Viva says the new São Paulo route will also provide a low cost connection between Brazil and the North American countries of the United States and México, along with Caribbean destinations like San Andrés and Santo Domingo, while the México City route provides a low cost options for Mexicans traveling to Cartagena, a popular destination for both tourism and business meetings at venues such as the Cartagena Convention Center or the many resorts and business oriented hotels in the metropolitan area.

Paulista Connection

Francisco Lalinde, Vice President of Operations of Viva.

Viva began operations of the Medellín – São Paulo route with three weekly frequencies: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tickets start from $179 USD one way or $289 round trip, and thanks to what the airline calls the Viva Effect that it expects will generate a reduction in the price of tickets by 35% across competitors.

Viva now boasts a network of 45 domestic routes in Colombia and Peru and 13 international routes across the United States, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Brazil, which increasingly strengthens its expansion plan to generate higher levels of connectivity and development in the continents.

Viva expects to transport 50,000 passengers in the first year of operation of the Medellín

“Today we are an airline of global stature and proof of this are the new routes that are part of our international expansion plan. This start of operations is very important for several reasons: it strengthens our HUB Medellín as a global connection center which will connect Brazilians with the Colombian cities Cartagena, San Andrés and Santa Marta, and international destinations such as Miami, Cancun, Punta Cana and Mexico City; in addition,  it will generate greater proximity between destinations and allow more Latin Americans to travel by plane, thanks to our ‘Super Low Cost’ model, in which we are experts,” said Viva’s Vice President of Operations, Francisco Lalinde.

Tenochtitlan

The day before launching the Brazilian route, Viva began flying between Colombia’s coastal city of Cartagena and México City, also known historically as Tenochtitlan, in Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs when the Spaniards arrived in the 16^th century. Viva says Cartagena is the fourth most popular travel route within Colombia to and from México, and the airline expects to fly 33,000 passengers the first year of the route’s operation.

With tickets ranging from Cartagena starting at $139 USD and $109 USD from México to Cartagena, the route will have two weekly frequencies on Tuesdays and Saturdays in both directions,

“Mexico is a key country in our international expansion plan. Today we are excited to start operations of this new direct route, which will allow us to continue connecting Colombian and Mexican travelers with the rest of Latin America under our ‘Super Low Cost’ model. This is a big step for Viva and its purpose to continue promoting air inclusion with greater international options,” said Alexander Cipagauta, director of airports and Viva operations control center.

All routes go on sale now for flights beginning in June. With these international expansions, coming barely a week after the airline announced new routes to the Colombian cities of Bucaramanga & Cúcuta, Viva Air also reaffirms its commitment to its hub and home base airport of José Maria Córdova international airport (MDE), in the Medellín suburb of Rionegro. Colombia’s largest international airport of Bogotá hosts the most international and domestic flights but suffers from congestion and overcrowding. A foundational part of Viva Air’s corporate strategy has been its bet on Colombia’s second largest airport’s, lower costs, relative lack of congestion, and ample excess capacity as its primary hub and headquarters location.

Viva Air has resumed 90% of its pre COVID operations with a load factor of over 85%

“9 years ago, our story began among the mountains of the capital of Antioquia. Medellín is our home, here we were born and here we operate. As an airline we understand that aviation in Colombia cannot depend solely on Bogotá and a single airport. Therefore, we seek to make air connections from Medellín just as important as those from El Dorado,” said Felix Antelo, CEO of Viva Air. “With the deployment of our strategy and air operations from Medellín, we hope to promote tourism, development and contribute to the economic reactivation of the entire region. Despite the challenges that the pandemic brought with it, our plans to connect Colombia inside and outside the country don’t stop. The inauguration of four new international routes ratifies our expansion plan and strengthens the commitment to the country’s connectivity.” Viva Air already employs over 400 between the airport operations and the corporate headquarters just yards beyond the end of the runway, outside of airport property.

These new flights bring Viva Air’s route map to 24 destinations within Colombia, Peru, the US and México, including 12 different cities in Colombia and 5 Peruvian cities. Medellín – Orlando inaugural flights will start at $189.90 USD round trip, and $229.90 for México. Viva Air expects to see competing air fares drop between Colombia & México by between 39% and 48% due to what it calls the “Viva Effect.”

Inaugural prices (USD):

• Medellín – Mexico City: $249.90 round trip
• Bogotá – Mexico City: $249.90 round trip
• Medellín – Cancun: $229.90 round trip
• Medellín – Orlando: $189.90 round trip

Inaugural flights:

• Medellin – Mexico City: June 8
• Bogotá – Mexico City: June 2
• Medellín – Cancun: June 2
• Medellín – Orlando: June 10

Weekly frequencies:

• Medellin – Mexico City: 4 flights a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday)
• Bogotá – Mexico City: 4 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
• Medellín – Cancun: 3 flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday)
• Medellín – Orlando: 3 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

Number of passengers expected in the first year:

• Medellín – Mexico City: 60,800
• Bogotá – Mexico City: 60,460
• Medellin – Cancun: 34,900
• Medellin – Orlando: 27,700

Cancún, México Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay Minnie & Mickey Mouse Image by Momentmal from Pixabay