Latin America and the Caribbean

Air transport supports 7.6 million jobs and $187 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean economic activity. That is 2.7% of all employment and 3.5% of all GDP in Latin American and Caribbean countries in 2018.

Every person employed by the aviation sector directly, and in aviation enabled tourism, supported another 9.6 jobs elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. Similarly, $2.80 of economic activity was supported elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean for every $1 created by the air transport sector directly.

The aviation sector in Latin America and the Caribbean employed an estimated 722,000 people directly in 2016. Analysis of these workers suggests:

• 190,000 of them (26% of the total) were employed by airlines or handling agents as flight crew, check-in staff, maintenance crew, or head office staff
• 27,000 (4%) had jobs with airport operators in airport management, maintenance, and security
• 394,000 (55%) worked on-site in airports in retail outlets, restaurants, and hotels
• 82,000 (11%) were employed in civil aircraft manufacturing, including systems, components, airframes, and engines
• 29,000 (4%) worked for air navigation service providers in jobs like air traffic control and engineering

Airlines, airport operators, retailers and other on-site businesses, as well as air navigation services and civil aircraft manufacturers, all contribute to GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, the operations of these businesses generated a $49 billion direct contribution to GDP.

The aviation sector’s spending with suppliers is estimated to have supported a further 1.7 million jobs and a $37 billion contribution to GDP. In addition, spending by those employed in the aviation sector and its supply chain supported 1.3 million more jobs and contributed $28 billion to GDP.

The aviation sector also facilitates a substantial amount of tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean. This stimulates still more economic activity, as tourists spend their money in restaurants, hotels, retailers, tour operators, and on other consumer goods and services. In 2018, spending by foreign visitors who flew to Latin America and the Caribbean countries supported an estimated 4.0 million jobs and contributed $73 billion to GDP.