Amid increasingly strict immigration policies in the United States, air traffic between the U.S. and Latin America is showing solid growth. While political discourse focuses on border restrictions and deportations, airports continue to operate with an increasing flow of passengers. In January 2025, traffic between both regions grew by 10.4% compared to the same month the previous year—a seemingly counterintuitive figure, as many might assume that no Latino would want to travel to the U.S.  

Despite the tense immigration climate, airlines continue to expand their presence on the U.S.-Latin America air corridor. This demonstrates that the demand for flights remains strong. In the early months of 2025, numerous new routes and frequencies have been announced:  

For example, LATAM Airlines expanded its flight offerings between South America and the U.S.; Arajet launched direct flights from Santo Domingo to Miami, Newark, and San Juan; Viva Aerobus announced new routes from Querétaro to Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio; and Aerus, an emerging Mexican airline, plans to operate flights from Monterrey to U.S. border cities such as Brownsville and Laredo.  

These new connections reflect a clear trend: the demand for flights between Latin America and the U.S. continues to rise.  

January: A Strong Start  

ALTA’s air traffic report for January 2025 shows that:  

- The U.S. accounted for 58.5% of Latin America's international traffic.  
- Flight frequencies between both regions increased by 12%.  
- Seat capacity on international routes grew by 3.9%.  
- Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York were the main entry points for Latin American passengers.  

The busiest routes included:  

- Cancún - Dallas (CUN-DFW): 425,219 passengers (+12%)  
- Bogotá - Miami (BOG-MIA): 381,620 passengers (+22%)  
- Mexico City - Los Angeles (MEX-LAX): 373,141 passengers (+7%)  
- São Paulo - Miami (GRU-MIA): 354,782 passengers (+15%)  
- Punta Cana - New York (JFK-SDQ): 295,034 passengers (+15%)  

Why Is Traffic Growing Despite Stricter Immigration Policies?  

Despite anti-immigrant rhetoric in the U.S., the increase in air traffic between both regions can be attributed to several factors.  

First, tourism and business travel remain strong. Although immigration controls have tightened, the U.S. continues to be an attractive destination for Latin American entrepreneurs and tourists.  

Additionally, labor mobility remains significant, and many Latinos travel back and forth to visit family. Not all passengers are looking to emigrate. Many people travel to see relatives or for work-related reasons.  

The rise of low-cost flights has made travel to the U.S. more accessible. Airlines such as Arajet, Viva Aerobus, and Spirit Airlines have lowered costs, making international travel more affordable.  

Finally, dollarized economies benefit from favorable exchange rates. In countries that use the U.S. dollar as their currency (Ecuador, Panama, and El Salvador), traveling to the U.S. remains relatively affordable.  

While the immigration debate continues to fuel political tensions in Washington, planes keep taking off full. The connection between the U.S. and Latin America is not slowing down, and the January 2025 numbers confirm that aviation remains a strong bridge between both regions. The challenge now is to see how government policies might impact this trend in the future.