Avianca is Colombia’s largest airline and one of the oldest carriers in the world, founded in 1919. It serves 80+ destinations across 28 countries as a Star Alliance member. This review covers fares, baggage, safety, and real customer ratings.
Avianca operates 160+ routes and 700+ daily flights on a fleet of 164 Airbus and Boeing 787 aircraft. The airline holds a 6.5 out of 10 rating from 2,522 verified Kayak reviews. It earned recognition as the world’s most punctual global airline in 2023 with an 85.73% on-time rate. Crew scores well at 7.2, while food and entertainment rank lower at 5.0 and 5.3 respectively.
This review examines what Avianca’s fare classes actually include, what its LifeMiles program delivers, how baggage policies changed post-bankruptcy, and whether the airline is worth the ticket price for travelers flying Latin American routes in 2024.
What Is Avianca?
Avianca is Colombia’s largest airline and one of the oldest carriers in the world, founded on December 5, 1919. The airline operates as the flag carrier of Colombia and serves over 80 destinations across 28 countries in the Americas and Europe. It’s also a member of Star Alliance, which it joined on June 21, 2012.
Here’s a bit of context: the airline’s full name is Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A., which translates to Airways of the Americas Inc. In 2023, Avianca rebranded its logo to a lowercase ‘avianca,’ adopting the tagline ‘the sky belongs to everyone.’ The change signaled a shift toward a more accessible, value-oriented identity.
The bad news? Avianca filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 10, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline liquidated its Peruvian subsidiary during this period. Since emerging from bankruptcy in 2021, the carrier has rebuilt its network under new ownership through Abra Group.
How Old Is Avianca Airline?
Avianca is one of the two oldest airlines in the world still operating, second only to KLM of the Netherlands. The airline traces its origins to SCADTA, registered on December 5, 1919, in Barranquilla, Colombia. That’s a history spanning more than 105 years of continuous operation.
In fact, SCADTA merged with regional Colombian airline SACO on June 14, 1940, forming the new Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A. This became Avianca. The airline then acquired TACA in the early 2010s, a carrier that had been operating since 1931. That merger gave Avianca its current footprint across Central and South America.
Where Is Avianca Headquartered?
Avianca is headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport. The airline maintains a registered office in Barranquilla and operates a secondary hub in San Salvador, El Salvador. Bogotá is the primary operational center for the airline’s international long-haul routes.
To be clear, Avianca Group International Limited (AGIL) operates as the parent company. AGIL consolidates investments in avianca passenger operations, avianca cargo, and lifemiles loyalty. The group’s cargo subsidiary runs nine Airbus A330 freighters and belly cargo operations across 60+ destinations.
What Routes Does Avianca Fly?
Avianca operates over 160 routes connecting more than 80 destinations across 28 countries in the Americas and Europe. The network includes more than 700 daily flights, operated by a fleet of 164 Airbus Family and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. In 2024, the airline transported nearly 38 million passengers.
And here is the best part: Avianca’s codeshare agreements with 15+ international airlines expand your options well beyond what Avianca flies directly. The airline covers Latin America extensively, with routes to Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom in Europe. Star Alliance membership opens up connections to partner airlines worldwide.
Avianca Codeshare Partners:
- Air Canada
- United Airlines
- Iberia
- Turkish Airlines
- Silver Airways
- TAP Air Portugal
Does Avianca Fly to the United States?
Yes. Avianca operates multiple routes between Latin America and major U.S. airports, including Miami, New York JFK, Washington Dulles, and Chicago O’Hare. The airline connects these gateways to its Bogotá hub, with onward connections to over 80 destinations. Star Alliance membership enables seamless ticketing with U.S. carriers.
Miami International Airport is especially well served. Avianca and TAP Air Portugal jointly operate a VIP lounge there. The Miami-to-Bogotá corridor is one of Avianca’s busiest international routes. Travelers connecting through Bogotá can reach destinations across Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean without a second airline ticket.
What Are the Fare Classes on Avianca?
Avianca offers five fare classes: Basic, Light, Classic, Flex, and Business, each with different baggage inclusions and flexibility levels. The Basic fare is the most restrictive, covering only a personal item with no carry-on bag or free checked baggage. Higher tiers progressively add carry-on allowances, checked bags, meals, and change rights.
Avianca Fare Class Comparison:
| Fare Class | Carry-On | Checked Bag | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | No | No | No |
| Light | Yes | No | No |
| Classic | Yes | 1 bag | Fee applies |
| Flex | Yes | 1 bag | Free changes |
| Business | Yes | 2 bags | Free changes |
Now here is the thing: the Flex fare is marketed as allowing free changes, but several verified customer reviews note that actual change fees can approach the cost of buying a new ticket outright. Travelers on the JFK-to-Quito route specifically report paying Flex prices without receiving the advertised flexibility. This gap between marketed benefits and real experience is a recurring pattern.
What Is Avianca Business Class Like?
