Source: Air Cargo Week
Date: 11th November 2025

Explosive demand for perishables, pharmaceuticals, and biotech cargo is transforming cold chain infrastructure, airfreight capacity, and supply chain strategies across the Americas.

A major transformation is underway in the refrigerated airfreight sector, fuelled by fast-growing demand for temperature-sensitive cargo across the Americas. From flowers, berries, and salmon to vaccines and high-value biotech shipments, cold chain products are moving through air networks at unprecedented volumes. Latin America’s cold chain market is expanding at a remarkable speed, posting growth rates exceeding 20% annually and positioning transportation, particularly airfreight, as the region’s largest and fastest-growing segment.

This growth is anchored by the region’s strong profile in perishables and life sciences. Colombia’s flowers, Chile’s berries and salmon, Brazil’s meats and proteins, and the growing biotech output of Mexico, Brazil, and Puerto Rico all rely on high-precision temperature control from origin to destination. Air cargo demand reflects this trend: recent industry data shows Latin American carriers recording a year-on-year rise in volumes, outpacing declines seen in North America.

However, infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. The regional cold chain network spans more than 36 million cubic metres of refrigerated space across 16 countries, yet demand continues to exceed availability. Power reliability, rural connections, customs inefficiencies, and fragmented regulations create vulnerabilities that can lead to spoilage and higher costs. Airports across Latin America frequently face space constraints and must upgrade handling zones, backup power systems, and pharmaceutical corridors to meet CEIV/GDP standards required for sensitive cargo.

Carriers are responding with aggressive capability upgrades. Several airlines in the Americas have renewed or expanded their CEIV Pharma certifications, strengthening compliance for pharmaceutical shipments. Technology is accelerating this evolution: IoT sensors, predictive dashboards, and real-time alerts now enable immediate detection of temperature deviations, with carriers prepared to reroute or intervene to protect cargo integrity. Many operators are also reconfiguring aircraft to handle mixed temperature zones, improving efficiency without compromising control.

At the same time, major Latin American airports, such as those in Bogotá, Lima, Santiago, Panama City, and São Paulo, are expanding multi-temperature facilities and pharmaceutical-grade infrastructure. Miami continues to serve as the dominant transshipment hub in the region, benefiting from strong maritime-airport linkage and strategic positioning for Latin America and the Caribbean. With trans-Pacific disruptions and tariff pressures persisting, more shippers are pivoting toward Latin America–U.S. trade lanes for perishables and medical cargo, reshaping global cold chain routing patterns.

Shippers moving perishables, pharmaceuticals, and high-value biologics will benefit from expanded capacity, improved airport infrastructure, and enhanced end-to-end temperature control. Enhanced monitoring and certification standards reduce spoilage risks and improve shipment reliability. As the Americas gain prominence as cold chain hubs, shippers also gain access to faster, more diversified routing options.

Importers of temperature-sensitive goods can expect more stable supply chains as upgraded facilities, modern handling systems, and strengthened logistics corridors reduce risk exposure. Improved visibility, CEIV/GDP compliance, and real-time temperature monitoring support better quality assurance and shelf-life predictability. Reduced spoilage and fewer temperature deviations help lower landed costs.

Exporters across Latin America, especially those in perishables and life sciences, stand to gain substantially. Expanded airfreight capacity, new cold storage investments, and upgraded airport infrastructure enhance outbound agility and market reach. Traceability and compliance improvements strengthen trust with international buyers, positioning exporters competitively in North American, European, and Asian markets.