Belo Horizonte International Airport

The airport was built by Infraero and inaugurated in 1984. Its purpose was to lessen the congestion at Pampulha Airport, which at the time was operating at 120% of its capacity of 1.3 million passengers per year. It was expected that by 1990, passenger movement at Confins would be nearly 2 million passengers per year. However, it surpassed the 1 million passenger mark only 22 years later. Presently its maximum operational capacity is 22 million passengers per year.url=http://www.bh-airport.com.br/novoaeroporto/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920181439/http://www.bh-airport.com.br/novoaeroporto/ |date=20 September 2018 }}

After its inauguration, just a small fraction of the capacity of Confins was used. This was partly due to its distance from downtown Belo Horizonte and, until recently, to the lack of satisfactory transportation alternatives for the pricey (about US$40) taxi rides. The over-crowded Pampulha Airport remained the airport of choice. In order to revert this scenario, in March 2005 the government of the state of Minas Gerais with the support of agencies of the Federal government decided to restrict Pampulha to operations of aircraft with capacity of up to 50 passengers.{{Cite web | url=http://www2.anac.gov.br/biblioteca/portarias/port0189DGAC.pdf | title=Portaria n 189/DGAC, de 8 de março de 2005 | publisher=Ministério da Aeronáutica; Departamento de Aviação Civil | date=10 March 2005 | access-date=16 May 2011 | language=pt | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827072219/http://www.anac.gov.br/biblioteca/portarias/port0189DGAC.pdf | archive-date=27 August 2010 | df=dmy-all }} In the months thereafter, most operations were forced to move to Confins and the airport gained a new momentum. At that time, 130 flights were transferred from Pampulha to Confins, increasing annual passenger flow from 350,000 to around 3.0 million that year.

The problems related to the distance of Confins to downtown Belo Horizonte were lessened by recent projects such as the improvement of the highway that links the city center to the airport (MG-10 highway), part of a larger project called Linha Verde (Green Line), which seeks to reduce the time needed to reach the airport.{{Cite web | url=http://www.sme.org.br/html/sessao_48/2009/06/01/noticias/id_sessao=48&id_noticia=236/noticias.shtml | title=Linha Verde: O maior conjunto de obras em Belo Horizonte (Green Line: The greatest set of construction works in Belo Horizonte) | publisher=Sociedade Mineira de Engenheiros | date=1 June 2001 | access-date=19 May 2011 | language=pt | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706161518/http://www.sme.org.br/html/sessao_48/2009/06/01/noticias/id_sessao%3D48%26id_noticia%3D236/noticias.shtml | archive-date=6 July 2011 | df=dmy-all }} Another project called the "Industrial Airport" is underway. In this project the government will exempt tax of businesses interested in settling their operations near the airport.{{Cite web | url=http://www.desenvolvimento.mg.gov.br/pt/noticias/215-governo-e-iniciativa-privada-debatem-aeroporto-industrial | title=Governo e iniciativa privada debatem aeroporto industrial (Government and private enterprise debate the industrial airport) | publisher=Governo de Minas: Secretaria de Estado de Desenvolvimento Econômico | access-date=19 May 2011 | language=pt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324064224/http://www.desenvolvimento.mg.gov.br/pt/noticias/215-governo-e-iniciativa-privada-debatem-aeroporto-industrial | archive-date=24 March 2012 | url-status=dead }}

Its cargo facilities have a capacity of handling 18.000 tones (39.682.000 lb) and the warehouse has 6.400 m² (68.889 ft²).

The main maintenance facilities of Gol Airlines are located at this airport.{{Cite web | url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/07/06/343930/brazil-mro-sector-poised-for-major-expansion.html | title=Brazil MRO sector poised for major expansion | publisher=Flightglobal | date=6 July 2010 | access-date=6 July 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727033957/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/brazil-mro-sector-poised-for-major-expansion-343930/ | archive-date=27 July 2012 | url-status=live }}