Avianca Business Class offers lie-flat seats on long-haul international routes, along with priority check-in, lounge access, and premium meal service. Skytrax rates the airline’s long-haul Business Class product at 3 stars, describing it as solid but not competitive with top-tier carriers. The product has improved meaningfully since the airline’s post-bankruptcy rebound.
Business Class passengers access Avianca’s VIP Sala lounges at Bogotá El Dorado Airport and San Salvador. The Bogotá lounge features workspaces, rest areas, and shower facilities. Amenities include complimentary food, hot meals, beverages, coffee, and Wi-Fi throughout the lounge. The Miami lounge is jointly operated with TAP Air Portugal.
Bottom line: Avianca Business is what one travel reviewer calls ‘an attempt to rebound’ rather than a fully premium product. The airline added 20% more seats to some aircraft configurations post-bankruptcy. That reduced personal space noticeably. Competing carriers in the region, including LATAM and Iberia, rank higher for business-class comfort in most traveler surveys.
What Do Avianca Customer Reviews Say?
Avianca holds a 6.5 out of 10 (Okay) rating from 2,522 verified traveler reviews on Kayak, with a 1.4 out of 5 average from 466 reviews on Yelp. Skytrax certifies the airline at 3 stars but notes the rating is under review as Avianca moves toward low-cost airline standards. The split in ratings reflects widely inconsistent passenger experiences across routes and hubs.
Kayak breaks down the airline’s scores by category. Entertainment earns a 5.3, food scores 5.0, and comfort receives a 6.1. Crew service averages 7.2 and boarding comes in at 6.9. The lowest scores cluster around in-flight amenities, which aligns directly with the airline’s post-bankruptcy reduction in cabin services.
Avianca Rating Breakdown (Kayak, 2,522 reviews):
- Overall: 6.5 / 10
- Crew: 7.2 / 10
- Boarding: 6.9 / 10
- Comfort: 6.1 / 10
- Entertainment: 5.3 / 10
- Food: 5.0 / 10
What Are Common Complaints About Avianca?
The most frequent Avianca complaints focus on uncomfortable seats, seat reservation violations, unfriendly ground staff, and a non-functional mobile app. Multiple verified reviewers describe seats as narrow, non-reclining, and hard on certain aircraft, particularly on JFK-to-Quito routes. One July 2026 reviewer stated the seats were ‘the worst I have ever flown.’
Seat assignment issues appear repeatedly across platforms. Travelers who reserved adjacent seats report receiving boarding passes for different rows. Cabin crew are described as reluctant to help resolve the issue. These complaints come from routes including JFK-to-GUA and MDE-to-UIO, suggesting the problem is not route-specific.
The Avianca app draws especially harsh reviews. Users report being unable to locate boarding passes before flights, encountering ‘Bad Request’ errors, and finding no gate information in the app. App store reviewers describe Avianca staff telling passengers at the gate that ‘the app rarely works.’ One reviewer called the app in need of a full rewrite ‘starting from line one of the code.’
What Do Positive Avianca Reviews Mention?
Positive Avianca reviews most often highlight on-time performance, friendly crew on specific routes, and the airline’s extensive Latin American network as clear strengths. In 2023, Avianca earned recognition as the world’s most punctual global airline, hitting an 85.73% on-time rate. That’s 10 percentage points above its 2019 pre-pandemic performance.
The good news? Several verified Kayak reviewers rate the experience 8 to 10 out of 10. A July 2026 SAL-to-IAD traveler described the flight as ‘on time, friendly staff, decent refreshments, comfortable seats.’ Positive experiences tend to cluster around El Salvador hub routes, where ground and cabin staff receive more consistent praise.
What Is the Avianca LifeMiles Program?
LifeMiles is Avianca’s frequent flyer loyalty program, allowing travelers to earn and redeem miles on Avianca flights and those of 40+ Star Alliance partner airlines. The program operates as a standalone business unit within Avianca Group. Members earn miles based on fare class, distance flown, and partner activity outside of flying.
LifeMiles miles redeem for flights, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and retail purchases. The program runs four status tiers: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Lifelong Diamond. Higher tiers unlock priority check-in, lounge access, bonus miles earnings, and additional checked baggage allowances across the full Star Alliance network.
How Do You Earn LifeMiles With Avianca?
LifeMiles members earn miles on every Avianca flight based on the distance flown and the fare class purchased, with Basic fares earning far fewer miles than Flex or Business. Star Alliance Gold status enables earning on 40+ partner airlines worldwide, including United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines. Co-branded credit cards further accelerate earning.
Avianca offers co-branded credit cards in select markets that award bonus LifeMiles on everyday purchases. Hotel partners, car rental agencies, and retail brands also participate in the program. Miles earned through these partners supplement flight-based earning, which helps members reach higher status tiers without flying as frequently.
What Are Avianca Baggage Policies?
