From The Floor: Lima Airport Targets Europe, Asia Service

As Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) prepares to open its new terminal in March 2025, CCO Norbert Onkelbach sees the expansion as a turning point for the airport’s future.

“The opening of the new airport, which will be three times larger than the current one, provides the opportunity to expand air connectivity, attracting new markets and airlines that promote inbound and outbound tourism,” he told Aviation Week during Routes Americas 2025.

“The infrastructure of the new airport will be able to transport 40 million passengers in 2030 and has a significant increase in capacity that will allow it to efficiently manage the largest supply of aircraft operating in Lima.”

This expansion includes a new terminal that spans 210,000 m2 (2,260,420 ft.2) and is designed to initially handle up to 30 million passengers annually, rising to 40 million by the end of the decade. A second runway at LIM opened in April 2023.

Although the opening of the new terminal has been delayed from Jan. 29 to March 30, Onkelbach says that once operational, the enhanced infrastructure will position Lima as a central hub in Latin America, attracting new airlines and routes.

More News And Analysis From Routes Americas 2025

“Our main objective is to attract new entrants with routes from Europe or Asia, which will not only allow us to increase point-to-point traffic and connection but also promote tourism in the country,” he explained.

“However, given the strategic location of Lima as a connecting bridge, we will continue to look for regional markets in South America, [the] U.S. and Canada, promoting the increase in passenger flow to the north and south of the American continent passing through Lima.”

In 2024, LIM surpassed pre-pandemic levels, serving more than 24 million passengers and adding 10 new international routes and one domestic route, connecting to more than 40 destinations in 22 countries.