Avianca consolidates its regional expansion and prepares for the boost from the 2026 World Cup

What was the experience of participating in this new edition of the Tourism Showcase like, and what does it represent for Avianca?

For Avianca, this is the most important tourism event of the year in Colombia. As the country's leading airline, it is essential to be present to maintain direct contact with business partners, strategic allies, and media outlets throughout Latin America. The fair marks the start of the business year, allowing us to present new developments, learn about our partners' plans, and generate concrete business opportunities for the coming months.

What are the goals and strategy for this season?

The year began with positive performance. Our strategy continues to focus on consolidating a robust route network and strengthening those routes where we identify growth opportunities.

We are increasing flight frequencies to Barcelona, ​​inaugurating the Medellín–Pasto route, and are considering adding daily service to some routes. Overall, we aim to increase capacity in markets with strong demand and continue expanding regional and international connectivity.

In Europe, we maintain sustained year-over-year growth, while in North America we continue to strengthen traditional destinations such as Miami, Orlando, and New York, in addition to other key markets like Chicago, Dallas, Boston, and Tampa. We see demand not only from Colombia but also from other countries in the region that use our network to connect to these destinations.

The Caribbean continues to be a key market, while Central America is gaining momentum in countries such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.

From your regional perspective, which markets are showing the most growth and which ones represent a challenge?

Argentina is one of our fastest-growing markets. We've increased capacity by more than 50% and now operate six direct routes from Buenos Aires and Córdoba, the latter with daily service. We also connect directly with Quito, Guayaquil, and Medellín, strengthening regional traffic.

Brazil is also strategic. We are about to announce increased flight frequencies to Rio de Janeiro, in response to the sustained growth in traffic between Colombia and Brazil. Connectivity from northern Brazil via Bogotá allows these passengers easier access to destinations in the Caribbean, North America, and Europe.

In Colombia we continue to expand domestic connectivity, including routes such as Arauca and Quibdó, consolidating our presence in the domestic market.

Do you observe a change in passenger behavior regarding the low-cost model and travel experience?

Passengers continue to seek the flight options that best suit their needs. What they value most today is ease of connectivity and clear choices.

That's why we're strengthening our product attributes. We're announcing an $800 million investment to enhance the experience, including refurbished VIP lounges, the addition of in-flight dining, and an expanded Business Cabin. In addition to our international offering to the Americas and Europe, we're adding domestic Business Cabin service in Colombia and Ecuador.

We've also added hand luggage to certain international fares, responding to specific market demand. In the corporate segment, we're working to simplify processes and improve direct communication with passengers, especially regarding changes or refunds, as part of our recently implemented distribution optimization strategy.

What are your expectations for the 2026 World Cup and how are you preparing for that event?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will generate significant growth in demand. We are already seeing an increase in bookings to host cities such as Toronto, Miami, New York, and Mexico City.

We are prepared to respond to this additional demand with appropriate fleet planning, network optimization, and coordination between the network and revenue management areas, ensuring an experience commensurate with the magnitude of the event.

What new developments can you anticipate regarding the fleet?

As part of Grupo Abra, which also includes Gol Linhas Aéreas, we are making progress in fleet renewal and optimization processes. The goal is to improve service on longer routes and support the projected growth for the coming years.