Overview
Brazil is the 6th largest export market for U.S. aerospace products. Aerospace products and parts are the largest source of bilateral trade between Brazil and the United States (US$ 9.05b) and the largest sector for U.S. exports to Brazil. U.S. companies exported US$ 7.25 B in 2023, an increase of 6.5% from 2022, eclipsing pre-pandemic exports. Brazil has the 5th largest airspace in the world and is one of six countries globally that manufactures commercial jets. In 2023, the Brazilian commercial aviation sector represented US$ 16.5 B in the Brazilian economy, an increase of 3.8% in 2022.
In 2023, Brazil joined the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. This process of accessions seeks to ensure that import taxes on aircraft and aircraft parts are consolidated at zero, should bring predictability to input prices, and acts as a positive signal for potential investment. Other signatories of the deal, signed in 1980, include the European Union, China, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States.
U.S. companies are welcome to participate in public tenders and reverse auctions administered by the Brazilian government. To succeed in Brazil, U.S. companies must either establish themselves in the country or have a well-informed local representative. It is important to have a distributor or systems integrator that can offer post-sale maintenance services, replacement parts, and repairs. Whether introducing a product to the market independently, or entering with an existing local partner, it is necessary to have a strong market entry strategy to penetrate the Brazilian market. Aircraft part suppliers without local representation may find it difficult to build relationships, get timely information, and gain access to procurement decision-makers.
The U.S. Mission in Brazil is highly engaged in all aspects of the civil aviation sector, with representatives across the Departments of Commerce, State, Defense, United States Trade Development Administrations, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the Federal Aviation Administration, which all have a presence in Brazil.
Table 1: Brazil civil aviation statistics from 2020-2023.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Airline Passengers (millions) | 52.0 | 67.4 | 97.9 | 112.7 |
Number of flights | 465,401 | 599,618 | 831,091 | 911,718 |
Civil Aviation Fleet (number of aircraft) | 490 | 492 | 510 | 545 |
U.S. Exports (billions of dollars) | $4.91 | $6.49 | $6.84 | $7.25 |
Source: Painel de Indicadores do Transporte Aéreo 2023
Commercial Aviation
Brazil has a large commercial aviation market. According to Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), in 2023, in Brazil, 911,000 flights were made, an increase of nearly 10% compared to 2022. Of these, 789,000 were domestic flights and 122,000 were international flights. In 2023, Brazil saw 112.7 M passengers, 91 M domestic travelers and 21 M international travelers. These numbers represent a near-return to the number of pre-pandemic flights.
Domestic flights are dominated by three airline companies: Latam, Azul, and Gol. Latam had the largest share in the domestic passenger market in 2023, with 28.7 M passengers, then Azul with 26.5 M and Gol which transported 26.3 M passengers. Latam, Gol, and Azul increased the numbers of passengers they transported by 44%, 40% and 16%, respectively.
Brazil is served by 3,240 airports, of which 503 are public, and 2,737 are private, including 1,340 helipads, and 183 helidecks. 98% of the country’s air passenger flights are concentrated at 65 airports. 31 of those airports are in major cities with terminals able to process over one million total annual passengers. Since 2019, the government of Brazil has invested $US 600 M in the expansion of regional aviation across the country.
There are 13 domestic air transportation companies certified to operate in the country, concentrated in five Brazilian states: São Paulo, Paraná, Amazônia, Goias, and Rio de Janeiro. In addition, ANAC has certified 72 foreign companies to operate regularly in the country, including seven U.S. companies.
Leading Sub-Sectors / Market Opportunities
Leading subsectors that represent the best opportunities for U.S. suppliers of the aviation industry include:
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
General Aviation (Executive, Agricultural, Aeromedical, Urban Air Mobility)
Aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO)
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
Brazil has the 3rd largest civilian aviation system in the world which includes:
2nd largest general aviation fleet
3rd largest executive airplane fleet
2nd largest helicopter fleet
2nd largest airport network
Embraer is the largest OEM manufacturer in Brazil and the 3rd largest civil aircraft manufacturer in the world after Boeing and Airbus. Embraer is headquartered in São Paulo with business focused on commercial and executive aviation, as well as in the defense and security markets. Founded in 1969, the company has become a leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 150 seats. Embraer has a 43-year presence in the United States with significant investments and plans to increase investment over the next two years.
The company is present in 31 U.S. states, and has seven facilities in the country, including two final aircraft assembly lines in Florida. Embraer delivered 206 aircraft in 2024, a 14 percent increase compared to 2023 and its highest number of deliveries since 2019. Of the 206 aircraft, 73 were for commercial aviation, 130 jets for executive aviation and three C-390 Millennium for defense.
Currently, Embraer imports approximately 60% of its components from North America, primarily from the United States. Embraer’s primary purchasing criteria and priorities include:
technical solutions
product quality
commercial and aftermarket support
products with certifications such as AS9100, EN9100, JISQ9100 and NBR15100
The second major Brazilian OEM is Helibras, the Brazilian subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters. In 2023, Helibras sold 25 helicopters.
Table 2: The number of aircraft operated by airlines in Brazil from 2019-2023, listed by manufacturer:
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Cessna | 15 | 19 | 26 | 27 | 27 |
Air | 47 | 49 | 46 | 52 | 55 |
Embraer | 65 | 65 | 61 | 59 | 65 |
Airbus | 229 | 181 | 183 | 183 | 199 |
Boeing | 203 | 176 | 176 | 197 | 199 |
Source: Painel de Indicadores do Transporte Aéreo 2023
Executive/General Aviation
According to the Brazilian General Aviation Association (ABAG), the executive aviation market has been growing since 2020. According to a 2023 ANAC report, Brazil has 9,824 executive aircraft, an increase of 2.4% compared to 2022. Of these, 60% are piston aircraft; 17% are turboprops; 12% are turbine helicopters; 8% are jets; and 3% are piston helicopters. The categories that grew the most in size were turboprops (+6.9%), turbine helicopters (+6.9%) and jets (+6.6%). The increase in the sector is in part due to the good performance of agribusiness and the recovery of the oil & gas exploration sector, which account for increased sales of turboprops and large twin-turbine helicopters. There has also been an increased market for individual seats sold by air taxi companies and increased air medical transport.
