LATAM Cargo Brasil (legal entity ABSA Aerolinhas Brasileiras S.A.) is a Brazilian international cargo airline with IATA code M3, ICAO code LTG and air waybill prefix 549. It began flying in June 1995 as ABSA Cargo with a DC-8-71F on international cargo, then passed through LAN's acquisition and LATAM Group integration, operating as TAM Cargo and later LATAM Cargo. Its hub is Campinas Viracopos International Airport (VCP), and it links Miami, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and countries across South America with Boeing 767-300F freighters. There is no nonstop cargo service from China to Brazil; Chinese exports connect through these hubs into Brazil, with capacity and schedules confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
The legal entity behind LATAM Cargo Brasil is ABSA Aerolinhas Brasileiras S.A., IATA code M3, ICAO code LTG, air waybill prefix 549. It began flying in June 1995 as ABSA Cargo with a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71F freighter on international sectors, one of Brazil's earlier airlines dedicated to international cargo. In 2001 ABSA Cargo was acquired by Chile's LAN and continued to operate as a Brazilian legal entity. In 2012 LAN and TAM merged to form LATAM Group, the airline operated as TAM Cargo, and in 2016 it took the name LATAM Cargo Brasil within the LATAM Cargo brand.
The airline's hub is Campinas Viracopos International Airport (IATA VCP, ICAO SBKP), with additional handling points including Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). Viracopos sits inland in Sao Paulo state and is one of Brazil's largest international cargo gateways, with customs-supervised warehouses, bonded storage and a full ground handling system; cargo can be distributed by road to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and other economic states. The LATAM Group freighter fleet totals about 21 aircraft, including Boeing 767 freighters and converted airframes, and M3 flies mainly the Boeing 767-300F.
On the international network, M3 cargo routes link Miami (MIA), Frankfurt (FRA, opened 2005), Amsterdam (AMS) and the main economic centres of South America. Miami is the main North American node, Frankfurt and Amsterdam carry long-haul European cargo, and South American points cover major airports in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. The LATAM Cargo brand has a broad belly and freighter network in South America that allows fast regional connections for Brazilian imports and exports.
For Chinese shippers, M3 is one of the freighter options for Chinese exports entering the Brazilian market. There is no nonstop cargo service from China to Brazil, so Chinese exports connect through Miami, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or other hubs and are carried by LATAM Cargo Brasil aircraft to Viracopos or Guarulhos, forming a complete cargo chain from China to South America's largest economy. The airline has no publicly listed scheduled cargo route or office of its own in China, and China business runs through agents; Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) can arrange mainline booking, connections and capacity confirmation toward Brazil.
China and Brazil are major trade partners, and China has long been Brazil's largest source of imports. Chinese exports to Brazil are mainly machinery and electrical products, communications and electronic equipment, vehicles and parts, new energy and photovoltaic equipment, industrial machinery, consumer goods, textiles and apparel. The Viracopos gateway serves Brazil's southeastern industrial belt, which concentrates most of the country's manufacturing and consumer market and is the main destination for Chinese imports. Exporters choose the clearance gateway by destination city; warehousing and distribution around Campinas and Sao Paulo is mature and suits consolidated bulk imports distributed across Brazil.
Brazilian air cargo is structured around international mainline services plus domestic road distribution. Viracopos is inland with mature customs and bonded handling, which suits concentrated handling of heavy and high-value consignments, while Guarulhos sits in greater Sao Paulo with abundant passenger belly capacity and suits time-sensitive loose shipments. Exporters choose the arrival gateway by commodity, weight and transit time, and we set out the handling differences and distribution costs of each gateway at the planning stage. Transatlantic and transpacific mainline capacity tightens in peak season, so connecting capacity at the transit hub has to be secured early.
M3 has no publicly listed scheduled cargo route or office of its own in China, and China business runs mainly through connections: Chinese cargo tranships at Miami, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or other hubs and is carried to Brazil by LATAM Cargo Brasil aircraft. We handle the full connection from Chinese export origin toward Brazil, including mainline booking, handover at the transit point, freighter loading and clearance coordination at destination.
Viracopos International Airport is Brazil's international cargo gateway and carries the bulk of the country's air imports and exports. Cargo from China entering through this gateway can reach Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and the southern markets over the Brazilian road network, completing last-mile distribution.
