Salvador Bahia Airport surpasses 8 million passengers in 2025

Salvador Bahia Airport, a member of the VINCI Airports network, surpassed the milestone of 8 million passengers transported throughout 2025 this Monday, the 29th. The figure consolidates the airport’s growth over the year and reinforces its strategic role in connecting Bahia with Brazil’s main domestic and international destinations, directly contributing to tourism, business, and the state’s economic development.

The airport is expected to close the year with approximately 8.07 million passengers carried on commercial flights, representing growth of 6% compared to 2024 and 4% compared to 2019, the last year before the pandemic. This performance has been strongly driven by the expansion of international traffic. Between January and November 2025, international passenger volumes increased by 28% compared to the same period in 2024 and were 25% higher than in 2019. The share of international traffic in the airport’s total passenger volume has also grown, rising from 6% in 2019 to a projected 7% in 2025.

This growth reflects the expansion of Salvador’s international air connectivity, with new flights to Europe, Argentina, and Uruguay. The network expansion strengthens the positioning of the Bahian capital as a relevant gateway to Brazil for international tourists and for integration with other strategic markets.

At the end of this year, Salvador Bahia Airport launched Flybondi’s direct flights connecting Salvador to Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires. This is the first time the Argentine airline, known for its ultra-low-cost model, has operated in the capital of Bahia, becoming the fourth airline to offer direct flights between Salvador and Argentina (alongside Aerolíneas Argentinas, GOL, and SKY). This move expands travel options and strengthens tourism exchange between the two destinations.

International connectivity will be further expanded in early January with the return of Copa Airlines, which will connect Salvador to Panama, linking the Bahian capital to destinations in Central America, North America, and the Caribbean. These new operations reinforce Salvador as an important international hub in Brazil’s Northeast.

According to Julio Ribas, CEO of VINCI Airports in Brazil, the milestone achieved in 2025 reflects a strategy focused on connectivity and development. “Surpassing the 8 million passenger mark is the result of consistent work to strengthen the air network and maintain ongoing dialogue with airlines. The airport plays a fundamental role in connecting people, destinations, and opportunities, boosting tourism and Bahia’s economy,” he says.

About Salvador Bahia Airport

Located in the capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador Bahia Airport is the first concession in the VINCI Airports network in Brazil, which took over its operation on January 2, 2018. Since then, the airport has incorporated global operational standards, aiming to offer greater efficiency, safety, and an improved travel experience for passengers. With an investment of BRL 700 million in terminal modernization and expansion works, its capacity increased by 50%, enabling it to handle up to 15 million passengers per year. In addition, it was awarded the Ethnic-Racial Diversity Seal by Salvador’s Municipal Secretariat for Reparations in recognition of its initiatives to combat institutional racism. Salvador Bahia Airport also stands out as the “Most Sustainable Airport in Brazil,” leading environmental preservation actions.

About VINCI Airports

VINCI Airports, the world leader in private airport operations, operates more than 70 airports in 14 countries. Thanks to its expertise as a global integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and manages airports, providing its investment capacity and know-how to optimize operational performance, modernize infrastructure, manage operations, and drive environmental transition. VINCI Airports was the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy in 2016, aiming to achieve net zero emissions across its entire network by 2050.