This article is published in Aviation Daily part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through Jun 14, 2026. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click here.
JetSMART Airbus A320
RIO DE JANEIRO—South American airline group JetSMART says demand for July is building up solidly after remaining strong for the first half of 2026.
Noting the first half of the year is a low season time period, JetSMART CEO Estuardo Ortiz told Aviation Week on the sidelines of the IATA AGM demand was in line with expectations and sees the next high demand month, which is July, “building up really well.”
JetSMART posted roughly 40% passenger growth in the first half of this year, which was less than planned. “The fuel costs, I think, has had some impact on selecting very well which markets are better or not to fly,” Ortiz explained.
Specifically in South America, “fuel price per gallon per airport could range” to double from one to another, he said. “It is really asymmetrical the way the impact has been in the markets, we take that into consideration.” JetSMART has domestic operations in Chile, Argentina, Peru and Colombia, and also operates on intra-regional routes in South America.
Generally speaking, “the good news is demand has kept up,” Ortiz concluded.
JetSMART currently has a fleet of 54 Airbus narrowbodies after taking many aircraft deliveries at the end of 2025, Ortiz said, adding the company will add more narrowbody jets in the back half of this year.
The airline’s A321XLRs are scheduled for delivery in a couple of years, and although there’s still time to decide how JetSMART will deploy the aircraft, Ortiz said. “But the opportunity and thesis,” for the investment is the same. “It’s about flying them from South America to North America,” he explained.<\/p>
Related Content