LATAM Cargo official website: latamcargo.com (plain text domain). The airline's operating base is Campinas Viracopos Airport, cargo is handled by its Brazilian commercial team, and there is no publicly listed cargo office of its own in China, so demand is routed through agents.
Chinese exporters with Brazil-bound cargo needs can have them assessed and handled through us. We deal with the carrier's commercial team and with the ground agents at the Miami, Frankfurt and Viracopos hubs on capacity and handling; requirements can be submitted through our website goodhope86.com and we complete booking, transit tracking and clearance coordination.
The main type in the M3 fleet is the Boeing 767-300F, a twin-engine widebody freighter. Its main deck is built for cargo and takes standard pallets and ULDs; door dimensions and floor load suit heavy consignments, and range covers the medium and long-haul sectors from South America to North America and Europe, making it the main widebody freighter platform in the LATAM Group cargo network. The LATAM Group freighter fleet totals about 21 aircraft, including 767 freighters and converted 767 airframes. The airline flew McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71F aircraft on international cargo in its early years; the type has left service.
| Aircraft type | Positioning | Freight characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 767-300F | Twin-engine widebody freighter, the main type in the M3 fleet | Main deck takes standard PMC pallets and ULDs, cargo door suits heavy consignments, range covers sectors from South America to North America and Europe |
| Boeing 767-300 converted freighter (BCF) | Widebody converted freighter, part of the group freighter fleet | Converted from passenger aircraft, used on South American regional and transatlantic cargo, allocated by group scheduling |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71F (historic) | Early international cargo type | Flew international cargo when ABSA Cargo launched in 1995, now retired |
Chinese export cargo is loaded on the M3 freighter main deck, with loading conditions checked against floor load, door dimensions and main deck volume. Bulk cargo is palletised and special cargo is assessed in advance by size and weight. Capacity toward Brazil is confirmed per shipment, and peak season space should be booked early. [Additional note: the exact number of aircraft in the M3 current fleet is not publicly available and is subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking].
M3 has no publicly listed scheduled cargo route in China. Chinese exports connect with the airline mainly in two parts: mainline carriage from China to Miami, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, then a freighter leg from those hubs to Viracopos or Guarulhos. The mainline leaves from major Chinese gateways and reaches a European or North American hub on an operating international carrier, and the Brazil leg is flown by LATAM Cargo Brasil.
| Connection method | Typical use | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| China–Miami mainline | Consolidated cargo exported from China to Brazil | Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong have dense mainline frequencies to MIA, and M3 freighters connect from Miami to Viracopos and Guarulhos. |
| China to Frankfurt mainline | Transhipment to Brazil via Europe | Freighter and belly capacity from major Chinese gateways to FRA is ample, with LATAM South American sectors connecting at FRA. |
| China to Amsterdam mainline | Combined routing via Europe | AMS is a major European cargo hub, where LATAM South American regional capacity combines into Brazil. |
| Charter and full-aircraft assessment | Full-aircraft charters for bulk or special cargo | Charter feasibility is assessed from the cargo data, then confirmed with the carrier on fleet availability and routing before execution. |
There are no nonstop cargo flights from China to Brazil at present; every shipment transits a third-country hub. The carrier, schedule and rate are confirmed on the day of booking.
Main East China gateway, with dense frequencies via Miami and toward Europe, suited to consolidated shipments of general cargo, heavy cargo and temperature-controlled goods.
A core gateway for South China manufacturing cargo. Machinery and electrical goods, electronics and auto parts move easily, and Shenzhen cargo can be trucked to Hong Kong warehouses for handover.
A complete international cargo network with ample freighter capacity via Miami and toward Europe, suited to consolidated heavy shipments.
North China gateway handling transpacific and transatlantic capacity, suited to local North China cargo.
With Viracopos International Airport as the gateway, Chinese exports reach Brazil through M3 cargo points such as Miami, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. The airline's network links Campinas and Guarulhos with those US and European hubs and, through the LATAM Group, covers Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and other South American countries, so Chinese cargo can connect at whichever hub best matches the mainline schedule.
Weekly frequencies on each route change with the operating plan. [Additional note: no fixed year-round schedule table for M3 is publicly available; actual schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking]. Chinese exporters who need to compare routings into Brazil can ask us for a connection plan based on destination market and cargo characteristics, with the transit time and rate differences of each routing set out.
