The first JetSMART flight in Santa Catarina landed at 18:40 pm at Florianópolis International Airport, coming from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The flight inaugurated the new route connecting the capital of Santa Catarina to Ezeiza Airport. In the month of December there will be three weekly frequencies; In January and February flights become daily and on some dates up to two timeslots per day will be offered. The route will be operated by an A320, with capacity for 186 passengers. On December 27, JetSMART will also start offering flights to Santiago, Chile, from Florianópolis.

The inaugural flight was received with a loud salute from the airport's firefighters. Upon boarding, a tango performance left passengers in the Buenos Aires atmosphere, and upon disembarking, visitors were introduced to some of Santa Catarina's main tourist attractions. At the Panoramic Terrace, an event attended by authorities brought together representatives from JetSMART, Zurich Airport Brasil and partners linked to the development of tourism in Santa Catarina.

“The arrival of JetSMART consolidates Florianópolis International Airport as an important hub in South America, in addition to reinforcing our commitment to expanding connectivity between Santa Catarina and the continent. Our infrastructure combined with operational excellence makes Florianópolis airport the gateway to the state”, highlights Ricardo Gesse, CEO of Zurich Airport Brasil.

"Our role has been to strengthen relationships with companies and investors in the sector, so that together we can build the best and most efficient business model, a characteristic characteristic of Santa Catarina”, says Beto Martins, Secretaries of Ports, Airports and Railways of the State from Santa Catarina.

In the first year of operation of the two new routes, the expectation is to transport around 92 thousand passengers. JetSMART is an ultra-low-cost airline with domestic operations in Chile, Argentina and Peru, and more than 70 routes throughout South America and international routes to Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay, having transported more than 20 million passengers .

“Florianópolis is a city frequently visited by South Americans, so before the end of the year we will celebrate our first flight to Santiago de Chile. We currently offer seven direct routes from Brazil to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay and we are sure that news like this generates a positive impact on tourism and the local economy”, says Verónica Marambio Álvarez, Commercial Manager for International Markets at JetSMART.

Season 2023 / 2204

During the event, Zurich Airport Brasil, the concessionaire that manages Florianópolis International Airport, presented the air network for the 2023/2024 high season and the main highlights of next summer.

With expectations of receiving 2 million passengers in the high season, the airport is expected to register the biggest movement in its history. There will be 8 airlines operating and up to 17 international flights per day. An 83% growth in international movement compared to the 2018/2019 season, before the pandemic. Numbers that consolidate Florianópolis International Airport as the 5th airport in Brazil with the largest movement of international passengers.

Passengers will be able to choose between six international destinations from the capital of Santa Catarina - Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santiago, Montevideo, Lima and Asunción. One of the highlights is the unprecedented route to Lima, Peru, with a stop without changing aircraft in Montevideo, operated by the company Sky. The premiere will be on January 2, 2024.