Puerto Rico has been finally seeing growth in international traffic, and that’s in large part due to two markets: Spain and Colombia, with the latter coming from a new push from Colombian carrier Avianca.
Now, Avianca is expanding its footprint in Puerto Rico, planning to permanently operate a route from Medellin to San Juan beginning March 31.
That flight will be operating four times each week, meaning Avianca will soon be operating its biggest-ever schedule to Puerto Rico since it started flying there in 2013.
“With these expansions, Avianca will have tripled its capacity on the island compared to 2019,” said Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “We estimate that the economic impact of this growth in Puerto Rico will be around $49 million, with almost 130,000 seats in total during 2024 from Bogotá and Medellín.”
Overall, Avianca says it will be flying a minimum of 10 weekly frequencies between Colombia and San Juan.
“With the permanent operation of our direct flight between San Juan and Medellín, we aim to further strengthen Puerto Rico’s international connectivity and provide customers with a direct and convenient option to reach one of Colombia’s most attractive destinations. Additionally, we continue to expand our operations and offer more convenient flight options for travelers,” said Rolando Damas, Avianca sales director for North America, Central America and the Caribbean.