Puntos Clave
• Argentina desregula su sector aéreo con los Decretos 599/2024 y 338/2025, facilitando ingreso y precios libres para aerolíneas.
• Aerolíneas extranjeras y low cost como JetSmart crecen, aumentando su cuota doméstica al 18% a inicios de 2025.
• Aerolíneas Argentinas logró ganancias en 2024 y dejará de requerir fondos estatales desde 2025.
Argentina has started a major change in its aviation sector, making the biggest steps to desregular its market in many years. The new rules, which came with Decree 599/2024 and Emergency Decree 338/2025, aim to modernize and open up the country’s air travel industry. Many experts believe this will help Argentina become more connected both inside the country and with the rest of the world, giving travelers more choices and lower prices. Let’s look at what these changes mean, why they are important, and how they could affect everyone from passengers and airlines to workers and investors.
Why Did Argentina Change Its Código Aeronáutico?
The main reason behind these changes is to make the aviation industry in Argentina stronger, more modern, and better for the people who use it. Before this overhaul, the industry had many old restrictions. These rules made it hard for new companies, especially from other countries, to start flying in Argentina. Many experts saw that this stopped competition and kept prices high.
For many years, the Código Aeronáutico (Aeronautical Code) in Argentina set strict rules about which airlines could operate, how much they could charge for tickets, and which companies could handle services on the ground. The government now wants to desregular these areas to make everything run smoother and quicker. The goal is to have a modern system where airlines and service providers compete fairly.
Main Points of the Airline Deregulation
1. Easier Access for Local and Foreign Airlines
Under the new system, both Argentine and foreign airlines can enter the country’s air market more easily. The process to start flights is now simpler, with less paperwork and waiting. Permits cover all types of flights—regular passenger flights, cargo, charters, both inside Argentina and international routes. This is a big step compared to before, when complicated rules made it difficult for new airlines to join the market.
Allowing easier access is important for passengers, because it means more airlines can offer tickets. This usually leads to more options and better prices.
2. New Rules for Foreign Airlines
Another key change in the código aeronáutico is about the rights of foreign airlines. These changes allow foreign carriers to fly between different cities inside Argentina, but only if their country lets Argentine airlines do the same. This rule is called “strict reciprocity.”
So far, only Chile 🇨🇱 and Uruguay 🇺🇾 have these special agreements with Argentina. That means airlines from these countries can offer flights that don’t start or end outside Argentina. More open skies agreements have been signed or expanded with other countries. These include Brazil 🇧🇷, Chile 🇨🇱, Ecuador 🇪🇨, Panama 🇵🇦, Peru 🇵🇪, Uruguay 🇺🇾, and Canada 🇨🇦. This means more international flights and stronger connections with these places.
3. Removing Fare Limits
Before, Argentina had fare bands. This means there were rules on the lowest and highest price an airline could charge for a ticket. The goal was to protect passengers and stop “price wars,” but it made it hard for airlines to offer special prices or react to demand.
Now, those limits are gone. Airlines can set their own prices, making tickets cheaper or more expensive depending on the time, the route, and how many people want to fly. Many believe this will help travelers pay less overall.
4. More Choices for Ground Services
For a long time, only one company—Intercargo—was allowed to handle ground services at airports in Argentina. These are things like moving luggage, helping planes get ready, and offering transport between the plane and the terminal. This monopoly meant there was no competition and sometimes higher costs.
With the new code, airlines can now pick any ground-handling company or even do the work themselves. This opens the door for more companies, more jobs, and possibly better and faster service for travelers.
5. Faster Process for Airline Partnerships
Airlines often work together to offer more routes and better connections for their passengers. These partnership deals, called codeshare agreements, or other business deals like joint ventures, used to take a long time to approve.
Now, if two or more airlines want to work together, they just need to tell the government in advance. Unless there is an objection, approval comes automatically in just 15 working days. This is much faster than before, making it easier for airlines to team up and offer more options.
6. Fairer Slot Rules at Busy Airports
Some airports in Argentina are very busy, and space for flights fills up fast. To make the process fair, Argentina is now using the same guides as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for giving out these “slots” (times when airlines can take off or land). This should help avoid fights over space and make sure the system works the same way as in other top countries.
You can find more information about international aviation rules and best practices on the IATA website.
What Could These Changes Mean?
These big changes to Argentina’s código aeronáutico are meant to bring several good things to the country’s aviation and tourism sectors.
More Competition: With the market open, new airlines—including low-cost airlines—can now start flying or grow faster in Argentina. This should lead to more offers, different routes, and more marketing to attract travelers. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this kind of competition usually leads to lower prices and better experiences for flyers.
Better Connections: It should now be easier and quicker to travel between more cities inside Argentina. For people who live outside big cities, this could be the first time they get direct flights. JetSmart, a fast-growing low-cost airline, has already boosted its plan for new domestic routes because of these changes.
Victor Mejía, an executive from JetSmart, said: “The market has become more dynamic…The rules of the game are competitive…” ([Source 6]).
Lower Fares in the Long Run: Removing the restrictions on fares means prices could start to drop, especially on routes with many airlines. As competition grows, travelers might even see special promo tickets or cheaper flights during less busy times.
Peter Cerdá, IATA Regional Vice President, said: “This new policy should allow the sector…to further increase its contribution…Argentina’s citizens will benefit from better access to affordable air travel…” ([Source 10]).