Responding to critiques to the situation of its airports, on May 18, 2011, Infraero released a list evaluating some of its most important airports according to its saturation levels. According to the list, Confins was considered to be requiring attention, operating between 70% and 85% of its capacity.{{Cite web|url=http://economia.estadao.com.br/noticias/economia+brasil%2Cgoverno-muda-criterio-de-avaliacao-e-%27melhora-desempenho-de-aeroportos%2Cnot_67673%2C0.htm|title=Governo muda critério de avaliação e 'melhora' desempenho de aeroportos|publisher=O Estado de S. Paulo|date=19 May 2011|access-date=20 May 2011|language=pt|archive-date=22 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522054026/http://economia.estadao.com.br/noticias/economia+brasil%2Cgoverno-muda-criterio-de-avaliacao-e-%27melhora-desempenho-de-aeroportos%2Cnot_67673%2C0.htm|url-status=dead}}

On 26 April 2011, it was confirmed that in order to speed-up much needed renovation and upgrade works, private companies would be granted a concession to explore some Infraero airports - among them, in a later phase, Confins.{{Cite web | url=http://www.valoronline.com.br/online/transportes/15/417433/governo-define-concessao-de-obras-em-3-aeroportos-diz-palocci | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914090237/http://www.valoronline.com.br/online/transportes/15/417433/governo-define-concessao-de-obras-em-3-aeroportos-diz-palocci | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 September 2012 | title=Governo define concessão de obras em 3 aeroportos, diz Palocci (Government defines concession of works in 3 airports, says Palocci) | publisher=Valor Online | date=26 April 2011 | access-date=16 May 2011 | language=pt | first=Rafael | last=Bitencourt }} The plan was confirmed on 31 May 2011 and it was added that Infraero would retain 49% of the shares of each privatized airport and that negotiations were expected to be concluded in the first half of 2012.{{Cite web | url=http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodehoje/20110601/not_imp726552,0.php | title=Governo pretende privatizar três aeroportos e abrir o capital da Infraero (Government intends to privatize three airports and make Infraero's capital public) | publisher=O Estado de S. Paulo: Economia | date=1 June 2011 | access-date=2 June 2011 | language=pt | first1=Marta | last1=Salomon | first2=Tânia | last2=Monteiro}}

On 22 November 2013, the Brazilian Government had a bidding process to determine the operator of the airport from 2014 until the next few years. The group Aerobrasil, also known as BH Airport, formed by the Brazilian investment company CCR (75%) and by the Swiss operator Flughafen Zürich AG (25%) won the bid.{{cite journal |last=Sakate |first=Marcelo |date=27 November 2013 |title=A privatização decola |trans-title=Privatization takes-off |language=pt |journal=Veja |location=São Paulo |volume=46 | issue=48 | page=98 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.grupoccr.com.br/imprensa/releases/23899/bh-aiport-assina-contrato-de-concessao-do-aeroporto-internacional-de-belo-horizonte-em-confins | title=BH assina contrato de concessão do Aeroporto Internacional de Belo Horizonte, em Confins | trans-title=Belo Horizonte signs the concession contract of the International Airport at Confins | date=7 April 2014 | language=pt | page=2 | access-date=30 April 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528093511/http://grupoccr.com.br/imprensa/releases/23899/bh-aiport-assina-contrato-de-concessao-do-aeroporto-internacional-de-belo-horizonte-em-confins | archive-date=28 May 2014 | df=dmy-all }}

On 16 September 2015, all international operations were transferred to a new provisional terminal - Terminal 3 while domestic operations remained in Terminal 1.{{cite web | url=http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/179/terminal-3-comeca-a-operar-no-dia-16/9.aspx | title=Terminal 3 começa a operar no dia 16/9 | trans-title=Terminal 3 starts operating on September 9 | publisher=bh-airport | language=pt | access-date=29 September 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001085918/http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/179/terminal-3-comeca-a-operar-no-dia-16/9.aspx | archive-date=1 October 2015 | url-status=dead }}

The construction of Terminal 2 - an extension of Terminal 1 - started in September 2015 and finished in December 2016. It increased the airports capacity to 22 million passengers per year. On 8 December 2016 Terminal 2 was opened for domestic operations and in January 2017 international operations were transferred from Terminal 3. With the transfer of operations, Terminal 3 was closed.{{cite web | url=http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/20/linha-do-tempo.aspx | title=Linha do Tempo | trans-title=Timeline | publisher=bh-airport | language=pt | access-date=14 April 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170508142216/http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/20/linha-do-tempo.aspx | archive-date=8 May 2017 | url-status=dead }}

