The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that leaders of the global aviation industry are gathering in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) on 6-8 June 2026.

The last AGM to be held in South America was in 1999, also in Rio de Janeiro. This marked the formal introduction of the World Air Transport Summit format, recognizing the IATA AGM as the leading industry platform for high-level debate on critical issues surrounding aviation.

LATAM Airlines Group is the host airline of the event in which some 1,500 industry leaders, government officials, and media are expected to participate. 

Brazil continues to consolidate its leadership in South America, reaching nine million international visitors in 2025. According to IATA’s Value of Aviation Report, the country’s aviation sector (airlines, airport operators and onsite businesses, air navigation service providers, and manufacturers) employs 246,800 people and generates USD 10.3 billion of economic output or 0.5% of total GDP. Taking into account the wider aviation value chain, including employee spending and tourism activities, the total number of jobs supported reached 1.9 million with a GDP contribution of USD 46.4 billion equivalent to 2.1%.

Aviation demand in South America’s largest aviation market remains strong. In 2025, Brazil recorded an 11.5% year-on-year growth in total passenger demand, with both domestic and international markets surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Domestic traffic exceeded 100 million passengers for the first time, while international demand grew by 17% as compared to 2024, gaining 20.4 percentage points on 2019 pre-pandemic levels. 

World Air Transport Summit

The World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which follows immediately after the AGM, will address key issues facing the aviation industry with an ambitious agenda of global and regional topics.

Highlights include the ever-popular CEO Panel hosted by CNN’s Richard Quest and featuring Luis Rodrigues, CEO of TAP Air Portugal, Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, Güliz Öztürk, CEO of Pegasus Airlines, and Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Abra.

Key topics to be addressed in the WATS include:

Turning Brazil’s aviation potential into reality;

Closing the gap between Brazil’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel production potential and airline needs; 

Securing airspace to accommodate growth as conflicts proliferate;

Trade, tariffs, and the role of air cargo;

The Psychology of passengers in stressful situations;

Passenger rights, data, and prospects for better regulation;

Is AI living up to its promises for airlines?

The program also includes the eighth edition of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations who are advancing gender balance in the industry through the 25by2025 initiative.