Every pitch deck aimed at operators quotes a growth figure, and most of them cite nothing. Before using one to plan a fleet, it is worth knowing what the public numbers actually measure — because three different figures circulate, and they are not the same thing.
The three figures that get quoted
The business jet market in Latin America is forecast to grow at 5.0% a year between 2024 and 2029, according to MarketsandMarkets. That is market value, driven largely by aircraft transactions in Brazil and Mexico.
Air traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean rose 7.5% through November 2025, on IATA figures. That is commercial aviation: scheduled seats, not charter.
Business aviation flights in Brazil rose 45% in 2025, with Colombia at 42%, according to Jetex's year-end review. That is movements in specific countries, not regional revenue.
None of the three measures light turboprop charter in Central America, which is what most operators in this region actually sell. There is no public series for that.
What that means in practice
Beware the single percentage. A number that mixes jet transactions in São Paulo with scheduled seats in Bogotá tells you nothing about whether your Caravan will fly more next quarter.
The direction is consistent, though. All three point the same way: more private flying, concentrated in a few markets, and rising demand for connectivity where scheduled service is thin.
That last part is the relevant one here. Central America is precisely a place where scheduled service is thin and distances are short.
Where the demand in this region actually comes from
Tourism to places with no comfortable road. Islands and coastal strips where the alternative is a long drive plus a boat.
Corporate travel across borders, where a morning sector replaces a day of connections through a hub.
Time-critical transfers: a missed international connection, a group that lands late, a meeting chain that only works by air.
Not volume for its own sake. These are small, repeat, seasonal flows — not the profile a jet-market forecast describes.
What to measure instead of the market
Your own utilisation, month by month, by aircraft and by day of the week. That is the only figure that pays the bank.
Where your requests come from, and which ones you turn down for lack of aircraft, crew or a slot. Rejections are the cheapest demand study there is.
Seasonality against your fixed costs. Any growth figure is irrelevant if your low season already eats the margin of the high one.
What would have to be true for you to grow
That demand appears where your aircraft already is, or that repositioning is cheap enough to be worth it.
That someone can find you. Regional demand is fragmented and searches for solutions, not for operators by name.
And that you can say yes quickly. In this segment the request often comes in with 48 hours' notice; whoever answers first takes it.
The honest reading for a small operator
A regional growth figure will not fill your calendar. What fills it is being visible where the request begins and being able to answer it.
If the market grows 5% and your utilisation does not move, the growth went to someone else. That is the number worth watching. The figures quoted come from published third-party reports; they are not our own estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a reliable figure for charter growth in Central America?
No public series measures light turboprop charter in the region. The available figures cover the business jet market, commercial air traffic or business aviation flights by country.
Which figure is closest to charter?
Business aviation flight counts, but they are published for specific countries, mainly Brazil and Colombia, not for Central America.
Is the market growing, then?
All three published indicators point the same way. What none of them tells you is whether that growth reaches your aircraft.
What should I measure in my own operation?
Monthly utilisation by aircraft, where requests come from, and which ones you turn down and why.
Why do rejected requests matter?
Because they show real demand you could not serve, which is the cheapest demand study available.
Does growth reach small turboprop operators?
Only where the demand appears near your aircraft and you can answer quickly. Regional demand is fragmented and time-sensitive.
Let's talk
The figures quoted come from published third-party reports; they are not our own estimates.