rich tourism resources, enormous SAF production potential, and growing exports, the potential to further strengthen Brazil’s air connectivity is a winning proposition for people, jobs, trade, and the wider economy,” he said.
Brazil continues to consolidate its leadership in South America, reaching nine million international visitors in 2025. According to IATA’s Value of Aviation Report, the country’s aviation sector employs 246,800 people and generates USD 10.3 billion of economic output, or 0.5% of total GDP. Taking into account the wider aviation value chain, the total number of jobs supported reaches 1.9 million, with a GDP contribution of USD 46.4 billion, equivalent to 2.1%.
Demand in South America’s largest aviation market remains strong. In 2025, Brazil recorded an 11.5% year-on-year increase in total passenger demand, with both domestic and international markets surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Domestic traffic exceeded 100 million passengers for the first time, while international demand grew 17% compared with 2024.
Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, said the airline was proud to welcome the global aviation community to Brazil. “In Brazil, they will see an aviation market that is contributing significantly to the country’s economic development. LATAM Airlines Group is proud to be a key player in that progress which is changing people’s lives for the better,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.
The World Air Transport Summit follows immediately after the AGM with an agenda spanning global and regional topics. Highlights include the CEO Panel hosted by CNN‘s Richard Quest, featuring Luis Rodrigues, CEO of TAP Air Portugal, Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, Güliz Öztürk, CEO of Pegasus Airlines, and Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Abra.
Other summit sessions will address closing the gap between Brazil’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel production potential and airline needs, securing airspace as conflicts proliferate, trade and tariffs, the role of air cargo, passenger rights and data, and whether artificial intelligence is living up to its promise for airlines.
The programme also includes the eighth edition of the IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards, which recognise individuals and organisations advancing gender balance in the industry through the 25by2025 initiative.
