Avianca Eyes Atlanta as New U.S. Destination

Avianca CEO Frederico Pedreira has announced that the Colombian airline is on the verge of adding Atlanta as a new destination in the southeastern United States. This move marks Avianca’s intent to expand its presence in the largest U.S. market it currently does not serve. With existing routes to Miami and Orlando from its Bogota El Dorado Airport (BOG) hub, Atlanta would become Avianca’s 14th U.S. network destination.

Speaking at Avianca’s year-end press conference in Bogota on December 11, Pedreira expressed optimism about the expansion. “I hope that I can make an announcement next week,” he stated, indicating that Atlanta is likely to be the chosen destination. This addition aligns with Avianca’s strategy to strengthen its foothold in the lucrative southeastern U.S. market, complementing its current services in Florida.

Avianca’s most recent U.S. route launch was the Bogota-Chicago O’Hare (BOG-ORD) flight, which began in October. Operated daily with an Airbus A320 configured to carry 180 passengers, the BOG-ORD route has exceeded expectations. Pedreira noted, “The BOG-ORD route is performing better than expected. Right now, we don’t have any plans to increase flight frequency to Chicago,” highlighting the route’s success without immediate expansion.

The U.S. market has shown significant improvement for Avianca throughout 2024. “At the beginning of the year, it started weaker, but from halfway through the year to now, we’ve seen it growing stronger,” Pedreira explained. According to CAPA – Centre for Aviation data, 22.2% of Avianca’s international seats are operated to the U.S., making it the largest market for the airline, followed by El Salvador at 19.4%, and Costa Rica at 6.9%.

Pedreira emphasized the strong performance of the U.S. market in 2024, attributing success to Avianca’s cost-effective structure. “One of the reasons why we think this is the case is that we have a cost structure that allows us to be profitable on certain routes that would have been unthinkable in 2019. This allows Avianca to target those passengers who are price-conscious that we want to attract to our flights,” he stated. This strategic approach enables Avianca to offer competitive pricing, appealing to budget-minded travelers seeking quality service.

In addition to Atlanta, Avianca currently operates from Bogota to several other U.S. destinations, including Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando in Florida, Houston Intercontinental, New York John F. Kennedy, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Ontario and San Francisco in California, and Washington Dulles. This extensive network underscores Avianca’s commitment to providing comprehensive connectivity between Colombia and key cities across the United States.

Looking ahead, Pedreira highlighted Avianca’s willingness to experiment with route choices to optimize performance. “If we launch 10 routes and eight perform well, fantastic, but we need to continue experimenting and not stay stuck with the same routes,” he said. This adaptive strategy ensures that Avianca remains agile in responding to market demands and passenger preferences.

The strategic expansion into Atlanta is expected to enhance Avianca’s service offerings and provide greater convenience for travelers between Colombia and the southeastern U.S. By tapping into Atlanta’s vibrant market, Avianca aims to attract a broader customer base and boost its overall profitability.

As Avianca continues to refine its U.S. network, the addition of Atlanta represents a significant step towards achieving its growth objectives. The airline’s focus on cost efficiency, route optimization, and customer-centric offerings positions it well to compete with major U.S. carriers and capture a larger share of the international travel market.

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