The third-quarter EBITDAR represents a 15.5% year-over-year increase from the $356 million USD reported in Q3 2024. Total operating revenues reached $1,509 million USD, marking a 12.8% increase compared to the $1,338 million USD recorded in the same period of the prior year. Total operating costs increased by 13.3% year-over-year, settling at $1,290 million USD. Net income for the quarter was $101 million USD, an improvement from $72 million USD in Q3 2024.

Operational and Capacity Metrics

Capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), reached 18,284 million, denoting a 6.8% increase compared to Q3 2024. This growth was attributed primarily to a 6.2% year-over-year increase in Stage Length. Passenger departures increased 1.0% year-over-year. The company transported 9.7 million passengers, consistent with the volume in the comparable period of 2024. The network encompassed 169 routes serving 83 destinations across 28 countries. Subsequent to the quarter’s close, Avianca introduced three new international routes, which included Belém (Brazil) and Monterrey (Mexico).

Cost performance for the quarter indicated a reduction in overall per-unit costs. Total Passenger CASK (Cost per Available Seat Kilometer) was 5.7 cents, a 1.9% decrease relative to Q3 2024. This decline was largely driven by Passenger Fuel CASK, which decreased 9.9% to 1.7 cents, resulting from lower fuel prices and increased fuel efficiency. Passenger CASK excluding fuel increased 2.1% year-over-year to 3.9 cents.

Balance Sheet and Credit Rating Actions

As of September 30, 2025, Avianca reported liquidity totaling $1,361 million USD, which represented 24.2% of last-twelve-month revenue. This total includes a cash balance of $1,161 million USD and $200 million USD available through an undrawn Revolving Credit Facility. The Net Debt to last-twelve-month EBITDAR ratio improved sequentially to 2.8x from 2.9x reported on June 30, 2025.

Rating agencies Moody’s and Fitch  upgraded Avianca’s credit ratings to B1 and B+ respectively. Both rating actions were assigned a stable outlook.

Business Unit Performance and Network Development

The cargo division, Avianca Cargo, recorded $157 million USD in revenue during Q3 2025, representing a 14.1% year-over-year increase. The operating freighter fleet currently consists of nine Airbus A330s, following the integration of two additional P2F aircraft during the quarter.

The loyalty program, LifeMiles, reported a 72% year-over-year increase in Q3 2025 Third-Party Cash EBITDA, reaching $77 million USD.

In network strategy, AGIL expanded its Business Class service to 54 additional routes from key operational centers including Bogotá (Colombia), Medellín (Colombia), San Salvador (El Salvador), Quito, and Guayaquil (Ecuador). The company’s passenger operating fleet totaled 161 aircraft as of September 2025, including 134 Airbus A320 family aircraft, 15 Boeing 787s, and 12 Airbus A330s.

Avianca is a member of Star Alliance  and is part of the Abra Group. The Abra Group also controls Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.   and holds a strategic investment in Wamos Air .

Above photo: Avianca A330F cargo jet (photo courtesy Avianca)

As of December 1, Avianca reported that specialized technicians had completed the software update on approximately 90% of the affected aircraft. The remaining planes are currently undergoing modification, a process facilitated by the accelerated import of the necessary software from France by the manufacturer, Airbus. The airline is collaborating with civil aviation authorities and the manufacturer to fully restore operations promptly.

The disruption, which began after Airbus issued an “Alert Operators Transmission” on November 28, required affected aircraft to remain on the ground until modifications were implemented. The issue was discovered after an investigation into an incident involving a JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) A320 flight on October 30, where the aircraft experienced a sudden dive in altitude while flying from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey. Airbus stated that the software fix was required because intense solar storms, such as solar flares, could corrupt data critical to the fly-by-wire flight controls of the A320 series planes (A319, A320, and A321s).

The mandate from the manufacturer affects a majority of Avianca’s fleet, impacting over 70% of its aircraft when the order was issued. Globally, approximately 6,000 of the best-selling single-aisle planes required the software repair. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an airworthiness directive requiring airlines to complete the repairs before returning the planes to passenger service.

