Travelers flying into and out of Buenos Aires are facing a difficult stretch as Argentina’s two key capital-area airports, Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza, EZE) and Jorge Newbery Airfield (Aeroparque, AEP), grapple with a wave of disruptions. Recent operational data and local reporting point to at least 103 delayed flights and 4 cancellations across the network over the past weeks, affecting a roster of major carriers that includes Aerolineas Argentinas, LATAM, American Airlines, Flybondi, Air France, and several regional operators. The disruption has rippled beyond Buenos Aires to major domestic destinations such as Córdoba, Mendoza, and Iguazú, as well as long-haul routes linking Argentina with North America and Europe.
How the Disruptions Unfolded at Ezeiza and Aeroparque
The current bout of irregular operations in Buenos Aires did not come from a single isolated incident. Instead, it reflects a series of difficult days at both Ministro Pistarini and Jorge Newbery airports, where weather, congestion, and knock-on operational issues combined to produce a spike in delays and cancellations. At Ezeiza, Argentina’s primary international gateway, compiled figures for a recent peak disruption day showed 49 delayed flights and 4 cancellations hitting a mix of long haul and regional services. That set the tone for a turbulent period in which crews, aircraft, and passengers were frequently in the wrong place at the wrong time.
At Aeroparque, the city’s centrally located airport that handles a large share of domestic traffic as well as important regional routes, another intense disruption wave saw at least 67 flights delayed and 4 cancelled in a single day. Flybondi and Aerolineas Argentinas were particularly affected, but the operational strain extended to LATAM and Sky Airline among others. Taken together, these episodes account for more than 100 delays and multiple cancellations across Argentina’s busiest air corridors, underscoring how quickly the system can seize up once schedules begin to slip.
The practical effect for travelers has been prolonged waits in crowded terminals, missed connections, and a scramble to rebook itineraries. Airports that usually function as efficient transfer points for journeys across South America have struggled to keep up with the volume of disrupted passengers seeking new routes and solutions. While the total cancellation count has remained relatively contained, the high number of delays has been enough to fuel widespread frustration.
Airlines Under Pressure: From National Flag Carrier to Low Cost and Global Giants
The strain has fallen unevenly across carriers, but few operating in and out of Buenos Aires have emerged untouched. Aerolineas Argentinas, as Argentina’s flag carrier and the dominant player on domestic routes from both Ezeiza and Aeroparque, has borne a significant share of the delay burden. On one notable disruption day at Aeroparque, the airline accumulated dozens of delayed departures and arrivals, affecting flights to popular destinations such as Córdoba, Mendoza, and Puerto Iguazú. Even routes that normally show relatively strong on time performance have been vulnerable once broader systemic delays set in.
Low cost carrier Flybondi has also been at the eye of the storm. With a leaner fleet and tighter aircraft utilization, each delay or technical issue can cascade quickly through its schedule. Reports from Aeroparque highlight Flybondi among the carriers with both cancellations and a high number of delayed flights, intensifying pressure on customer service desks and digital channels as travelers sought rebookings and refunds.
On the international side, major global brands have not been spared. LATAM and American Airlines, both important links between Buenos Aires and hubs such as São Paulo, Santiago, Miami, and Dallas, have seen their schedules snarled on days when Ezeiza’s operations came under particular strain. Long haul carriers such as Air France, which tie Buenos Aires to European gateways, have also faced delays and occasional cancellations when airport congestion, weather complications, or air traffic control restrictions left aircraft queued on the tarmac or awaiting inbound connections.
This mix of legacy, low cost, and long haul operators competing for scarce slots and gate space at two busy airports has magnified the impact on passengers. When one carrier’s inbound aircraft arrives late, it can displace another’s departure, leading to a domino effect that ripples through the daily schedule.
Domestic Routes Hit Hard: Córdoba, Iguazú, Mendoza and Beyond
While headlines often focus on the high profile international disruptions, the sharpest impacts for Argentina residents have been felt on domestic routes. Aeroparque, in particular, is the beating heart of Argentina’s internal air network, linking Buenos Aires with provincial capitals and tourist hotspots. On the worst disruption days, Córdoba, Iguazú, Mendoza, and Salta have all reported elevated numbers of delayed flights connected to Buenos Aires.
Travelers planning weekend getaways to the wine country around Mendoza or the waterfalls at Iguazú have found their itineraries squeezed by last minute schedule changes. In some cases, relatively short flight sectors have seen departure times pushed back repeatedly as carriers waited for aircraft and crew to become available. This has been especially painful for passengers with limited vacation windows, turning what should be a quick domestic hop into a day dominated by airport waiting areas and departure board refreshes.
The disruption has not been confined to one direction. Airports such as Córdoba and Mendoza have also reported delays on flights bound for Buenos Aires, as the broader system imbalance affected aircraft rotations. For business travelers commuting between the capital and regional economic centers, repeated delays have translated into missed meetings, additional hotel nights, and unplanned expenses that go beyond the price of a ticket.
International Connections Disrupted: From Miami and Dallas to Paris and Lima
For international travelers, Buenos Aires is a critical gateway connecting South America with North America, Europe, and the rest of the region. The recent bout of irregular operations has therefore had consequences that reach well beyond Argentina’s borders. At Ezeiza, data from a recent disruption cycle recorded 49 delayed flights and several cancellations involving services to major global hubs such as Miami, Paris, Dallas, and Punta Cana.
Flights operated or codeshared by American Airlines, LATAM, and Aerolineas Argentinas on the busy Miami and Dallas routes have been among those affected. On some days, late arriving aircraft from North America have compressed turnaround times, leading to delayed departures for the return leg. In other cases, congestion and weather in Buenos Aires have forced ground holds, stranding passengers already boarded on aircraft while crews awaited clearance.
