Viracopos International Airport is expanding its position in Brazil’s fast-growing e-commerce market. The country recorded cumulative growth of 32.5 percent from 2021 through the first half of 2026 in imports of express shipments originating from e-commerce. This demand saw a significant resurgence in growth following the elimination, effective May 2026, of federal taxes that had been applied since late 2024 to imported express shipments under the threshold of US$50.
Behind those headline figures is a significant change in the type and pace of cargo moving through the airport.
Growing demand for international online shopping is reshaping both the airport’s infrastructure and its airline connectivity. Maria Fan, Commercial Director of Viracopos International Airport, said: “Specifically in the e-commerce segment, international express shipments grew by 31 percent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2025.” The wider expansion of Brazilian e-commerce imports has taken place against a backdrop of continued consumer demand for accessible international marketplaces and changes to the clearance process for small parcels under the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service’s Remessa Conforme programme.
Viracopos was preparing for this shift before the latest surge materialised. In 2025, it established approximately 20,000 sq m of logistics warehouse space dedicated to customs clearance for cross-border shipments and signed contracts with operators connected to major global marketplaces.
“In June and July of this year, we already saw a 100 percent jump in volume compared to previous months, leading to the arrival of new dedicated cargo flights, both scheduled, like CMA CGM, and chartered,” Fan explained.
The new infrastructure is designed to change how parcels move through Viracopos. Warehouses with direct airside access have been released to logistics operators, while the airport itself operates a shared workspace. Dedicated e-commerce flows are now separated from formal cargo, with the aim of protecting the wider terminal operation from congestion as parcel numbers rise.
“e-commerce shipments are now completely segregated from formal cargo, avoiding operational bottlenecks and streamlining operations,” Fan said. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the facilities were designed around Remessa Conforme’s rapid-clearance requirements. Parcels can be transferred directly from the aircraft apron to warehouse sorting lines. Once customs procedures have been completed, they move to logistics operators’ distribution centres for last-mile delivery.
Another model connects incoming flights with Correios, Brazil’s postal operator, which has a bonded warehouse for imported express shipments approximately 15 minutes from Viracopos.
Several marketplace operators have adopted the China-Viracopos-Correios routing over the past two months. The model is intended to reduce transit times compared with routes using other airports, although no specific time comparison has been provided.
The infrastructure does not remove every pressure point. Fan acknowledged that Singles’ Day, Black Friday and the period before Chinese New Year can cause sharp seasonal increases, temporarily overloading customs inspection lines.
Parcels requiring sanitary, phytosanitary or other specialist inspections can also take longer because of additional documentation and physical checks.
Viracopos is working with the Federal Revenue Service and other agencies to manage those flows. One measure is the advance submission of cargo manifests, with operators sending data to customs before a flight arrives. This enables shipments to be directed to the appropriate inspection channels immediately after landing.
The airport plans to expand the warehouses at the Viracopos Logistics Center, allowing more e-commerce operators to establish their own areas within the complex. Airline partnerships are also in place to expand connections between Asia and Viracopos, although the carriers and proposed routes have not been disclosed.
Viracopos currently handles approximately one-third of all cargo imported into Brazil by air, according to the airport. ts location near São Paulo’s industrial and technology centres gives it access to the Southeast region, which accounts for around 60 percent of domestic demand.
“Viracopos also has the advantage of being able to conduct international transshipment operations. This allows airlines to unload e-commerce cargo from Asia or Europe in Campinas for subsequent deconsolidation, consolidation, and redistribution to other Latin American countries, strengthening Viracopos’ position as a continental mega-hub,” Fan said.
The post Viracopos gears up for the rapid rise of e-commerce in Brazil appeared first on Air Cargo Week.
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Author: Anastasiya Simsek