Operational Impact and Customer Rerouting

Avianca stated that the required grounding of aircraft has so far impacted 233 flights and affected 35,708 passengers, with 29,881 of those passengers traveling within Colombia.

Due to the rapid pace of the required work, the airline has re-opened sales for flights scheduled to operate from December 5, earlier than the original December 8 cutoff date. Prior to this, Avianca had initially closed sales for travel dates up to, and including, December 8, to prevent further impact and allow the company to reallocate existing passengers onto available flights.

To manage the disruption, Avianca implemented a comprehensive customer support plan, which included:

• Rerouting: Affected customers were protected through immediate re-accommodation on available Avianca flights or on flights operated by other airlines with which the company maintains commercial agreements.
• Refunds and Rebooking: Passengers whose plans could not be accommodated were offered a refund for unused flight segments. The airline also offered passengers the option to reschedule their flights up to 180 days after the original flight date without incurring a penalty or fare difference.
• Support Services: The airline increased staff presence at airports, with over 50 additional personnel deployed at Bogotá’s El Dorado international airport, to provide assistance, particularly for elderly passengers, those traveling with children, or those with disabilities.
• Capacity Expansion: The contact center and refund processing teams increased capacity to manage the higher volume of inquiries and expedite reimbursements. New communication channels, including WhatsApp, were established to inform clients of irregularities and offer travel alternatives.

Avianca noted that the efforts of its staff, particularly its base of over 2,500 technicians, remain focused on fully restoring the operation. For most aircraft, the required modification involves a simple reversion to previous software, a process Airbus estimated could be completed in approximately two hours for the majority of the global fleet. However, around 900 older A320 aircraft globally require a more complex fix involving the manual installation of new hardware.

The group has secured agreements for up to seven Airbus A330neo aircraft. These aircraft are intended to support the international expansion strategy for the group’s member airlines, facilitating medium and long-haul operations. The A330neo features a 14% reduction in fuel consumption per seat compared to the A330ceo model and generates an approximate 60% reduction in airport noise pollution, according to manufacturer specifications. This order supplements a previous 2024 order with Airbus (EPA: AIR, OTC: EADSY) for five A350-900 aircraft, which are scheduled for integration into the fleet in the coming years.

In the narrow-body segment, Grupo Abra exercised 50 options for the Airbus A320neo. This action increases the total commitment for the model to 138 units scheduled for delivery through 2032. The narrow-body order book consists of the 138 A320neo aircraft combined with 96 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which are scheduled for delivery through 2030. The total commitment comprises 234 narrow-body aircraft. Boeing (NYSE: BA) is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The initial A320neo aircraft from the new commitments, which will feature the Airbus Airspace cabin, is scheduled for delivery to Avianca by the end of 2025. This model will incorporate XL stowage compartments, which offer up to 60% more space than current configurations, and dynamic LED lighting. Additionally, these aircraft are specified to be equipped with three rows of premium seats, arranged in a two-by-side format, which was developed by Recaro specifically for the airline.

Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Grupo Abra, commented that the announcement confirms the group’s investment alignment with its objective to increase air travel accessibility and to position itself as a competitive air transport group in Latin America. He stated that the incremental A320neo order addresses both replacement and growth requirements for the current narrow-body fleet.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, executive vice president of sales at Airbus Commercial Aircraft, noted that the selection of the A350, A330neo, and A320neo models reinforced the strategic relationship with Grupo Abra. He highlighted the A350’s performance in long-haul operations and characterized the A330neo as a new-generation complement to the Group’s existing A330 operations.

Headline Photo: Adrian Neuhauser. Avianca CEO. Photo credit: ALN/YouTube.

The main aviation industry event in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held under the theme “The Connectivity Frontier: Exploring New Opportunities in the Region”. The agenda highlights the importance of collaboration between the aviation industry and government agencies, with a specific focus on improving regional connectivity and competitiveness. Specific topics include travel and tourism, technology and innovation, operations, sustainability, and distribution.

