The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, said this Monday (22) that the number of passengers at Santos Dumont Airport, in the center of Rio de Janeiro, will be increased from 2026.
“We spent two years with a ceiling of 6.5 million. We will release another 1 million to 1.5 million passengers, and this will not affect Galeão’s operations”, said Minister Costa Filho.
The statement was given in an interview with GloboNews and contradicts the position of the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, who publicly criticized the possibility of an increase in passengers at the airport.
Brasília (DF) 05/27/2025 – The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho. – Archive/Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/ Agência Brasil
With the adjustment announced by the minister, the Santos Dumont could end 2026 with a limit of up to 8 million passengers per year. The current limitation was established in 2023 as part of a rebalancing policy between Rio’s airports, prioritizing the growth of Tom Jobim International Airport, Galeão.
On Sunday (21), Eduardo Paes criticized what he called “rumors” about the increase in the number of passengers on Santos Dumont. According to the mayor, “hidden forces are moving in Anac to change the successful policy”. He also said that the restriction had a positive impact on the economy of Rio de Janeiro and helped to boost movement at Galeão.
Data from Infraero and the concessionaire RioGaleão indicate that, after the imposition of the ceiling at Santos Dumont, the annual number of passengers at the central airport fell by almost half, from 10.9 million to 5.7 million. At Galeão, in the same period, movement more than doubled, going from 6.8 million to 16.1 million. As a result, the total number of passengers at Rio’s airports grew by 23%, from 17.7 million in 2023 to 21.8 million in 2025.
After criticism from the mayor, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) released a statement repudiating the accusations and stated that it acts with transparencyfollowing guidelines from the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the Federal Audit Court (TCU) and the federal government.
According to Silvio Costa Filho, The decision to increase the passenger ceiling was not unilateral and resulted from negotiations that began in June with several actors involved in the sector.
“This agreement that was made was not a move by Anac or the ministry. It was made with the Federal Court of Auditors, under the leadership of rapporteur Benjamin Zymler, where he had the opportunity to build an understanding between the Galeão concessionaire, Anac, the technicians of the Court of Auditors, the Ministry of Ports and Airports and, from the first moment, the city hall and the State Government followed the understanding”, said the minister.
He further stated that the expansion at Santos Dumont should not compromise Galeão’s growth and defended the importance of the two terminals for the city’s economy.
“With the growth of the Brazilian economy and the growth of international tourism in Rio de Janeiro, with new airlines flying to Rio, we will clearly maintain the growth of Galeão and we also need to grow in Santos Dumont, because it is very important for the city’s economy”, said Costa Filho.
