Private aviation in Peru is starting to be seen less as a luxury and more as a business productivity tool, according to ATSA Airlines, part of Grupo Romero. The company says demand is being driven by industries whose projects are often located far from major cities.
Christian Gutierrez, commercial manager at ATSA Airlines, told Gestion that sectors such as hydrocarbons, mining, energy, agroindustry, construction and banking are behind the change. For many companies, moving directors, managers and specialists quickly to remote operations has become a factor that directly affects productivity.
ATSA Airlines estimates the market moves around $15 million a year and could grow by at least 5% annually in the coming years. Gutierrez said no consultancy tracks the market because it remains very small, so the figure is an internal estimate, but he said the company has seen sustained demand in recent years.
Peru still trails more developed markets such as Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Argentina. The company believes there is room to keep growing if private investment and airport infrastructure improvements continue.
Who uses private flights
About 70% of demand now comes from corporate clients and the remaining 30% from the premium or high-net-worth segment, according to the company. Beyond senior executives and business owners, the service is also used by specialists and technical teams who need to move quickly to operations in different regions.
For companies, the main appeal is not comfort but recovered time. Gutierrez said a schedule based on commercial flights can take two or three days to visit different operations, while an executive flight can cover the same route in a single day. That also cuts costs tied to ground transfers, lodging and unproductive hours.
Time is also money, Gutierrez said, noting that the value includes the effective time an executive spends at the operation and the time spent working during the flight. He said the ability to change routes, land at airfields near operations and keep certain trips confidential rounds out the offer.
The premium tourism segment still carries weight. ATSA said these passengers show growing interest in less traditional destinations such as Chachapoyas or the Amazon in search of more exclusive experiences.
Investment sets the pace
Gutierrez said hydrocarbons and mining currently account for the largest share of private flight demand. Agroindustry is the activity accelerating fastest, with annual growth rates of between 15% and 20%, driven by expanding exports and new projects.
Around 90% of ATSA’s executive aviation operations take place within Peru to serve decentralized projects, while the remaining 10% are international flights. Executive mobility grows when projects grow, Gutierrez said, which is why the business is closely tied to private investment.
Infrastructure as the next runway
Gutierrez said one of the main catalysts for the sector would be a specialized terminal for private aviation at the former Jorge Chavez airport. The initiative is being promoted by Lima Airport Partners.
According to ATSA, a commercial flight user usually arrives several hours early, while an exclusive terminal could reduce that process to around 30 minutes. Gutierrez said such a terminal would put Peru on a par with other major regional hubs and strengthen its position as a connection point for executive aviation in South America.
The challenge is not limited to Lima. Gutierrez said many mining, energy and agroindustrial projects sit in areas where airport infrastructure still cannot handle certain aircraft, forcing operators to use smaller planes and reducing some of the efficiency companies seek.
Changing the perception
Gutierrez said one of the biggest obstacles is perception. Many companies still view private flights as spending reserved for large fortunes, when the analysis changes once the cost of time, ground transfers, lodging and lost productivity is included.
An executive flight can cost between $2,100 and $6,500 per hour depending on the route, aircraft and operation, the company said. It argues the comparison should not be made only against a commercial ticket price but against the time and productivity savings.
Some large companies still do not know about the service, Gutierrez said, and part of ATSA’s work is to show that it can be an efficiency tool for certain operations.
Executive aviation represents just 5% of ATSA Airlines’ business, with a fleet of five aircraft. The strategy for the next two years is to consolidate the segment rather than expand the fleet, though the company does not rule out adding a larger aircraft if growth continues as projected.
Competition in Peru remains limited. Gutierrez said the greatest rivalry appears on international flights, where operators from other countries can serve the same routes, while the local market still has few players specialized in executive aviation.
