Viva Air Launches 2 New Routes From Cali To Barranquilla & Santa Marta, Colombia

While other Colombian airlines cling to life in bankruptcy courts, low cost carrier Viva Air remains in growth mode; this week announcing new routes between Cali, Colombia and the coastal cities of Santa Marta & Barranquilla.

In just one year, the Rionegro (Medellín) based international carrier went from no Cali routes to a web of connectivity with routes between Cali and Medellín, Bogotá, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and the Caribbean archipelago of San Andrés. Viva air expects 10,500 passengers on these new routes in its first month: 6,500 between Cali & Santa Marta, and 4,000 between Cali & Barranquilla.

Above photo: Viva Air’s Felix Antelo on the inaugural Medellín-Cali flight in 2019

Cali is Colombia’s largest southern city, and the closest major city to both Ecuador and the Pacific Ocean port of Buenaventura. Santa Marta is a resort town, known as a smaller more relaxed alternative to Cartagena. Barranquilla rivals Cali for recognition as Colombia’s third most important industrial center.

“Cali is an essential part of our network of destinations and our commitment to this city, within our strategy, is overwhelming. With the recent inauguration of the Bogotá – Cali – Bogotá route, there are now three new connections that we have announced in less than a month. Now, the Coast of Colombia will also have connections with the Valley, boosting the country’s connectivity. We ratify our commitment to Cali as a destination and remain firm in our purpose of boosting the aviation sector in the region, with the promise of generating higher levels of employment, connectivity and development for Valle del Cauca and Colombia,” said Viva Air CEO Félix Antelo. In addition, he added that thanks to what they call the ‘Viva Effect’ the rates on these routes from competing carriers should likely drop between 30 and 40%.

One-way tickets for these new routes begin at $99,900 COP (approximately $26 USD), and flights start December 3. Cali-Barranquilla routes will begin flying Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Cali-Santa Marta routes will begin December 4 and fly daily.

Operation start date: December 3, 2020

o Cali – Barranquilla: 5:30 p.m.

o Barranquilla – Cali: 7:50 p.m.

Operation start date: December 4, 2020

o Cali – Santa Marta: 10:10 a.m.

o Santa Marta – Cali: 12:30 p.m.