There is no nonstop cargo service from China to Brazil. The routings below are currently workable options to Viracopos VCP and Guarulhos GRU, arranged by us according to weight, dimensions and transit time; the actual carrier and schedule are confirmed on the day of booking.
| Path | Origin China | Transit hub | Brazil leg carrier | Indicative transit time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Miami | Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong | Miami MIA | LATAM Cargo Brasil M3 | About 7–11 days |
| Via Frankfurt | Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou | Frankfurt FRA | LATAM Cargo Brasil M3 | About 8–12 days |
| Via Amsterdam | Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong | Amsterdam AMS | LATAM South American regional capacity | About 8–12 days |
| Via a South American regional hub | Shanghai and Beijing | Santiago, Lima and others | Connection on a South American regional carrier | About 10-15 days |
Airport to airport transit time is about 7-15 working days, and the full journey including inland pickup in China, export declaration, Brazilian clearance and delivery is usually about 10-18 days. These figures are the public reference range used in the forwarding industry; connections between regions, peak season capacity and customs inspection can all change actual arrival times, and schedules change with the season, subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
For cargo destined beyond southeastern Brazil, we also arrange the inland connection after arrival at Viracopos or Guarulhos, choosing road haulage or a regional flight according to cargo characteristics and transit time requirements, with all milestones tracked.
M3 freighter capacity via Miami runs direct to Brazil and is the first choice for an all-freighter routing. Frankfurt and Amsterdam offer combined European mainline options, and the South American regional hub option suits extension to Chile, Peru and neighbouring markets. We combine options against the shipping date and transit time requirement and explain the trade-offs and rate differences of each routing.
M3 operates to its own plan. [Additional note: no fixed year-round schedule table for the airline is publicly available; times are local, schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking].
M3 sits within the LATAM Cargo brand, whose freighter and belly capacity covers the main South American economies, so Chinese cargo entering through the Brazilian gateway can extend to Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
The Boeing 767-300F widebody freighter offers medium and long-haul bulk capacity and suits consolidated shipments of machinery and electrical products, communications equipment, auto parts and new energy equipment from China to Brazil.
Viracopos is one of Brazil's leading international cargo gateways, with bonded warehousing and full customs handling, and cargo can be distributed across Brazil after arrival.
Capacity within Brazil is confirmed per shipment; we combine mainline, transit and final-leg transport according to the destination market and the cargo profile, so the plan stays flexible and every milestone is controlled.
| Cargo categories | Notes | China export reference |
|---|---|---|
| General cargo | Machinery and electrical products, consumer goods, textiles and apparel and other routine air-eligible cargo | Common export cargo types from China to Brazil, booked and loaded through standard procedures. |
| Heavy cargo in bulk | Auto parts, machinery and metal products, loaded on pallets in the main deck | Bulk shipments are assessed against main-deck freighter capacity and suit consolidated departures. |
| High-value cargo | Precision instruments, telecom equipment and medical devices; reinforced packing can be arranged | High-value cargo is declared per shipment, and we manage the loading and handover process. |
| Dangerous goods | Battery-powered products and chemicals are accepted under IATA dangerous goods rules | Compliant declaration documents are required, and acceptance conditions should be confirmed at the booking stage. |
| Temperature-controlled cargo | Pharmaceuticals and food are carried under temperature-control requirements | Temperature-control conditions are subject to carrier confirmation, so check cold-chain requirements before shipment. |
| Oversize and overweight cargo | Oversize equipment and out-of-gauge cargo are assessed against freighter door size and floor load | Assess loading feasibility in advance against per-piece dimensions and weight. |
Cargo from China to Brazil is mainly machinery and electrical products, communications and electronic equipment, auto parts, new energy equipment and consumer goods. Acceptance standards for each commodity follow the operating carrier's rules; dangerous goods, temperature-controlled cargo and out-of-gauge pieces must be declared at the booking stage.
Bookings that use M3 capacity on the Brazil leg are confirmed shipment by shipment. Once a Chinese exporter gives us the destination market and cargo details, we complete mainline booking, connections and confirmation of Brazil-leg capacity to form a complete shipping plan.
| Step | Content |
|---|---|
| Step one | Give us the commodity, weight, volume, piece dimensions, destination city and transit time required, and we check the freighter loading conditions. |
| Step two | We match a Chinese gateway and transit hub, confirm mainline schedule and rate, and assess freighter capacity on the Brazil leg at the same time. |
| Step three | Cargo moves on the mainline to the MIA, FRA or AMS hub, is handed over in transit and loaded on an M3 freighter to Viracopos, with milestones tracked throughout. |
| Step four | After landing in Brazil, customs clearance is completed, pickup or delivery is arranged, and exceptions and claims are handled. |
Customers do not have to deal separately with the mainline carrier, the transit hub agent, the freighter operator and the customs broker. We coordinate all of these and follow every issue through to resolution.