Agricultural Aviation
Brazil has a reported 2,539 agricultural aircraft, 2,509 of which were airplanes and 30 helicopters. Brazil has the second largest agricultural aircraft fleet in the world, behind only the United States. In 2023, Brazilian agricultural aviation grew by 149 new aircraft. Of the 149 aircraft acquired, 65 were manufactured domestically and the others were imported.
Embraer delivered 65 Ipanema aircraft, representing an 18% increase over the previous year. The Ipanema model was the most widely used agricultural aircraft in Brazil in 2023.
The turboprop fleet grew significantly due to the greater capacity and performance of these aircraft. The growth of the agricultural aviation sector in Brazil is driven by factors such as:
agility in applying fertilizer products
competitive cost
knowledge of farmers (producers) about the advantages of using aircraft
firefighting operations in crops and nature reserves
According to the National Union of Agricultural Aviation Companies - SINDAG, aircraft are widely used in the application of chemical or biological inputs, and the crops that demand them most are soybeans, sugarcane, rice, corn and cotton. The use of drones in the sector is also growing. More than 2,000 agriculture drones, known as spray drones, are operated by 74 companies in Brazil.
Aeromedical
This segment operates in pre-hospital care, inter-hospital transport, and transport of human organs and tissues. The aeromedical sector is seeking U.S. companies that specialize in converting and adapting passenger aircraft and helicopters into aeromedical aircraft, providing aeromedical equipment, and implementing design projects in transformation and adaptation of interiors. According to industry groups in Brazil, the aeromedical sector in Brazil represents a US$ 150 M opportunity per year, approximately 3% of the global market, and is expected to increase over the coming years.  For reference, according to industry advocacy groups, the global air ambulance services market was valued at US$ 5.24 M in 2020 and is projected to reach US$ 14.24 B by 2030. According to industry sources and ABOA, there is a steady procurement stream in both the public and private aeromedical subsector. From 2021 to the present, these groups have tracked around US$ 140 M in equipment purchases and estimate a yearly market of US$ 46 M in MRO.
Urban Air Mobility
Embraer, through its subsidiary EVE Air Mobility, is accelerating the development of solutions in the Urban Air Mobility market. It presented the first Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Vehicle (eVTOL), prototype on May 8, 2018.
Embraer plans to start eVTOL production in 2026. The vehicles will be able to carry up to four passengers plus a pilot. The initial plan calls for 200 units and 37 landing sites, called verti-ports, which are expected to be fully operational in 2035. Two verti-ports have already been announced at Galeao Airport in Rio de Janeiro and the Henrique Simonsen Business Center, in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro.
Other Subsectors
Other aviation subsectors include aerial photography, air reporting, air advertising, air inspection, aero-cinematography, aerial survey, air taxi, firefighting, scenic flights, aerial demonstration, and external load.
Repair & Maintenance
Repair and maintenance remain a strong sub-sector in the Brazilian market. The certified Brazilian repair and maintenance companies are historically attentive to new products on the international market, and interested in meeting international suppliers, specifically from the United States, that offer products for their customers in Brazil. According to ANAC reports, the commercial aviation security and maintenance cost of aircraft ranges between 10.6% and 19.9% of total costs over the past four years. This represents a total market range of US$ 723 M to US$1.13 B.
Table 3: Maintenance costs for Brazil commercial airlines in US billions.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Maintenance cost for commercial airlines (billions of dollars) | $1.03 | $0.72 | $1.12 | $1.13 |
Source: Painel de Indicadores do Transporte Aéreo 2023
It must be noted that this amount only represents the opportunity in the commercial aviation sector and does not consider the sizable market for executive aviation, air taxi, helicopters, agricultural aviation, general aviation, shipping or the large market for defense aviation repair and maintenance. According to industry groups, the total MRO sector represented US$ 2.5 B in 2024.
Table 4: Market value by Brazilian aviation subsector.
Brazil Aviation Sector market value | Total (millions of US$) |
Commercial Airlines | $800 |
Executive Aviation | $600 |
Helicopters | $300 |
Air Taxi | $300 |
Agricultural | $100 |
General Aviation | $300 |
Total Sector | $2.5 billion |
Source: https://www.mrobrasil.com.br/ and https://mantaer.com.br/
Resources
Trade shows
- Annual Latin America Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition LABACE is the largest business aviation trade show in Latin America. Held at Campo de Marte Airport in São Paulo, on August 5 -7, 2025 the show attracts over 188,000 visitors, 2,200 exhibitors, and 780 aircraft. The trade show is usually held in August (2024 date to be determined).
- International Aeronautical Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Show MRO Brazil is the largest MRO trade show in Latin America. This show will be held at the Frei Caneca Convention Center in São Paulo, on September 17 – 18, 2025.
Government Ministries and Regulators
Principal Business Associations
Aerospace Industries Association of Brazil (AIAB)
Brazilian Association of General Aviation (ABAG)
Brazilian Airlines Association (ABEAR)
Brazilian Aviation Institute (IBA)
The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC)
Brazilian Association of Aeromedical Operations (ABOA)
For more information, please contact U.S. Commercial Service Industry Specialist Renato Sabaine: renato.sabaine@trade.gov