Chilean carrier LAN, one of Latin America's biggest air carriers, said Monday its passenger traffic rose 17.6 percent in January, compared with the same month a year earlier.

Cargo traffic rose 25.5 percent in the same period, LAN added, citing a recovery in import and export markets in Latin America as well as operations in Europe.

International passenger traffic rose 20.6 percent during the month from a year ago. Domestic passenger traffic in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, rose 10.9 percent.

LAN accounts for more than one half of Chile's international passenger traffic and nearly three quarters of its domestic traffic.