Frederico Pedreira, CEO and President of Avianca, and Peter Cerdá, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas, will participate in the event along with other prominent CEOs of airlines from the region, including:

• Roberto Alvo – CEO, LATAM Airlines Group
• Pedro Heilbron – CEO, Copa Airlines
• Estuardo Ortiz – CEO, JetSMART Airlines
• Adrian Neuhauser – CEO, Abra Group
• Erika Zárate Bahamón – CEO, LATAM Airlines Colombia

In line with the conference’s goal of developing solutions along the aviation value chain, the list of speakers is also composed of representatives of various industry stakeholders, such as:

• Arturo Barreira – President, Airbus Latin America and the Caribbean
• Natalia Bayona – Executive Director, UN Tourism
• Ricardo Bernardi – Partner, Bernardi & Schnapp
• Carolina Betancourt- SAF Project Director, BioD S
• Rafael Echevarne – Director General, ACI-LAC
• Natalí Leal – General Manager, OPAIN
• Victoria Platt – Vice President, Airline Strategy and Transformation, SITA
• Roberto Roselli – CEO, Plus Ultra
• Harris Whitbeck – Minister of Tourism, Republic of Guatemala

The aviation industry plays a key role in the economic and social development of all of Latin America and the Caribbean. The sector supports more than 8.3 million jobs and generates an economic contribution of about $240 billion USD to GDP (2023). Estimates indicate that these figures will almost double by 2043, reaching 15 million jobs and a contribution of $500 billion USD to GDP.

Bogotá was selected to host this event due to the growing relevance of the Colombian air market. In 2023, the air transport value chain contributed $15.5 billion USD to GDP, representing 4.3% of Colombia’s total GDP, in addition to generating 921,000 jobs.

Photo credit: IATA.

Finance Colombia was present during Vitrina Turistica 2025, the huge travel industry trade show put on in Bogotá by ANATO, the travel industry trade organization. During a presentation given by JetSmart executives outlining the airline’s growth and plans for Colombia, Finance Colombia Executive Editor Loren Moss was able to ask a few questions of  Chief Commercial Officer Victor Mejia. Colombia Country Manager Mario Garcia was also on hand. By clicking above, the reader can hear the original interview in Spanish.

Finance Colombia: Victor, very kind of you. Thank you for weighing in on this. My question is, I saw that when purchasing my ticket to fly here, I could now put my American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program number into my JetSmart reservation. How has that reception been? And taking into account your alliance with American Airlines since you are growing internationally, can you grow to North America and more destinations in the Caribbean? Or would the strategy be to leave that to your partners and connect through them?

Victor Mejia: No, thank you for the question. Look, the truth is that to offer AAdvantage, AAdvantage miles for all JetSMART travelers so that they can accumulate them by buying tickets and continue flying with us, and then use their miles to redeem all the options that American Airlines has to visit in the world, it is a great benefit. We are very proud of being able to share and offer it to our travelers. So, we invite everyone to enter their AAdvantage number every time they buy a ticket on JetSMART, so they can receive the benefits of flying.

We will continue to expand our airline, mainly in Colombia; like the news we just saw, our Cali-San Andres flight. And we will continue to look for the opportunity to bring in air connectivity. American Airlines is our partner, we are there supporting each other through code share flights, and we will be bringing that to Colombia in the future. So no, definitely the options to provide international connectivity, either directly or through our alliance with American Airlines, will continue to be there.

Finance Colombia: And the importance of having Indigo Partners as an investor?

Victor Mejia: Yes well, Indigo Partners is our airline’s founding partner, they have more than 20 years of experience with the low-cost model around the world, and they are very tied to and very involved with the airline. We work hand in hand in all the management with Indigo. They also help us view the global perspective of aviation. And in the part of fleet acquisitions, which is why we can have the newest fleet in South America, we were recently recognized for that again, and continue to receive brand-new aircraft from the factory, Airbus A320 and A321. Those are some of the strengths of belonging to the Indigo Partners group.

