Greater Natal International Airport

Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport
Aeroporto Internacional do Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves
Landside terminal building in 2022
Summary
Airport typePublic
Operator
ServesNatal
LocationSão Gonçalo do Amarante, Brazil
Opened9 June 2014 (2014-06-09)
Time zoneBRT (UTC−03:00)
Elevation AMSL83 m (272 ft)
Coordinates05°46′08″S 035°21′59″W / 5.76889°S 35.36639°W / -5.76889; -35.36639
Websitenatal-airport.com
Map
NAT is located in Brazil
NAT
NAT
Location in Brazil
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 3,000 9,842 Asphalt
Statistics (2025)
Passengers2,421,540
Aircraft operations17,675
Statistics: Zurich Airport Brasil[1]
Sources: Airport Website,[2] ANAC,[3] DECEA[4]

Rio Grande do Norte/São Gonçalo do Amarante–Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport (IATA: NAT, ICAO: SBSG) is an international airport serving Natal, located in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte.[5]

The airport is operated by Zurich Airport Brasil.

History

The airport was built to replace Augusto Severo International Airport. In 1998, Infraero started the planning and construction of the airport. In 2011 the concession of the unfinished facility was auctioned and the winner would have to finish its construction, including the terminal building and control tower.[6] The project envisaged an intermodal airport, focusing both on passenger and cargo transportation.[7] The complex was expected to have the highest aircraft traffic in the North East of Brazil.[8]

On May 12, 2011, the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) released a document opening the concession of the unfinished airport to private entrepreneurs.[9] The auction to choose the winner took place on August 22, 2011,[10] and the winner was Consortium Inframérica, which is formed by the Brazilian Engineering Group Engevix (50%) and the Argentinean Group Corporación América (50%). The latter operates 52 airports in seven countries.[11][12] In 2013, it was decreed that the name of the airport would be inspired in part from former governor of the state of Rio Grande do Norte Aluízio Alves.[13]

Consortium Inframérica was given three years to build the passenger and cargo terminals, and was authorized to commercially exploit the facility for 25 years. Differently from other Brazilian airports in the process of privatization, in which the state operator Infraero retained 49% of the shares, in the case of Natal Consortium Inframérica got 100% of the shares and Infraero held no participation. The airport is the first in Brazil operated by a private sector company.[14]

The airport started operations on May 31, 2014 with domestic flights. International operations followed a few days later. The facility was officially opened on June 9, 2014.[15]

On March 10, 2021, it was announced that the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil had approved a new concession process for the airport, as per request from Consortium Inframérica made on March 5, 2020.[16] On May 19, 2023, Zurich Airport Brasil won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.[17]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Azul Brazilian Airlines Belo Horizonte–Confins,[18] Campinas,[19] Recife,[20] São Paulo–Congonhas[21]
Seasonal: Presidente Prudente,[22] Ribeirão Preto,[23] São José do Rio Preto,[24] Uberlândia[23]
Gol Linhas Aéreas Brasília,[25] Buenos Aires–Aeroparque,[26] Rio de Janeiro–Galeão,[27] Salvador da Bahia,[28] São Paulo–Congonhas,[29] São Paulo–Guarulhos[30]
Seasonal: Montevideo[31]
JetSmart Argentina Buenos Aires–Aeroparque[32]
LATAM Brasil Brasília,[33] Fortaleza,[34] São Paulo–Congonhas,[35] São Paulo–Guarulhos[36]
Seasonal: Buenos Aires–Ezeiza (begins 15 December 2026)[37]
Seasonal charter: Rosario (begins 3 January 2027)[38]
TAP Air Portugal Lisbon[39]

Statistics

Airport still under construction in 2014
Transit hall in 2015

Following are the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Inframérica (2014-2022) and Zurich Airport Brasil (2024-2025) reports:[40][1]

YearPassengerAircraftCargo (t)
20252,421,54017,675
2024c2,030,08416,967
2023b
20222,064,595 Increase 14%16,545 Increase 11%5,065 Increase 16%
20211,816,362 Increase 53%14,846 Increase 51%4,382 Decrease 22%
20201,185,208 Decrease 49%9,852 Decrease 45%5,636 Decrease 57%
20192,330,725 Decrease 4%17,854 Decrease 5%12,981 Decrease 16%
20182,429,389 Increase 1%18,812 Steady15,420 Increase 24%
20172,403,135 Increase 4%18,835 Increase 2%12,389 Increase 3%
20162,316,349 Decrease 10%18,553 Decrease 18%12,077 Increase 11%
20152,584,35522,62510,896
2014a1,495,72414,2564,608

Note:
a: As of May 31, 2014, the day operations started.
b: Neither Inframérica or Zurich Airport Brasil have informed statistics for 2023.
c: Starting at mid-February 2024.

Access

The airport is located 25 km (16 mi) from downtown Natal.