The mainline rate, freighter leg charges, fuel surcharge, ground handling, documentation fee, customs fees and any storage or inspection charges are itemized so the customer can see where each cost comes from.
Before booking we check each piece against freighter door dimensions, hold volume and floor load, so unworkable options are ruled out early and cargo is not rejected at the warehouse.
For delays, damage, discrepancies between documents and goods, and customs holds in transit, we handle the process under the carrier's rules and the conditions of carriage, so clients do not have to deal with unfamiliar procedures on their own.
The LATAM Group cargo network covers the main South American markets of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. After arrival in Brazil, Chinese cargo can move on group regional capacity to neighbouring countries, giving a distribution plan across several South American countries.
The hub sits inland in Sao Paulo state, away from slot congestion in the coastal metropolitan area, and offers a complete handling chain of customs-supervised warehouse, bonded storage and ground cargo terminal, which suits concentrated handling of heavy and high-value consignments.
The fourth quarter is the South American import peak, when transatlantic and transpacific mainline capacity tightens. Bulk cargo can secure space two to four weeks ahead, and for out-of-gauge heavy pieces we can assess charter feasibility.
No scheduled cargo route or cargo office of its own is publicly listed. Chinese cargo tranships at Miami, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or other hubs and is carried to Brazil by M3 freighters, with arrangements confirmed shipment by shipment.
The main type is the Boeing 767-300F twin-engine widebody freighter. The LATAM Group freighter fleet totals about 21 aircraft, including converted 767 airframes; the DC-8-71F used at launch has been retired, and the number in service is as published by the carrier.
Yes. There is no nonstop cargo service from China to Brazil, so cargo connects through Miami, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or other hubs to Viracopos VCP or Guarulhos GRU, with the connections coordinated by us.
The hub is Campinas Viracopos (VCP), with further handling points including Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU); after arrival cargo is distributed over the Brazilian road network to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other economic centres.
About 7-15 working days airport to airport, usually about 10-18 days door to door. Actual transit time depends on connections, peak season capacity and clearance at destination, and is subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
M3 freighter capacity via Miami runs direct to Brazil and is the first choice for an all-freighter routing; Frankfurt and Amsterdam offer combined European mainline options. The choice depends on the shipping date and transit time requirement.
Standard cargo needs an air waybill, commercial invoice, packing list and export declaration documents. Import declarations for Brazil follow destination customs requirements, and restricted goods need an import licence or compliance certificate.
Oversize and overweight cargo is assessed shipment by shipment against freighter door dimensions, hold volume and floor load; where standard capacity is not enough, a charter is evaluated, with the cargo data deciding.
Cargo transiting Miami is handled under US transhipment rules. We coordinate the transit documents and the connecting capacity, and cargo subject to US inspection requirements should be flagged at the booking stage.
Import duty is paid by the consignee at clearance in Brazil by default. If the shipper is to bear it, a duty-paid delivery term can be agreed at booking and we will help calculate the duty and taxes.
549 is the IATA air waybill prefix of LATAM Cargo Brasil and identifies waybills issued by M3. Waybill numbers for the Brazil leg carried by M3 start with this prefix, which makes shipment tracking and claims enquiries easier.
The airline has no publicly listed office of its own in China; Chinese exporters can work through us, submitting cargo requirements at goodhope86.com, and we handle booking, transit tracking and clearance coordination.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) assesses cargo connections from China to Brazil, covering mainline booking, transit connections and the freighter leg at the end.
Visit goodhope86.com for air freight optionsDisclaimer: prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) to present public cargo information about LATAM Cargo Brasil (ABSA Aerolinhas Brasileiras S.A.). The content is compiled from public sources and is for reference only; it does not constitute a contract of carriage or a commitment. Rights in LATAM, LATAM Cargo and related names, codes and brand marks belong to their owners. We are an independent freight forwarder with no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airline; capacity and rates are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.