The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is expanding its cargo services in Brazil, Mexico, and Paraguay, building on strong growth in regional air freight over the past decade, reports an IATA press release.

Cargo tonne kilometres for carriers in Latin America grew an average of 3.3 per cent year-on-year in the 10 years to April 2026, resulting in cumulative growth of 38.8 per cent. This growth has underpinned new developments in Mexico, Paraguay, and Brazil.

In Mexico, CASS Domestic operations began in April 2026, following the launch of CASS Export, which started in 1987. Mexico will be the second country after the US to roll out IATA FlexiPay, enabling real-time billing and flexible payment arrangements.

Mexico's domestic air cargo segment moved more than 125,000 tonnes in 2025, accounting for 15.8 per cent of total tonnage. In early 2026, connectivity strengthened with fast-growing routes including Monterrey-Mexico City (+50.9 per cent), Tijuana-Guadalajara (+36.0 per cent), and Mexico City-Hermosillo (+17.0 per cent).

In Paraguay, CASS Export is scheduled to open in late 2026. The market has seen rapid growth, with more than 42,000 tonnes transported in 2025, up 225.3 per cent year-on-year.

In Brazil, IATA plans to launch CASS Domestic in early 2027, building on CASS Export, which has operated for over two decades. Carriers serving Brazil moved more than 791,000 tonnes in 2025, of which 7.9 per cent was domestic traffic.

Juan Antonio Rodriguez, IATA's Executive Director for Financial Services, BSP & CASS, stated that the industry has long recognized the value of CASS and now trusts IATA to support domestic growth in Brazil and Mexico, as well as an emerging export market in Paraguay.

CASS simplifies billing and settlement between airlines and freight forwarders through CASSLink, a global web-based e-billing solution. In 2025, CASS processed $47.5 billion with a 100 per cent on-time settlement rate. Globally, IATA operates 89 CASS Export, 9 CASS Import, and 2 CASS Domestic operations.