See also

  • "Airport information for SBSG". DAFIF. October 2006 – via Great Circle Mapper.
  • "Current weather for SBSG". NOAA/NWS.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dados operacionais: movimentação aeroportuária". Zurich Airport Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Natal Airport". Zurich Airport Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Aeródromos". ANAC (in Portuguese). 29 June 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "São Gonçalo do Amarante - Governador Aluizio Alves (SBSG)". DECEA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Lei n 12.920 de 24 de dezembro de 2013" (in Portuguese). Presidência da República. 24 December 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Inaugurado o novo aeroporto de Natal". Natalonline (in Portuguese). 31 May 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ↑ Larissa, Karla (July 15, 2007). "ZPE: desenvolvimento econômico do agronegócio a alta tecnologia" (in Portuguese). Nominuto.com. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Estudo de viablidade do aeroporto será concluído em 6 meses" (in Portuguese). Nominuto.com. January 12, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Regulatory Model: Concession of São Gonçalo do Amarante International Airport" (PDF). ANAC. June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Comissão de licitação: Comunicado n. 20/2011" (PDF) (in Portuguese). ANAC. July 7, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ Guimarães, Ligia (August 22, 2011). "Consórcio Inframérica vence leilão de aeroporto São Gonçalo do Amarante" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  12. ↑ Pupo, Fábio (August 23, 2011). "Engevix leva aeroporto e já olha novos terminais" (in Portuguese). ValorOnline. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  13. ↑ "L12920". www.planalto.gov.br. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  14. ↑ "Primeiro aeroporto privado está em Natal" (in Portuguese). Estadão. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Veja fotos do aeroporto de São Gonçalo do Amarante". Panrotas (in Portuguese). June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Minutas de edital e contrato para relicitação do Aeroporto de Natal vão à consulta pública". Ministério da Infraestrutura (in Portuguese). 9 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Poderá ser assistido ao vivo nesta sexta-feira o leilão do Aeroporto de Natal; veja como acompanhar". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  18. ↑ Miguens, Agustin (5 September 2022). "Azul to increase its offer from Belo Horizonte with more than a hundred daily flights". Aviacionline (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Azul expands the offer of flights to Rio Grande do Norte during the high summer season". Aeroflap. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  20. ↑ Calixto, Filip (15 September 2025). "Azul amplia voos entre Natal e Recife e antecipa operação para o verão". Portal PANROTAS (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Azul Linhas Aéreas celebra 16 anos em Congonhas, aeroporto onde mais lutou para operar". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 19 May 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Azul celebra 15 anos de operação em Presidente Prudente, interior de São Paulo, com mais de 28 mil voos". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 15 April 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  23. 1 2 Enchioglo, Laura (3 February 2026). "Azul Viagens reforça malha aérea para baixa temporada no Rio Grande do Norte". Portal PANROTAS (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "Azul anuncia 17 voos semanais ligando RN a SP e Minas na próxima temporada de inverno" (in Portuguese). 4 February 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "GOL tendrá vuelos directos entre Campinas (Viracopos) y Brasilia". Aeroflap (in Spanish). 16 July 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  26. ↑ "Rio Grande do Norte ganha voo inédito do Aeroparque na Argentina" (in Portuguese). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  27. ↑ Benevides, Gabriel (18 August 2025). "GOL tendrá vuelos directos entre Río de Janeiro y Mendoza a partir de enero de 2026". Aeroflap (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "GOL reativa seu hub no aeroporto de Salvador". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  29. ↑ Nicácio, Rafael (9 October 2025). "GOL anuncia recorde de voos para Natal no verão 2025/2026: serão mais de 318 mil assentos". Portal N10 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  30. ↑ Nicácio, Rafael (27 November 2025). "Nova rota direta da GOL liga Natal a Montevidéu e fortalece o turismo no Nordeste". Portal N10 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "GOL terá voos entre Natal e Montevidéu". Panrotas (in Portuguese). 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  32. ↑ "Natal to Jorge Newbery Flight Schedule(March 2026)". flyteam.jp. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  33. ↑ "LATAM tendrá vuelos diarios y directos de Brasilia a Lima a partir de marzo de 2023". Aeroflap (in Spanish). 9 November 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  34. ↑ "LATAM inaugura siete nuevas rutas nacionales en Brasil". Aeroflap (in Spanish). 30 October 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  35. ↑ "Latam inaugura sete novas rotas domésticas na última semana de outubro; confira". Panrotas (in Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  36. ↑ "LATAM anuncia nova ampliação de voos no Rio Grande do Norte". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 13 September 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "LATAM Airlines volará desde Buenos Aires a Maceió y Natal". Aviacionline (in Spanish). 19 June 2026. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  38. ↑ "Rosario y Natal quedarán unidas por vuelos sin escalas durante el verano". Aviacionline (in Spanish). 14 August 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  39. ↑ "TAP Air Portugal comemora 60 anos de voos para o Brasil com rotas para 15 cidades diferentes no país". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  40. ↑ "Estatísticas". Inframérica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 April 2023.
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