On 31 August 2009, the previous concessionary, Infraero, unveiled a BRL342.3 million (US$180.3 million; EUR126.4 million) investment plan to upgrade Tancredo Neves International Airport, focusing on the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The investment was supposed to be distributed as follows:{{Cite news | last=Rittner | first=Daniel | last2=Braga | first2=Paulo Victor | title=Infraero vai gastar R$5 bi em reforma de aeroportos | trans-title=Infraero is going to spend R$5 bn in airport renovation | newspaper=Valor Econômico | pages=A4 | date=31 August 2009 | url=http://www.valoronline.com.br | language=pt | access-date=8 July 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706155020/http://www.valoronline.com.br/ | archive-date=6 July 2011 | url-status=live }}

• Parking. Value 6.8. Completed: July 2010{{Cite web | url=http://www.jornaldeturismo.com.br/noticias/aviacao/34297-aeroporto-de-confins-mg-amplia-estacionamento-de-veiculos.html | title=Aeroporto de Confins (MG) amplia estacionamento de veículos | trans-title=Confins Airport (MG) expands vehicle parking | publisher=Jornal de Turismo | date=26 July 2010 | access-date=5 September 2010 | language=pt | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706153221/http://www.jornaldeturismo.com.br/noticias/aviacao/34297-aeroporto-de-confins-mg-amplia-estacionamento-de-veiculos.html | archive-date=6 July 2011 | df=dmy-all }}
• Extension of runway, enlargement of apron and cargo terminal, construction of further taxiways. Value 120.0. Completed.
• Renovation of the passenger terminal. Value 215.5.

As of March 2016, only the parking lot and the apron expansion works have been completed. After many successive postponements due to budget cuts and judicial disputes between the airport administration, Infraero, the federal government and the contractors, the lengthening of the runway to {{convert|3600|m|ft}} was completed in June 2016.{{Cite news | last=Franco | first=Pedro Rocha | title=Conclusão da expansão da pista de pouso do aeroporto de Confins é novamente adiada | trans-title=Completion of Confins airport runway expansion is postponed again | newspaper=O Estado de Minas | date=24 January 2016 | url=http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/economia/2016/01/24/internas_economia,727765/area-maior-para-os-avioes-so-em-junho.shtml | language=pt | access-date=29 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409154318/http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/economia/2016/01/24/internas_economia,727765/area-maior-para-os-avioes-so-em-junho.shtml | archive-date=9 April 2016 | url-status=live }}

As part of the concession, BH Airport committed itself to construct a new parallel runway with a length of {{convert|2500|m|ft}}, connecting taxiways and service roads as well as a multi-storey car park until 2020.{{cite web | url=http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/48/projeto-de-expansao.aspx | title=Projeto de Expansão | trans-title=Expansion project | publisher=bh-airport | language=pt | access-date=14 April 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170508060945/http://www.bh-airport.com.br/br/p/48/projeto-de-expansao.aspx | archive-date=8 May 2017 | url-status=dead }}

{{Airport-dest-list

|{{nowrap|Azul Brazilian Airlines}} | Aracaju, Araxá, Barreiras, Belém, Brasília, Campina Grande, Campinas, Carajás, Cuiabá, Curaçao, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Fort Lauderdale, Foz do Iguaçu, Goiânia, Governador Valadares, Guanambi, Ilhéus, Imperatriz, Ipatinga, Jericoacoara, João Pessoa, Maceió, Manaus, Marabá, Montes Claros, Natal, Navegantes, Orlando, Palmas, Patos de Minas, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Porto Velho, Recife, Ribeirão Preto, Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont, Salvador da Bahia, São José do Rio Preto, São Luís, São Paulo–Congonhas, São Paulo–Guarulhos, Sorriso, Teresina, Uberaba, Uberlândia, Una-Comandatuba, Vitória, Vitória da Conquista
Seasonal: Cabo Frio,{{cite web|url=https://www.panrotas.com.br/aviacao/empresas/2025/01/azul-deixa-de-voar-para-12-cidades-a-partir-de-marco-veja-lista_213710.html|title=Azul deixa de voar para 12 cidades a partir de março; veja lista|website=Panrotas|date=24 January 2025|access-date=26 January 2025|language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://veja.abril.com.br/economia/azul-suspende-voos-em-14-cidades-brasileiras-veja-lista|title=Azul suspende voos em 14 cidades brasileiras; veja lista|website=Veja.Abril|date=22 February 2025|access-date=23 February 2025|language=pt}} Caldas Novas, San Carlos de Bariloche (begins 25 June 2025),{{cite web|url=https://passageirodeprimeira.com/azul-anuncia-voos-diretos-para-bariloche-e-mendoza-de-tres-cidades-brasileiras/|title=Azul anuncia voos diretos para Bariloche e Mendoza de três cidades brasileiras|website=Passageiro de Primeira|date=7 February 2025|access-date=7 February 2025|language=pt}} Santarém{{cn|date=February 2025}}

