Avianca Express (legally Regional Express Américas S.A.S.) is a Colombian regional airline founded in December 2018. It is owned by Avianca Group and is being phased in, as of spring 2019, as part of the adjustment plan for its operating model and in search of more profitability and efficiency.[1]
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Founded | December 2018 | ||||||
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Commenced operations | March 1, 2019 | ||||||
Hubs | El Dorado International Airport | ||||||
Frequent-flyer program | LifeMiles | ||||||
Alliance | Star Alliance (affiliate) | ||||||
Fleet size | 3 | ||||||
Destinations | 9 | ||||||
Parent company | Avianca Group | ||||||
Headquarters | Bogotá, Colombia | ||||||
Key people | Santiago Diago (CEO) | ||||||
Website | www |
The peculiarity of Avianca Holdings' new strategy is that flights are not routed through an airline hub, but from point-to-point.[2] In return, Avianca is gradually withdrawing from the regional centers and intends to serve only important national and international destinations in the future.[3]
Flight operations will be carried out exclusively on a fleet of ATR 72-600s, a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul cargo and passenger regional airliner. This type of aircraft fits with regional airports with shorter runways and a more limited aviation infrastructure.
Avianca Holdings received Aerocivil's air traffic approval for the Colombian regional market in February 2018.[4]
From March 1, 2019, Regional Express Américas embarked on regional routes from Bogotá to cities such as Manizales, Florencia, Villavicencio, Yopal, Neiva, Ibagué, and Popayán; and also from Cali to Pasto and Tumaco. Since August 2019 it also flies between Bucaramanga and Cartagena.
The airline, previously known under its working title Regional Express Américas, received its final name Avianca Express in mid-February 2020.
On March 30, 2020, Avianca Express started operating at Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín, which Avianca had not served in 20 years, with connections to Quibdó, Montería and Bucaramanga. Apart from this, a new flight plan came into force, which included improvements to connections to and from Bogotá, and also a new connection to Barrancabermeja.
As of August 2022, the following destinations are served by Avianca Express:[5]
Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs |
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![]() | Armenia | El Edén International Airport | Terminated | |
Bogotá | El Dorado International Airport | Hub | ||
Barrancabermeja | Yariguíes Airport | Operated by Avianca | ||
Bucaramanga | Palonegro International Airport | Resumes on December 8, 2022 | [6] | |
Cartagena | Rafael Núñez International Airport | Resumes on December 8, 2022 | [6] | |
Corozal | Las Brujas Airport | |||
Cúcuta | Camilo Daza International Airport | Terminated | ||
Florencia | Gustavo Artunduaga Paredes Airport | |||
Ibagué | Perales Airport | |||
Manizales | La Nubia Airport | Terminated | [7] | |
Medellín | Olaya Herrera Airport | Terminated | ||
Neiva | Benito Salas Airport | |||
Popayán | Guillermo León Valencia Airport | |||
Quibdó | El Caraño Airport | Terminated | ||
Tumaco | La Florida Airport | Terminated | ||
Villavicencio | La Vanguardia Airport | |||
Yopal | El Alcaraván Airport | |||
As of July 2022[update] the Avianca Express fleet consists of the following aircraft:[8][9]
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
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C | Y | Total | ||||
Airbus A319-100 | 1 | — | 12 | 108 | 120 | |
Airbus A320-200 | 2 | — | 12 | 138 | 150 | |
Total | 3 | — |
Avianca Express previously operated the following aircraft:[9]
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
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ATR 72-600 | 12 | 2019 | 2022 | Taken from Avianca and its subsidiaries[10] |
Media related to Avianca Express at Wikimedia Commons
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