International connecting traffic at Lima's Jorge Chávez Airport dropped 13.6% between January and July 2026, as rivals El Salvador, Bogotá, and Panama posted double-digit gains — a divergence the International Air Transport Association now attributes directly to a transfer surcharge of roughly $12 that no other major Latin American hub charges its connecting passengers.
For the millions of Latino travelers who route between U.S. cities and South American destinations through Lima, this has moved well beyond a dispute between airlines and an airport operator. Fewer connections mean fewer routing options, higher fares on affected corridors, and a growing risk that Lima forfeits the hub position that made it a logical midpoint across the continent.
