LATAM Cargo to triple warehouse capacity at Bogotá airport
New facility to add 46,414 sq ft of cargo space and increase cold storage capacity by 20%, alongside infrastructure upgrades at three Colombian airports.
LATAM Cargo Group is set to triple its warehouse operational capacity in Bogotá with a new 46,414 sq ft facility at El Dorado International Airport in Colombia. The expansion is part of the company's infrastructure development plan to improve cargo handling capacity and support the country's foreign trade and domestic shipments.
The new warehouse will be built at the eastern annex of the airport's cargo terminal, with direct connectivity between trucks and aircraft to facilitate cargo movement and ramp operations.
The facility will increase LATAM Cargo's cold storage capacity by approximately 20% to support the growth of flower exports. The carrier currently holds a 35% share of Colombia's flower export market.
The company also plans to expand its domestic cargo facilities in Bogotá and establish a dedicated area to handle the growing volume of import cargo.
"This investment is essential to leverage the airline's future growth plans in the Colombian market and represents a renewed vote of confidence by LATAM Group in the country, maintaining a long-term perspective that goes well beyond an economic cycle or a single season," said Santiago Álvarez, CCO of LATAM Cargo Group.
Alongside the Bogotá expansion, LATAM Cargo is upgrading its facilities at San Andrés, Leticia and Pereira airports to strengthen its regional operations.
The improvements include expanding warehouse space, upgrading X-ray screening equipment and introducing new counter technologies to speed up cargo acceptance and drop-off processes.
According to Aerocivil, LATAM accounts for a 46% share of bellyhold cargo handled on passenger flights in Colombia.
The infrastructure expansion comes as LATAM Cargo continues to develop its international cargo network. The company recently announced plans to offer 91 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity on LATAM Airlines Brasil's new São Paulo–Geneva passenger route, scheduled to begin in March 2027.
The service will operate three times a week using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with 55 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity from São Paulo to Geneva and 36 tonnes in the return direction. It will also provide connections for cargo originating in Chile, Peru and Colombia through the São Paulo/Guarulhos hub. The route is expected to support shipments including pharmaceutical products, industrial spare parts and other high-value goods.
LATAM Cargo has also handled specialised cargo operations, including the transportation of two Chevrolet Popemobiles from Brazil to Peru ahead of Pope Leo XIV's visit. The vehicles were carried on a dedicated Boeing 767-300F freighter from Viracopos Airport in Campinas to Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima. The operation involved specialised loading procedures, weight distribution calculations and protective structures to secure the vehicles during transit.
Alongside its physical infrastructure development, LATAM Cargo is pursuing a digital transformation strategy to improve customer experience, optimise assets and integrate its supply chain.
Internationally, the carrier is advancing the implementation of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) ONE Record programme to digitise data exchange with industry stakeholders and customs authorities.
In Colombia, it has introduced artificial intelligence and radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based tracking tools for flower shipments. These are complemented by its CargoLink platform, which allows advance cargo acceptance.
The Bogotá development is part of a wider infrastructure improvement plan that LATAM Cargo Group has initiated across its main operating hubs.