JetSMART discusses the airline’s growth in Colombia

Ana: JetSMART’s commitment to connectivity and tourism in Colombia is undeniable. We are in this 44th edition of the ANATO Vitrina Turística 2025, which is the most important event of the sector in the country, and the best venue to deliver great news. Since it arrived in Colombia in March of last year, JetSMART has revolutionized the way Colombians travel, Smart model, with its ultra-low-cost model, where passengers pay only for what they need. Connecting more cities, facilitating access to flights through very low fares. Today it continues to expand its presence in the country, giving more Colombians the opportunity to fly in an affordable, efficient way and with the most modern fleet in South America, the youngest.

Today we will share with all of you the airline’s progress in Colombia, we will do a presentation, and so I invite Victor Mejia, JetSMART’s Chief Commercial Officer to provide all this information. So of course once again, we welcome Victor. Go ahead.

“And we have been serving the Colombian market since March of 2024. Yes, we have six international routes from Colombia.” – Victor Mejia

Victor Mejia: Thank you, Ana. Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be here again at Anato, sharing with you -there are some familiar faces from last year as well- the JetSMART news. This year we are also bringing good news, and we wanted to take advantage of the Vitrina Turística de Anato, what better place to do it, than to tell you how we did in this first year of operation? But also to bring good news, so I hope it will be to everyone’s liking. For those of you who we haven’t had the pleasure of knowing, or have not had the opportunity to get to know JetSMART, let me tell you a little bit about our airline.

JetSMART is owned by the Indigo Partners investment fund, a private investment fund based in Phoenix, Arizona, which has airlines all over the world in the ultra-low-cost model. One of these airlines, which may be familiar to you, is Volaris in Mexico, which is the number 1 or 2 airline in Mexico. You also have Frontier in the United States, there is also the Wizz Air airline in Europe, and Cebu Pacific in the Philippines, and for South America we took on the task of founding JetSMART, in 2016. The company started flying in July 2017, and since then we have been serving different countries in Latin America. And now we are going to tell you a little bit about how we’ve been expanding. So a bit like I was saying before, with the Indigo Partners group that has more than 20 years of experience in ultra-low-cost airlines around the world.

Also our mission; well we came here because we want to connect 100 million people. So far we are already 35, we are getting there, moving forward in the middle of a pandemic also, which was challenging for the whole sector, for all sectors I think. But well, for the aviation sector, it was especially challenging. But we are on that path, and as part of that path, we have opened operations in different countries in South America with our Smart model. It is an ultra-low-cost model that has been the fastest growing in the world in recent years; in Europe, it is already very mature, and in the United States as well. In South America, we have already been in different countries for several years with the low-cost model, which is very well known in Colombia.

There were important changes in the sector, we saw the opportunity, and that is why we are here, to serve by bringing back the low-cost model to Colombia. Our models, new airplanes, we are going to talk a little bit more about that. Our prices, as well, are low, so that people can travel a lot, can select what they want to customize in their trip, and what they want to pay for. Because the ticket they are going to buy with JetSMART, the lowest fare possible, is going to allow them to travel from point A to point B, and the passenger can customize their trip, choosing if they want luggage if they want a specific seat. It is a model that is a bit more transparent as well, that allows the passenger to not pay for what they do not need.

In our strategy, we also try to have routes, what we call Smart routes, which are routes that do not necessarily go to the big hubs that exist in the different countries, but that connect point-to-point cities that need air transportation, and that are not being served. So we have been adding routes between cities that did not normally have an air connectivity service. As for our fleet, well, in the year 2028, we will be reaching 124 aircraft. We currently have 44 aircraft in operation. The request was made in a historic aircraft order that we have made hand in hand with Indigo Partners and the other airlines of the group. They are already committed, they are already signed and purchased, so it is the most prominent aircraft reception process we have, and in permanent growth.

