Aena has been awarded the concession for Galeão International Airport, Rio de Janeiro’s main airport

Aena, through its subsidiary Aena Desarrollo Internacional, has been awarded the contract following a public auction held on the B3 – São Paulo Stock Exchange for the concessionaire of Rio de Janeiro – Galeão International Airport, the main airport in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Aena has emerged as the successful bidder in the assisted sale process for 100% of the airport concessionaire, with a bid worth BRL 2.900 million (approximately EUR 483 million). Of the total amount of the transaction, part will be paid out of Aena’s own funds, whilst the remainder will be financed through a loan from a local financial institution, without recourse to the parent company. The concession runs until May 2039.

The purchase of the concessionaire’s shares is subject to the formalisation of the sale and purchase agreement with the current shareholders, once regulatory approvals and the other conditions set out in the terms of reference for the sale process have been met. The transfer will take place once all these conditions have been met. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.

Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport is Brazil’s third-busiest airport in terms of passenger volume, with 17.8 million passengers in 2025, of whom 5.7 million were international passengers. These figures consolidate it as the country’s second-largest air gateway, behind only Guarulhos. The airport also plays a significant role in air freight, handling both imports and exports: in 2025, it was the third-largest Brazilian airport in this sector, handling around 68,000 tonnes.

The current infrastructure has sufficient capacity to handle the expected traffic for the remainder of the concession period, and there is no contractual obligation to make further capital expenditure (Capex).

The Chairman and CEO of Aena, Maurici Lucena, has highlighted this corporate transaction, which demonstrates Aena’s commitment to Brazil and the company’s strategy in the international market: “Like all of Aena’s operations, this one strictly adheres to the fundamental principle of creating value for its shareholders. Aena Brasil is, moreover, a clear example of Aena’s ability to generate value-adding synergies, as this brings the total number of airports successfully operating as part of the network to 18, thereby contributing to the development of air transport in the country.”

Aena Brasil: synergies from a network of 18 airports

With this transaction, Aena has established itself as the operator of the largest network of concessioned airports in Brazil. Under the Aena Brasil brand, the Spanish airport operator has been fully managing six airports in the north-east of the country since 2020 and a further eleven in the states of São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais and Pará since 2022. Among Aena Brasil’s most significant assets are Congonhas Airport in São Paulo – the country’s second largest – and Recife Airport in the Northeast, to which Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport has now been added.

The Spanish airport operator continues to roll out its network model, which involves managing a wide variety of airport types, ranging from international hubs to regional airports, as well as island airports and those dedicated solely to general aviation. This successful model fosters synergies in various areas and thus enhances efficiency in both management and operations.

Aena Brasil has an established team in the country that is currently working on an ambitious plan to invest in and enhance airport connectivity. Aena has been operating in Brazil for six years now and is therefore familiar with the specific characteristics of the domestic market; it has experience in local management and is well known to national, regional and local stakeholders.

About Aena Brasil

With the addition of Rio de Janeiro – Galeão International Airport, Aena Brasil now manages 18 airports in Brazil, handling over 62 million passengers. Aena Brasil is the brand under which Aena, the world’s largest airport operator in terms of passenger numbers, operates in Brazil.

Aena manages 46 airports and two heliports in Spain. It also owns 51% of London Luton Airport, and in December 2025, it announced the purchase of a 51% stake in the new holding company that owns and operates 100% of Leeds Bradford Airport and 49% of Newcastle Airport in the United Kingdom, a transaction expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2026. Aena also operates 12 airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica.

Aena Brasil manages the airports at Recife (PE – State of Pernambuco), Maceió (AL – State of Alagoas), Aracaju (SE – State of Sergipe), João Pessoa (PB – State of Paraíba), Juazeiro do Norte (CE – State of Ceará) and Campina Grande (PB – State of Paraíba), Congonhas (SP – State of São Paulo), Campo Grande (MS – State of Mato Grosso do Sul), Corumbá (MS – State of Mato Grosso do Sul), Ponta Porã (MS – State of Mato Grosso do Sul), Santarém (PA), Marabá (PA – State of Pará), Carajás (PA – State of Pará), Altamira (PA – State of Pará), Uberlândia (MG – State of Minas Gerais), Montes Claros (MG – State of Minas Gerais) and Uberaba (MG – State of Minas Gerais).

In December 2025, Aena secured the largest financing deal in Brazil’s airport sector: BRL 5.7 billion.