Higher Quality and Service: More companies in ground handling and support services at airports can bring better service and maybe faster turnaround times for planes. Airlines might use these savings to give better options to travelers or improve the in-flight experience.
Stronger International Ties: By signing and expanding open skies deals, Argentina can have more flights to more places. This is good for business travelers, students, and tourists. It also means international airlines might offer more direct routes, lessening the need for long layovers in other countries.
Some Challenges Remain
Even with all the optimism, many experts say that changes won’t be fully noticeable right away. There are some things the government, airlines, and travelers should keep in mind.
Regulatory Stability: To make companies feel safe about investing in Argentina, rules need to stay stable. Sometimes in the past, big policy shifts happened when leadership changed, which made companies cautious. Now, airlines will watch to see if this new desregular approach stays in place for many years.
No Instant Change: Just because the law is different today doesn’t mean everything will change tomorrow. New routes take planning, hiring, and investment. Airports may need upgrades to handle more flights. Still, the first signs are already being seen, like JetSmart increasing its share of flights inside Argentina.
Balancing Old and New Players: With new airlines coming in, established companies—like Aerolíneas Argentinas—may face more pressure. While some worry about job security or revenue, others say competition will push everyone to improve and stop depending on government support.
Early Signs: What Has Happened After Deregulation?
The effects of deregulation are starting to show. Aerolíneas Argentinas, the country’s state-owned airline, announced that starting in 2025, it will not need state money. This is a big change for a company that got government help every year since 2008. This year, for the first time since being taken over by the government again, Aerolíneas Argentinas made a profit in a newly competitive market ([Source 1], [Source 8]).
Low-cost airlines, especially JetSmart, have seen their share of domestic routes go from about 10% one year ago to nearly 18% early in 2025. They plan to grow even more, offering both local and international flights ([Source 6]).
This shows that removing old rules and letting competition thrive can help airlines stand on their own feet—giving them reasons to save money, offer better prices, and stop depending on taxpayers.
What Does This Mean for Travelers, Workers, and Businesses?
For people who travel, more airlines and lower fares should mean direct benefits. You may see more flights from your city, more time options, and cheaper or special tickets. Over time, better ground services and more choices should make flying less stressful and more comfortable.
For airline workers, there could be both good and bad news. As new companies hire and services grow, there could be more jobs in airports, customer service, and maintenance. But state-run airlines may need to adjust to tougher competition, which could mean changes in how they operate or staff numbers.
For businesses, better air connections make it easier to move goods or hold meetings in different cities or countries. Tourists may visit places that were once hard to reach, which can help hotels, shops, and restaurants all over Argentina.
Broader Context: How Does This Fit Global Trends?
Argentina’s move to desregular its aviation market matches what many other countries have done in recent decades. Open skies agreements and less government control have helped countries like the United States 🇺🇸 experience more routes, lower prices, and a tourism boom.
By using IATA’s worldwide rules for airport slots, Argentina is making sure its airports work similarly to those in leading countries. This can attract big international airlines and make cooperation with airports in other countries easier.
For more on how these international rules work, readers can check the official IATA guidelines.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
Argentina’s big overhaul of its código aeronáutico and its effort to desregular the aviation market are already starting to change air travel in the country. The main points—more competition, removal of fare limits, easier entry for airlines, and modern airport rules—aim to help passengers, drive new investment, and make the whole process faster and fairer.
The most important test will be keeping these changes in place long enough to see all benefits appear. If Argentina stays on course, people in cities large and small could soon find it easier and cheaper to go where they want.
For travelers, it’s a good time to keep an eye on new routes, special deals, and more options than ever before. For airlines, now is the moment to plan new investments and take advantage of a freer market. And for policymakers, the work is to make sure the new rules continue working for everyone.
Travelers, businesses, and those hoping to invest in Argentina’s growing aviation sector should watch closely, as the new código aeronáutico brings the country closer to world standards—and maybe a future where the sky truly is the limit.
For more official details on Argentina’s updated airline laws, you can visit the Civil Aviation Authority of Argentina, which offers up-to-date guidance on the new code, entry requirements for operators, and other helpful resources.
Aprende Hoy
Desregulación → Elimina regulaciones gubernamentales, permitiendo más competencia y flexibilidad en precios y acceso de empresas al mercado aéreo.
Código Aeronáutico → Conjunto de leyes que regulan todas las actividades de aviación civil y comercial en Argentina.
Derecho de reciprocidad → Condición que exige trato igual entre países; solo permite vuelos internos a extranjeras si hay acuerdos mutuos.
Acuerdo de Cielos Abiertos → Convenio internacional que facilita libertad de rutas, frecuencias y tarifas entre países participantes.
Servicios en tierra → Tareas como manipulación de equipaje y asistencia en plataforma, anteriormente monopolizadas por Intercargo; ahora admiten competencia.
Este Artículo en Resumen
Con los Decretos 599/2024 y 338/2025, Argentina moderniza su código aeronáutico. Aerolíneas nacionales y extranjeras pueden fijar precios, ingresar fácilmente, y elegir servicios en tierra. Destacan tarifas más bajas, nuevas rutas y menor dependencia estatal de Aerolíneas Argentinas, marcando un cambio histórico en el transporte aéreo del país.
— Por VisaVerge.com
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