We have aircraft of the Airbus A320 and A321 family. Of A320 we have the A320neo fleet, and of A321 also neo, which is the most efficient aircraft available to date. We are the first operator in South America to have this type of aircraft. The interior of our aircraft they are brand new, they are efficient, with E-Leather seat technology, which is very comfortable and light. Part of our model is to be very cost-efficient to translate that cost-efficiency into pricing for consumers. We are committed to sustainability; our aircraft represent the diversity of the region; each aircraft has its own identity, an animal from the different countries where we operate. We work with different environmental conservation entities in different countries, and we are bringing that identity to the tails of the airplanes.

We are very proud to share with you a piece of news, a scoop from a couple of days ago, and that is that once again Ch-Aviation, which is an aviation institute that evaluates all the fleets around the world, has recognized and verified that we have the newest airplane fleet in South America, once again for the year 2025. This is a product of the fact that, as I shared with you before, we are constantly receiving new aircraft from the Airbus factory, so this is going to be something that we believe we will be maintaining for some time because these aircraft will continue to arrive every year.

Also one of our partners, a minority shareholder of the company but also a commercial ally, is American Airlines. We have a very broad commercial alliance that involves code-share flights, which we do not have in Colombia yet, but they will come and we will be sharing them with you as soon as they do. But we do have them in other countries in South America. Also, the frequent flyer program, AAdvantage, in which today, AAdvantage frequent flyer program members can earn miles when they buy tickets on JetSMART, and fly with JetSMART. And you can redeem those miles in America and fly all over the world. So it’s a very, very important partner.

As I was sharing with you, in 2017 we started flying, and we took on the task of bringing air connectivity to all of South America. Currently, we serve South America with 81 routes, we serve 8 countries, and we have domestic operations in 4 countries. The first one we started in Chile in 2017, later we went to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and we have served the entire Argentine domestic since 2019. Later in the pandemic, since we were all cooped up at home, we got creative and decided to open in Peru, so we started operating in Peru. And last year, finally, with great pleasure for many of us who have a past linked to Colombia, we arrived in Colombia.

And we have been serving the Colombian market since March of 2024. Yes, we have six international routes from Colombia. And for this, we are going to talk a little bit more about our arrival in Colombia and how we have been doing so far, what we have been up to this last year, so I want to pass the floor to Mario Garcia, our Country Manager here at JetSMART in Colombia. So, Mario, the microphone is yours.

Mario Garcia: Good morning. I’m very pleased to be here and with a full house. I would like to tell you a bit, after what Victor explained to us, about what has been done throughout South America, and what we have done in Colombia. In Colombia, out of those 44 airplanes, we have 8 airplanes operating, 320, and we have these six international routes. We connect Cartagena, Medellín, Cali, Bogotá, with Santiago, Lima and Antofagasta. It has been a very fluid and year-round operation. And now to talk a bit about domestic flights. We started operating on March 14 of last year, and we already have, with what we are going to announce now, 19 domestic routes; we serve 10 cities; last year we flew two and a half million people; we had close to 14,000 operations; 14,000 take-offs in 9 months.

That incorporation of airplanes was practically one airplane per month, a very accelerated growth, and in order to bring airplanes and air travel closer to Colombia. Today we have one of the highest per capita flight averages in the region; 0.8 flights per person, and we want to be a support for more Colombians to fly and get closer to airplanes. Since we have been flying, 38% of passengers have flown in a plane for the first time with us.

On connectivity with the San Andrés Archipelago

Audience member: I would also like to ask you, we know that yesterday you met with (San Andrés & {Profidencia) Governor Nicolas Gallardo. What other things could you anticipate for us (from the San Andrés Archipelago)? What other, let’s say, destinations are also being explored to connect San Andres, both nationally and internationally? Thank you.

Victor Mejia: Thank you for your questions. We are very pleased with the performance of this Medellín -San Andres route. We had a very good reception from the public, not only in Medellín, but we also made international connectivity. The idea is that both from Medellín and from the new route we are announcing now, Cali-San Andres, there will be international connectivity. To Cali, we fly Santiago-Cali and Antofagasta-Cali. We are the only ones flying those direct flights to the city of Cali, and the idea is to also use this as a connection point to the San Andres island. Our purpose for the time being is to continue gathering more opportunities.