Avianca applies different baggage rules depending on fare class, route type, and LifeMiles status, with Basic fares allowing only a personal item on most routes. The airline moved away from its historically generous two-bag policy after the 2020 bankruptcy restructuring. Current policies align more closely with low-cost carrier norms than full-service airline standards.
On international routes from the United States, carry-on allowances depend entirely on fare class. Light, Classic, Flex, and Business fares include one carry-on bag measuring up to 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 35 x 23 centimeters). Basic fare passengers must gate-check any carry-on bag or pay an additional fee at the airport. Checked bag fees vary by route and fare class and cost significantly more when purchased at the airport counter.
Does Avianca Charge for Checked Bags?
Yes. Avianca charges for checked baggage on Basic and Light fares, with fees varying by route, destination, and time of purchase. Classic and Flex fares include one checked bag on most routes. Business fare includes two checked bags. Purchasing baggage at the airport costs significantly more than adding it at the time of online booking.
This is important: Avianca previously allowed two checked bags for free on both international and domestic flights before 2020. That policy changed entirely after the airline’s post-bankruptcy restructuring. Passengers who flew Avianca before the pandemic frequently cite the baggage fee change as the single biggest drop in perceived value.
Is Avianca a Safe Airline?
Yes. Avianca maintains a strong safety record and holds Skytrax’s 3-star airline certification covering its airport and onboard safety standards. The airline operates a modern fleet of Airbus Family aircraft and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. All Star Alliance members, including Avianca, must comply with IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) standards.
In fact, Avianca’s punctuality record reinforces its operational reliability. In 2023, the airline achieved an 85.73% on-time departure rate. That earned it recognition as the world’s most punctual global airline. The figure sits 2 percentage points above its 2022 performance and 10 points above pre-pandemic 2019 data.
Safety categories reviewed by Skytrax include cabin safety video delivery, washroom cleanliness, and seat safety configuration across both long-haul and short-haul operations. No major safety incidents have been recorded in the post-bankruptcy period. The airline’s current certification remains active under Colombian aviation authority oversight.
Is Avianca Legit or a Scam?
No. Avianca is not a scam. It is a legitimate, fully licensed commercial airline operating under Colombian aviation authority regulations and Star Alliance international standards. The airline has operated continuously since 1919 and holds active Skytrax certification. Its parent company, Avianca Group International Limited, maintains active investor relations and published annual disclosures.
So what does that mean for you? Complaints about billing practices and fee structures appear in reviews on Yelp and Trustpilot, but these reflect service and policy disputes rather than fraud. The airline’s customer service line is +1 (866) 919-0081. App support is available at so*********@*****ca.com. Avianca is a real operating airline with a real complaint history and a real accountability structure.
How Much Do Avianca Flights Cost?
Avianca flight prices range from approximately $164 USD for budget international routes to several hundred dollars for transatlantic or Business Class tickets. The cheapest recent route on record is from Lisbon, Portugal, to Bogotá, Colombia, at $164 USD (roughly 148 EUR). April is consistently the cheapest month to fly Avianca across most routes.
December is the most expensive period to fly, driven by holiday demand on Latin American routes. Travelers booking routes such as Miami to Bogotá or New York to Quito should lock in fares at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance. Economy round-trip prices on U.S.-to-Colombia routes typically range between $350 and $700 USD.
Avianca Seasonal Pricing Overview:
| Season | Price Level | Best Months |
|---|---|---|
| Low Season | Cheapest | April, May |
| Mid Season | Moderate | February, June, September |
| High Season | Most expensive | December, July |
Is Avianca Worth the Price?
It depends. Avianca offers solid value on Latin American routes when booked in Classic or Flex fare classes, but Basic fares strip out enough amenities to make low-cost alternatives genuinely competitive. The airline’s strengths are its route breadth, Star Alliance access, and on-time performance. For short hops within the Americas, budget carriers often deliver a comparable experience at a lower price.
For longer international flights, Avianca’s in-flight experience carries more weight. The airline removed free economy meals on intra-Americas flights post-bankruptcy. Short answer: this puts Avianca below legacy competitors on the value scale when comparing full-service inclusions at similar prices. Travelers who prioritize on-time arrivals and broad connectivity still find Avianca a reliable, defensible choice.
Should You Try Eat Proteins Before Your Avianca Flight?
If you’re flying Avianca, you’re going to want your nutrition dialed in before you board. Here’s the thing: Avianca removed free meal service in economy on most intra-Americas routes. That means you’re on your own. And airport food is expensive, processed, and rarely what your body needs for a long travel day.
That’s where Eat Proteins comes in. Our team at Eat Proteins has reviewed hundreds of protein supplements designed for travelers, athletes, and people who can’t afford to feel run-down mid-trip. You need clean fuel, not a $14 airport sandwich. The right protein keeps energy stable, supports muscle maintenance during long sitting periods, and prevents the post-flight crash that ruins day one of any trip.
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