With an average occupancy rate of 85%, the low-cost airline in Rio Grande do Norte has already transported 20,000 passengers in two months
Credit: Alex Regis
JetSMART, a low-cost airline that began operations in December at Natal International Airport, has reached the milestone of approximately 20,000 passengers transported in a two-month period.
Flights have registered an average occupancy rate of 85%. With daily flights, the new airline connects the Natal terminal to the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, via Ezeiza Airport.
Operating on a low-cost model, the airline offers low and simple fares, without automatically including the cost of additional benefits such as baggage and seat selection, which can be purchased according to each customer's needs. When purchasing a ticket, passengers are entitled to carry one bag or personal item weighing up to 10kg. If interested in adding checked baggage weighing between 10kg and 23kg, as well as seat selection and flexibility when rescheduling flights, passengers have the option of selecting other packages by paying additional fees. Onboard services, such as drinks and snacks, are also charged separately.
JetSMART is the only low-cost airline operating in Rio Grande do Norte. The company's arrival is the result of constant dialogue between Zurich Airport Brasil, the airport's concessionaire, the Public Authorities, and the local tourism industry, with the aim of expanding the air network in Rio Grande do Norte and attracting new tourists to the state. The first flights took place on December 30, 2025. The aircraft are Airbus A320 models, with a capacity for 186 passengers.
“The arrival of JetSMART in Rio Grande do Norte has proven to be a real success in expanding our connectivity and flight offerings for our passengers. In addition to the new flight to Buenos Aires, we will also have a new route to Montevideo from March onwards through Gol, increasing our connectivity with South America ,” reinforces Ricardo Gesse, CEO of Zurich Airport Brasil.
Currently, Natal Airport has three other international routes: Lisbon, by TAP, with daily flights; Buenos Aires, operated by Gol Linhas Aéreas, with three weekly flights, and Montevideo, also by Gol, with one flight per week, with the inaugural flight scheduled for March 21st.
About JetSMART
JetSMART Airlines, founded in 2016, is the leading low-cost airline in South America, operating in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia, with over 80 routes throughout the region. The company has transported more than 50 million passengers and boasts the youngest fleet in South America, comprised of 50 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.
Recognized by SKYTRAX as the leading low-cost airline in South America in 2021, 2023, and 2025, and by CH-Aviation for having one of the most modern fleets in the world, JetSMART offers ultra-low fares on point-to-point routes, including SMART connections between secondary cities without stopovers in capitals.