Hopefully, we can turn these four frequencies into more, if we have the reception we expect from the public, and through that, we can make the flight to the island from different points more viable. So let’s continue working hand in hand, it is truly a pleasure to receive the support of both the local media and the government, and with all the actors and tour operators of the island. We will be bringing you international connectivity through the two points of  Medellín and Cali.

Flights to Arauca, via Santiago Pérez Quiroz Airport, will run four times weekly, while connections to Quibdó, via El Caraño Airport, will operate three times per week. These routes aim to strengthen regional connectivity, and Avianca’s CEO, Frederico Pedreira, highlighted the airline’s intent to support regions needing robust transportation access. This expansion adds to Avianca’s 40 domestic routes, making it one of only a few air carriers with year-round service to various regions, from San Andrés to Leticia.

Aligned with Avianca’s social strategy, the new routes facilitate access to essential services, including healthcare. Through partnerships, Avianca supports social organizations in delivering medical and humanitarian aid to remote areas, benefiting vulnerable communities in places like Chocó and Arauca.

Flight schedules for these routes are subject to government approval, and tickets are available via Avianca’s website, mobile app, sales points, and travel agencies.

Avianca will operate the Bogotá–Havana route using Airbus A320 aircraft, each with a 180-passenger capacity. The daily flights are projected to offer over 2,500 seats weekly between the two cities. Passengers can now purchase tickets through Avianca’s website, mobile app, physical sales locations, or travel agencies.

David Alemán, Avianca’s Sales Director for Colombia and South America, stated that this new route will enhance international connectivity, allowing travelers to reach Havana via Bogotá. “This direct route provides over 2,500 weekly seats, supporting our commitment to make air travel accessible to more people,” Alemán noted.

Route Itinerary: Bogotá–Havana

Frequency: Daily, starting December 16

U.S. Travel Restrictions

U.S. citizens, residents, or any individual departing from or transiting through the United States to Cuba are prohibited from traveling for tourism purposes. U.S. persons may only travel to Cuba if they fall under one of 12 categories permitted by the U.S. government or hold a specific license. Further details on permitted travel categories can be found in the U.S. regulations here.

Airbus has sold over 1,300 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean and has a leading  market share of in-service passenger aircraft. Around 800 are in operation throughout the region, with close to 500 in the order backlog. Since 1994, Airbus has secured 75% of net orders in the region. 

Adrian Neuhauser (Above right), CEO of Abra Group said, “We are delighted to announce this agreement with Airbus. We believe the arrival of these five A350s, which offer a best-in-class passenger experience, are more fuel efficient and have a lower cost per seat than competitor aircraft, will allow us to strengthen our commitment to make travel more accessible and responsible. This also means better prices for customers with better connectivity between our continent and Europe, and will further consolidate Abra as one of the largest and most competitive air transportation groups in Latin America. The aircraft selection is consistent with the strategic announcements we have done this year and further executes on our long term vision.”

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A350 aircraft is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry (Above, left), Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business said, “We are delighted to see the Abra Group endorsing the A350 to continue its mission of strengthening air connectivity between Latin America and the rest of the world. The selection of the A350 reaffirms the aircraft as the undisputed leader in long-haul air travel.”

Click above to watch video

In addition to JetSmart’s domestic operations, starting with three Airbus A320neo aircraft, the airline has already been flying international routes between Medellín, Lima Peru, and Santiago, Chile.

Travelers will be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts on domestic routes with tickets starting at $47,800 Colombian pesos (including fees and taxes) or about $13 US Dollars.

Jetsmart also announced Thursday that the airline’s Colombian base of operations will be at the José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro, Colombia; a suburb of Medellín.  CEO Estuardo Ortíz (above photo, left) credited the work of the mayoral administrations of Medellín, Rionegro, the Governor of Antioquia, and Airport operations contractor Airplan.

