Avianca Announces New Florida to Latin America Routes For 2025

Avianca has announced its intent to expand operations between Florida and Latin America, unveiling plans for four new routes and a new destination: a direct flight between Tampa and Bogotá. The proposed routes are set to begin operations in 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

Expanded Florida-Latin America Connectivity

Avianca aims to strengthen its presence in Florida by introducing routes linking:

• Fort Lauderdale with Medellín and Managua.
• Miami with San José, Costa Rica, and Guatemala City.
• Tampa with Bogotá, marking Tampa’s first direct connection to Latin America in nearly 50 years.

This brings Avianca to 16 routes between Florida and Latin America

With these additions, Avianca’s total direct routes from Florida to Latin America would increase to 16, reinforcing its position as a major operator in the region.

“Avianca recognizes Florida’s historic importance as a gateway to Latin America,” said Avianca CEO Frederico Pedreira. “We aim to enhance opportunities for family reunification, tourism, and business growth. In 2024 alone, we transported over 4 million passengers on more than 27,000 flights between the U.S. and Latin America. These new routes address our customers’ needs for direct connectivity to key destinations.”

Tampa, one of Florida’s largest metropolitan areas, will connect directly to Bogotá. From there, travelers will have access to over 75 destinations across 25 countries in the Americas and Europe. Additionally, domestic connections in Colombia will link travelers to cities such as Medellín, Cartagena, Cali, Quibdó, and Leticia. Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport (TPA), commented, “The Tampa-Bogotá route is significant, offering the first direct connection between TPA and Latin America in decades. This service will benefit business and leisure travelers while providing new opportunities for cultural and commercial exchanges.”

Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia, highlighted the importance of the Tampa-Bogotá connection. “This route strengthens ties between Colombia and the U.S., our largest tourism market, and expands Colombia’s connectivity in Florida, including Miami, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale. Together with Avianca, we continue promoting Colombia as a world-class destination for tourism and commerce.” Avianca plans to conclude 2024 with a network of 165 routes across more than 25 countries, including eight new destinations. This expansion underscores its commitment to increasing connectivity and supporting regional development. The new operations are subject to approval by relevant government authorities, including the Fort Lauderdale-Managua route, which requires permissions under Fifth Freedom rights through San Salvador.