|Azul Conecta | Divinópolis, Linhares, Manhuaçu, Paracatu, Rio de Janeiro–Jacarepaguá, Salinas, Teófilo Otoni, Varginha

|Copa Airlines | Panama City–Tocumen

|{{nowrap|Gol Linhas Aéreas}} | Brasília, Buenos Aires–Aeroparque, Carajás, Porto Seguro, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, Salvador da Bahia, São Paulo–Congonhas, São Paulo–Guarulhos
Seasonal: Fortaleza,{{cn|date=February 2025}} São Luís{{cn|date=February 2025}}

|LATAM Brasil | Brasília, São Paulo–Congonhas, São Paulo–Guarulhos
Seasonal: Fortaleza{{cite web|url=https://aeroin.net/latam-lanca-nova-rota-a-partir-de-congonhas-e-mais-de-1-000-voos-extras-em-julho/|title=LATAM lança nova rota a partir de Congonhas e mais de 1.000 voos extras em julho|website=Aeroin|date=6 March 2025|access-date=6 March 2025|language=pt}}

|LATAM Chile | Santiago de Chile

|Sky Airline | Seasonal: Santiago de Chile{{cn|date=February 2025}}

|TAP Air Portugal | Lisbon

}}

{{Airport-dest-list

|LATAM Cargo Brasil | Campinas, Fortaleza, Miami

|Total Linhas Aéreas | Fortaleza, Salvador, São Paulo-Guarulhos

}}

File:1 - Aeroporto Internacional de BH - Foto Aérea.jpg

File:Tancredo_Neves_International_Airport_2014-11-20_002.JPG

Following is the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Infraero (2007-July 2014) and BH Airport (August 2014-2023) reports:{{cite web|url=http://www.infraero.gov.br/images/stories/Estatistica/anuario/anuario_2011_2.pdf|title=Anuário Estatístico Operacional|website=Infraero|date=12 April 2012|access-date=26 February 2024|language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://transparencia.infraero.gov.br/estatisticas/|title=Estatísticas|website=Infraero|access-date=22 January 2024|language=pt}}

• 15 September 2001: a TAM Airlines Fokker 100 registration PT-MRN operating the charter flight 9755, flying from Recife to Campinas-Viracopos, following an uncontrolled engine failure en route to Campinas had 3 cabin windows shattered by fragments of the engine and made an emergency landing at Belo Horizonte-Confins. One passenger was sucked out partly and held by another passenger until the aircraft landed. The passenger did not survive.{{Cite web | url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20010915-0 | title=Accident description PT-MRN | publisher=Aviation Safety Network | access-date=23 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128221820/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20010915-0 | archive-date=28 January 2012 | url-status=live }}{{Cite web | url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/ult95u37107.shtml | title=Avião da TAM acidentado em Minas havia sido revisado no mês passado | trans-title=TAM plane involved in accident in Minas Gerais had been maintenance-checked in the previous month | publisher=Folha Online | language=pt | date=16 September 2001 | access-date=23 May 2011 | first=Lívia | last=Marra | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165613/http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/ult95u37107.shtml | archive-date=17 October 2012 | url-status=live }}

The airport is located {{convert|44|km|0|abbr=on}} north of downtown Belo Horizonte. It is regularly served by buses, taxis and Executive Airport Shuttle Buses. When using buses, transfer to the Belo Horizonte metro is possible.

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{{Belo Horizonte}}

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Category:Airports in Minas Gerais

Category:Airports established in 1984

Category:Transport in Belo Horizonte