“We believe, trust and invest in Colombia, and especially today we are committed to the region of Antioquia and its more than six and a half million inhabitants, to contribute to tourism, development and connectivity of all communities, just as we have already done with the 25 million people who have already flown with us throughout South America. We want the region to go out into the world, and for Antioquia, Medellín and the region to connect from the airport in Rionegro to more destinations and frequencies, both domestic and international. Our new operation in Colombia is an important step in our vision of 100 million passengers and 100 aircraft by 2028,” said Ortíz.

JetSmart launched a total of eight direct routes from Medellín to Santa Marta, Cartagena and Bogotá; and from Bogota, to Cartagena, Pereira, Santa Marta and Medellín, as well as from Cartagena to Pereira and Cali. These domestic routes are in addition to the seven international routes that JetSmart flies from Medellín to Chile and Peru, with connections to Argentina and Uruguay. Codeshare agreements will provide connectivity north to the United States through American Airlines, and JetSmart has announced coming participation to American Airlines’ AAdvantage loyalty program.

JetSmart is part of the airline portfolio of U.S. investment fund Indigo Partners, along with airlines Frontier in the United States, WizzAir in Europe, Volaris in Mexico and Cebu Pacific in Asia.

Indigo Partners Principal Brian Franke (above photo, right) said that “We are looking forward to the start of JetSMART’s domestic operations in Colombia and continue to invest in the region to develop the ultra-low-cost model. We see tremendous growth potential in Colombia, and as we expand JetSmart we continue to provide affordable air travel to more people and communities.”

Operating Out Of Terminal 2 In Bogotá

Thursday morning, JetSmart celebrated its Colombian domestic launch with a press conference in the Puente Aereo, or Terminal 2 of Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport. Bogotá airport operator OPAIN renovated parts of Terminal 2 with new chairs and seating areas, installing Veripax technology for digital reading of boarding passes, and an exclusive area for VIP and official travelers. They also expanded the gate areas, remodeled the bathrooms, installed new floors and charging areas.

“We celebrate the start of JetSMART’s domestic operations in the country, as this strengthens the sector and boosts El Dorado’s position as the main hub for connection to the regions of Colombia. We have adapted Terminal 2 – the former Air Bridge, so that travelers can take their domestic flights in a more comfortable and agile way,”  said Natalí Leal, General Manager of OPAIN.

It is important that domestic passengers flying JetSmart from Bogotá keep in mind that flights leave from Terminal 2, while international flights still arrive and depart from the main terminal. There is a free shuttle that travels between the two airport terminals. Travelers must allow adequate time for transfers, and if necessary, immigration for international flights. Passengers arriving to El Dorado International Airport for domestic JetSmart flights should be explicit with transportation providers that they will be departing from Terminal 2 or “El Puente Aereo.”

It it’s initial phase of operations, the flights will all connect Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport to Medellín, Cartagena, Pereira, and Santa Marta.

JetSmart’s fleet in the Andean nation will consist of Airbus A320 Neo aircraft that can transport 186 passengers.

These domestic flights add to the various international routes that the Santiago-based airline operates within Colombia.

In all, JetSmart, which brands itself as an “ultra-low-cost carrier” and has offered introductory promotional fares as low as 30,000 Colombian pesos ($8 USD) will soon be offering these flights within the Colombian market:

• Bogotá to Medellín
• Bogotá to Cartagena
• Bogotá to Pereira
• Bogotá to Santa Marta
• Bogotá to Santiago, Chile
• Medellín to Santiago, Chile
• Cali to Santiago, Chile
• Cali to Antofagasta, Chile
• Medellín to Lima, Peru
• Cartagena to Lima, Peru

By adding additional capacity, JetSmart is helping to fill the void in an airline market that saw exit of low-cost carriers Viva Air and Ultra Air in 2023. Their departure has left the two largest players, Avianca and LATAM Airlines, with an even more dominant position.

“We see enormous potential in Colombia, to bring low-fare air travel to all Colombians, as well as connect with international destinations to promote development, tourism and connectivity,” said Estuardo Ortiz, CEO and president. “The ultra-low-cost model is back in Colombia.”

JetSmart currently operates domestically in Chile, Argentina, and Peru, with Colombia soon to become the fourth market where it operates locally.