New João Pessoa Airport

A new airport on the other side of the Paraíba River, located just 5 km from Bessa Beach and 4 km from Jacaré Beach

Ever since I saw the beginning of the new bridge being built in João Pessoa, I immediately envisioned a situation that we have already lost in Natal: a pleasant little airport to travel from—close by, easy, and practical. Just by opening the map, everything became clear at once. Here is my vision:

The new airport would be much closer to the main flow of passengers, right next to the hotel zone. Tourists—one of the main sources of airport traffic—would feel as if they were landing practically at the doorstep of their hotel or inn. In addition, the area naturally connects with the neighborhoods of João Pessoa that generate the most travelers, reducing transportation costs and minimizing the stress of traffic. I should emphasize that I am referring here to the average mass of travelers. Of course, there will be cases where some people face longer commutes, but for the majority, both distance and travel time will be considerably reduced.

These factors act as a strong stimulus for increased traffic at the terminal. As is well known, greater passenger flow has a positive impact on the cost-sharing factor of air travel, allowing airlines to schedule flights more efficiently. This reduces operational costs and, at a certain point, may even lead one or more airlines to lower fares in order to capture more market share. This new dynamic favors lower ticket prices with sustainable margins, since better flight occupancy, combined with reduced logistical costs between the airport and the final destination, translates into an additional incentive for travel.

Viability is born with the bridge

It may come as a surprise to many to realize that, on the other side of the Paraíba River, there are virtually no urban areas. On one side lies the vast city of João Pessoa; on the other, almost nothing. The river has long functioned as a true barrier.

The feasibility of building a new airport in that area—so close, with vast tracts of open land where sugarcane fields now dominate—only becomes real because of one decisive factor: the bridge. Until now, the region was not effectively “nearby,” but it will be once the construction is completed. The bridge will mark a turning point in overcoming distances for the city and the entire metropolitan area.

It is difficult to calculate how much those lands will appreciate in value and become highly sought after for new developments. At first, they may host semi-rural style condominiums, but it is likely that, in a short time, the area will be overtaken by numerous upscale horizontal condominiums. Many small rural landowners could, in fact, see their lives change dramatically with this appreciation.

João Pessoa’s Position

João Pessoa today faces an intermediate situation. The “Jampa” airport is farther away than Natal’s old Augusto Severo route but still closer than Natal’s Aluízio Alves. The problem is that it lacks comparable quality infrastructure, lagging behind both of them. And this is happening just as the Paraíba capital is experiencing a real estate and population boom.

The New Bridge as an Express Route

João Pessoa is currently building a new bridge, an infrastructure leap that will allow faster and relatively less congested flows between the city’s main passenger-generating area and an express exit from the urban sprawl. This new link opens the possibility of quickly reaching expressways leading both to expansion zones and to BR-101 itself.

This brings two important possibilities. The first is to make the route to the current airport more practical, functioning as a kind of beltway: even if farther, the expressway could avoid the city’s internal traffic, which today compromises the trip. The concern, however, should be to avoid repeating Natal’s mistake, where sparsely inhabited stretches of the airport access route turned into insecurity hotspots.

The second possibility is more strategic: the new bridge could prepare the ground for relocating the airport to an area closer to this exit, just outside the urban sprawl. This would simultaneously ensure greater proximity for passengers and enable the construction of a modern terminal, capable of meeting not only current demand but also future growth projections.

The project will open a new region, with potential for the creation of additional express routes after the bridge, and this could be the key to transforming local mobility. An airport requires fast access to the main passenger-generating areas, and in João Pessoa’s case, that region is the coastline and its satellite neighborhoods. If the trip between the airport and the hotel zone is quick, safe, and direct, the impact could be decisive for both tourists and locals. Visitors who know they can get to their hotel within minutes of landing will certainly find that more appealing. Likewise, frequent travelers would suffer less from long, congested commutes. For now, though, João Pessoa’s airport does not have the structure the city deserves.

Estimated route and travel time between the current airport and Manaíra Beach, a sample path for tourists heading to one of the main urban beaches:

• Approx. 23 kilometers with an estimated 34-minute duration

Currently, there is no new airport project. What follows here are only simulations of a possible terminal in an area now used mainly for sugarcane cultivation.

Natal Reacts

Recently, Natal modernized its Master Plan, opening the way to compete on more balanced terms with João Pessoa. However, questions remain about how new tax strategies in Brazil, fees and taxes on rentals and real estate transactions, will impact the market. If they become too burdensome, recovery could be compromised.

It is also important to note that Rio Grande do Norte carries the stigma of “construction insecurity”: investors frequently report difficulties in approving or executing projects that would be welcomed in other states. The impression, many times, is that there is even deliberate resistance to economic-impact ventures of any scale. If this perception doesn’t change, then even with urban adjustments, Natal may remain at a disadvantage compared to João Pessoa’s dynamism.

The Transition

In 2014, during the World Cup, the transition between airports took place: Augusto Severo ceased operations, and the city began relying on Aluízio Alves Airport, farther away and with more complicated access. Coincidentally, or not, this was when the “problems” began to show up across various passenger flow and economic performance indicators linked to tourism. It is true that here and there some growth is noticeable, but nothing comparable to the upward curve that existed before the change.

What had once been a fast and cheap route became tiring, congested, and expensive. The result was immediate: passengers were less willing to face the longer commute, perceptions of comfort dropped, and consequently, flights decreased. With emptier planes, market logic made tickets more expensive—“fewer flights = higher fares”—to keep the routes viable.

While Natal was stifled for decades by a Master Plan that prevented verticalization, driving up land prices and limiting real estate potential, João Pessoa took advantage of the opportunity. The capital that could have gone to Natal found a friendlier and more profitable environment in João Pessoa. Today, “Jampa” has not only closed the gap but surpassed Natal in population: once it had 100,000 fewer residents, now it has 100,000 more.

This growth only reinforces how much a new airport, in a better location, could unlock even more economic potential for the city. The irony is that while the airport relocation was negative for Natal, in João Pessoa it could actually be positive.

The strong temptation to invest there

Brazil faces significant limitations when it comes to investment. On one hand, the government operates under budgetary constraints and bureaucratic barriers; on the other, the private sector often hesitates to make bold moves due to legal uncertainty, which can turn opportunities into serious risks. Those who dare to invest heavily in the country risk being penalized by unstable rules, shifting interpretations, or unexpected taxes.

Even so, vast new frontiers remain open. The new bridge connection in João Pessoa is a concrete example: on the far side, a strong hub of real estate appreciation could emerge, driven by fast access to the city. This growth corridor could create opportunities beyond the traditional domestic and international aviation networks.

It is reasonable to envision private investment in local aerodromes inspired by successful models elsewhere in Brazil. One such example is the São Paulo Catarina International Executive Airport, which showcased the potential of a market once overlooked: high-income business jets operating out of smaller, specialized airports.

Although there is a clear difference between São Paulo’s economic scale and João Pessoa’s reality, nothing prevents the adoption of the same philosophy, provided it is properly scaled. An executive aerodrome, combined with a new real estate corridor enabled by the bridge, could propel João Pessoa to a new level of economic development, blending tourism, business, and real estate investment into a single integrated strategy.

However, careful attention is essential: without proper oversight and support, there is a risk that part of the local population may be taken advantage of in unequal negotiations. It is the responsibility of the social sectors of public authorities to ensure guidance and assistance, so that this process does not turn into exclusion but rather into real economic growth, including for the most modest residents—who may have the opportunity to achieve significant gains from rising property values.

Below are the average travel times and distances between the current airport and the hotel district—the main hub of passenger demand—as well as the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods and its urban beaches.