Floripa Airport will expand its international area.
Since 2024, Floripa Airport has been the third busiest airport in Brazil in terms of international traffic. It will invest R$ 19 million in expanding and modernizing its international area. This expansion is driven by consistent growth in the number of foreign passengers, which has increased by 330% in the last seven years, and by a new record in the first quarter of 2026, when international flights accounted for 41% of total passengers.
To support this growth, Zurich Airport Brasil will invest R$ 13 million in infrastructure works throughout 2026, including the expansion of the international departure and arrival area by 824 square meters, and R$ 6 million in the implementation of 9 e-gates, a technology that allows for the automatic reading of passports to increase the speed of immigration processes. The completion of the works is scheduled for early 2027.
The expansion works include new seating areas, new restrooms, including a family restroom. There is also the implementation of a new Dufry - Avolta Group Duty Free store, in a walk-through model, with 510 m², which reorganizes passenger flow and expands the commercial offer. The international VIP lounge, operated by Global Lounge, will also be expanded and its area doubled, reaching 330 m². The plan also includes three new food service operations.
The investments also encompass structural improvements in the immigration and inspection areas. The immigration area will gain an additional 97 m², with the installation of six immigration e-gates and three emigration e-gates. At the entry and exit points, the airport will operate with an exclusive queue for Brazilians, who will be able to autonomously carry out the entry and exit processes from Brazil. In the inspection channel, the installation of new X-ray equipment will increase the processing capacity of international passengers by 50%, increasing operational efficiency.
“The consistent growth of Floripa Airport’s international operations requires planned investments, reflecting our commitment to anticipating demand, making processes more efficient, and ensuring an ever-improving passenger experience ,” says Ricardo Gesse, CEO of Zurich Airport Brazil.
The improvements also accompany the expansion of flight offerings on two strategic international routes: Florianópolis–North America and the Caribbean, via Panama, and Florianópolis–Europe, via Lisbon. Both airlines will soon offer an additional frequency. Starting in July, TAP will expand its operation to four weekly flights to Portugal, while Copa Airlines will begin flying five times a week to Central America.