Avianca is one of Latin America’s largest airlines, with bases in Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While the airline already has an extensive route network to North America, the carrier has just revealed a significant expansion.
Continue reading: Avianca Expands Internationally With New US Routes
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
The Quito/Guayaquil routes are nice additions, but anyone going to the Galapagos should book the LATAM flight 10/10 times. More frequencies and WAY more reliable.
There are some really interesting additions though. I like the NY-Cali route - that's a city I've had friends visit and loved (and no, not for THAT reason). Flights to Colombia are so cheap, I'd imagine these will be as well.
"Avianca describes Orlando as “the main tourist destination in the United States,” lol"
I'm not a fan of Orlando, but it does constantly vie with NYC for the most visited US destination. The two generally flip-flop depending on how you define a visitor, but it is arguably the number one US destination.
In case of Quito - New York this route had been previously served by TAME, which went out of business. TAME used an a A330 and Avianca will use A320, so I guess this is the adequate capacity.
Glad to see them adding routes out of SJO, which was a hub for TACA (which Avianca bought about 10 years ago) and which was the headquarters of predecessor airline LACSA (some TACA flights still had LACSA codes). Since then, Avianca has deemphasized San Jose to the point where it wasn't even a focus city. What was once the number 1 airline from SJO was handily beaten by Copa and others. It's good that they are trying to get back into that market, which is actually a decent Central American business market - and that kind of travel involves bouncing between other Latin American cities such as MGA, GUA, SAL, PTY, etc.
Another website based overseas stated "Avianca is currently in the process of densifying its narrowbody Airbus A320 fleet. It will increase by approximately 24% its seating capacity per aircraft." A 24% densification? That sounds miserable if it's true. As it is, they have some pretty long routes in A320 series aircraft (and the older models, not a A321XL or anything like that).
If you're looking for a cheap Hilton points redemption, the Bucaramanga Hampton Inn is 5,000 points/night. I stayed there for a couple of nights en route to Girón, a quaint colonial city.
Just having returned from Medellín (great, btw), it would be nice to have a shorter one connection option back to SFO besides S Florida. Competition is good!
LAN Peru used to fly SFO - LIM but that stopped probably 7-8 years ago and we haven't had direct South American flights since.
You could one stop from MDE via MEX on AM but that will involve Mexican immigration and a redeye on a 737. Still might be preferable to backtracking through MIA.
I think Avianca needs desperately to take care of it's internal problems before considering expanding, their customer service SUCKS, it's literally impossible to speak to a real person from the US, they direct you to a virtual one on wassap and after many times I was able to do it at 3:30 am, this was to change a fight which I canceled due to covid. The flight experience was even worst. I flew first class and it was an experience I don't want to ever have again
I can see why they are going bankrupt. I really hope Taca Airlines buys back their share. This Airline is a nightmare. Buyer beware!
What Avianca needs is a new routing planning department, they have closed routes which were a backbone on their Central American operations, connectivity through San Salvador it's at a historical minimum, getting to Colombia or North America from Guatemala or Honduras, well, fly Copa, Avianca it's a no flight carrier...
Avianca has been pushed by UA management to compete against AA that came strong to fulfill the point-to-point destinations in Colombia. They also competing low-cost carriers like Spirit, Viva Air, GCA and Wingo that are being succesful at CLO airport.
Avianca is a company that started the service in 1919 in Barranquilla, Colombia and today I don't see any destination to this city!!! Or if any person wants to travel via Avianca from New York to Barranquilla... have stop to Bogotá first... that's ridiculous for me!!!
Fly JetBlue nonstop to Cartagena and make the short drive to Barranquilla. Much more straightforward than connecting!