Transatlantic services have faced similar challenges. When operations at Ezeiza slow down, widebody aircraft heading to European capitals can be pushed back from departure slots, creating a cascade of missed onward connections for passengers who plan to link from those flights to other points across the continent. For leisure travelers, this can mean lost nights at prebooked hotels, while for business passengers it often results in rescheduled meetings or shortened stays.
Regional connectivity has also been on the line. Flights between Buenos Aires and cities such as Lima and Santiago have at times been delayed or rescheduled as carriers adjusted to aircraft availability and airport constraints. With many travelers using Buenos Aires as a transfer point between the Southern Cone and the rest of South America, disruption in the Argentine capital can reverberate through itineraries that never intended to stay in the country for more than a few hours.
What Is Driving the Wave of Delays and Cancellations
Several overlapping factors help explain why Ezeiza and Aeroparque have experienced such a dense cluster of delays and cancellations over recent weeks. Seasonal demand is one part of the story. As Argentina moves through the Southern Hemisphere summer and peak holiday season, both airports see heavy traffic from domestic holidaymakers, regional tourists, and long haul travelers taking advantage of the travel window. During these high demand periods, even modest weather events or technical issues can have an outsized impact because there is little slack in the system.
Weather is another recurring complication. Summer storms that bring heavy rain, strong winds, or reduced visibility can slow runway operations and force aircraft to hold or divert. When combined with tight scheduling and high runway utilization, the result is often a backlog of departures and arrivals that can take hours to clear. At Aeroparque, the airport’s urban location and relatively constrained layout leave limited room to absorb such shocks without knock on effects.
Operational constraints within airlines and the broader aviation ecosystem also play a role. High aircraft utilization, staffing challenges, and late arriving inbound flights can leave carriers with few options when something goes wrong. If a single aircraft that is scheduled to operate multiple sectors in one day suffers a mechanical issue or severe delay, all subsequent legs can be disrupted. Ground services, from baggage handling to fueling, can similarly become bottlenecks when terminals are crowded and turnaround times are compressed.
Finally, air traffic control capacity and regional congestion can slow traffic flows into and out of Buenos Aires, particularly during peak hours when multiple carriers are attempting to depart within narrow time windows. When these constraints align with heavy demand and weather complications, passengers see the result on departure boards in the form of mounting delays and occasional cancellations.
Practical Advice for Travelers Flying to or from Buenos Aires
For travelers planning journeys through Ezeiza or Aeroparque in the near term, preparation and flexibility are more important than ever. Passengers should build extra time into their itineraries, particularly if they are connecting to onward flights, trains, or buses. Leaving only a short buffer between a domestic flight into Buenos Aires and an international departure increases the risk of missed connections when delays strike. Where possible, booking longer layovers or overnight stops can provide a cushion against the sort of schedule disruptions recently seen in Argentina.
It is also wise to monitor flight status closely in the 24 hours leading up to departure. Most airlines serving Buenos Aires offer mobile apps or messaging services that push updates when departure times change or boarding plans are adjusted. Checking both the airline’s official communication channels and the airport’s departure boards can give travelers an early warning of emerging issues, allowing them to adjust ground transportation, hotel checkouts, or meeting times.
If a delay begins to stretch or a cancellation is announced, passengers should act quickly but calmly. Contacting the airline through multiple channels, including app based customer service, airport desks, and call centers, can improve the odds of securing a suitable rebooking. Travelers with flexible tickets, status in frequent flyer programs, or premium cabin bookings may have access to additional support options in rebooking queues, but even economy passengers can often secure alternative arrangements if they move early.
Travel insurance has become an increasingly valuable tool in these conditions. Policies that cover trip interruption, missed connections, and additional accommodation costs can soften the financial impact of unexpected overnight stays or rebooked flights. Before departure, travelers should review their coverage and ensure they understand what documentation is required to file a claim if delays or cancellations affect their plans.
What This Means for Argentina’s Broader Travel Landscape
The recent series of disruptions has broader implications for Argentina’s tourism and aviation sectors. With the country working to rebuild international visitor numbers and encourage domestic travel, reliability is a critical factor in shaping traveler perceptions. Repeated reports of clogged terminals, long queues, and delayed flights can deter potential visitors who have flexible options within South America or other long haul destinations in mind.
For airlines, the challenges underscore the importance of resilience and contingency planning. Aerolineas Argentinas, LATAM, American Airlines, and other carriers serving Buenos Aires must balance aggressive scheduling and high aircraft utilization with the need to preserve enough flexibility to recover quickly when things go wrong. Investments in fleet reliability, staffing, and digital communication tools that keep passengers informed can go a long way toward limiting the reputational damage associated with operational hiccups.
From an infrastructure perspective, the strain observed at both Ezeiza and Aeroparque reinforces ongoing debates about capacity, modernization, and the optimal distribution of traffic among Argentina’s airports. As travel demand evolves and new routes are added, policymakers and airport operators will face pressure to ensure that the country’s aviation network can handle peak loads without recurrent meltdowns.
For now, travelers should approach trips through Buenos Aires with a degree of caution and a plan for contingencies. While the recent tally of 103 delays and 4 cancellations does not mean the sky is falling on Argentine aviation, it is a timely reminder that even marquee gateways are vulnerable when operational, climatic, and seasonal pressures converge. With prudent planning and realistic expectations, visitors can still enjoy the rich cultural and natural experiences that await beyond the airport terminals, even if getting there requires a little more patience than they had anticipated.