Peru, Australia Sign Open Skies Agreement

Peru and Australia have formally entered an open skies agreement that removes restrictions on air services between the two countries as Lima seeks to strengthen its role as a regional hub.

The government of Peru on Jan. 5 published the air services agreement between Peru and Australia, establishing a liberalized framework that allows airlines from both countries to operate with few limitations on routes, capacity, frequencies or aircraft types. The accord also authorizes broad codeshare arrangements, including with third-country carriers.

Peru’s Transport Ministry described the agreement as a milestone for the country’s civil aviation sector, saying it “eliminates operational barriers” and gives airlines “broad freedoms to plan and develop their operations,” with expected benefits for tourism, foreign trade and competitiveness. Under the move, designated airlines will be permitted to operate services from any point in Peru to any destination in Australia.

At present, nonstop service between South America and Oceania remains limited. OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that current nonstop flights are concentrated mainly in Chile, with Qantas operating daily Sydney-Santiago flights and LATAM Airlines Group flying daily between Santiago and Sydney and Melbourne, as well as 5X-weekly Santiago-Auckland services.

In December 2025, China Eastern Airlines also launched a Shanghai-Buenos Aires route via Auckland, restoring a New Zealand-Argentina link that had been absent since 2020.

However, Sabre Market Intelligence data indicates there is growing demand between Peru and Australia despite the lack of nonstop flights. O&D traffic totaled about 21,400 two-way passengers in 2024, up 24% year-over-year, with Lima-Sydney the largest city pair at nearly 8,000 passengers. Most travelers currently route via Santiago.

The timing of the agreement follows the opening of Lima’s long-delayed new terminal at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), which has significantly increased capacity. This expansion includes a new terminal that spans 210,000 m² (2,260,420 ft.²) and is designed to initially handle up to 30 million passengers annually, rising to 40 million by the end of the decade. A second runway at the airport also opened in April 2023.

Speaking to Aviation Week at Routes Americas 2025, LIM’s Chief Commercial Officer Norbert Onkelbach said the airport’s priority is to attract new airline entrants from Asia-Pacific and Europe, boosting point-to-point traffic while supporting Peru’s broader tourism objectives.