On October 27th, British Airways made its first flight to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires with an Airbus A350-1000. The airline operates the route London Heathrow – Rio de Janeiro Galeão – Buenos Aires Ezeiza and vice versa on a daily basis, offering 2,317 seats a week per leg under the current schedule.

Airbus A350-1000s replaced the Boeing 777-200(ER) on this route, which are configured for 272 passengers. According to its website, the A350s will operate to GIG and EZE during South American summer, with the 777s being scheduled again from March 30th, 2025.

British Airways’ Airbus A350-1000s return to Buenos Aires after a year and a half, while flying to Rio de Janeiro for the first time.

Daily

• BA 249  London LHR 22:10 · 06:55+1 GIG Rio de Janeiro
• BA 249  Rio de Janeiro GIG 08:25+1 · 11:50+1 EZE Buenos Aires

• BA 248  Buenos Aires EZE 13:35 · 16:35 GIG Rio de Janeiro
• BA 248  Rio de Janeiro GIG 18:10 · 08:35+1 LHR London

The Argentine capital has not had non-stop flights to the United Kingdom since March 2023, when services via Rio de Janeiro were launched.

British Airways in Latin America

London LGW

• Antigua (ANU): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Cancún (CUN): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Georgetown (GEO) via UVF: 2 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Kingston (KIN): 3 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Port of Spain (POS): 3 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Punta Cana (PUJ): 3 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Saint George (GND) via UVF: 3 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER) 
• San José (SJO): 3 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Scarborough (TAB) via UVF: 2 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Vieux Fort (UVF): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)

London LHR

• Bridgetown (BGI): 14 weekly · 789/781
• Buenos Aires (EZE) via GIG: 7 weekly · Airbus A350-1000
• George Town (GCM) via NAS: 5 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Mexico City (MEX): 5 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Providenciales (PLS) via NAS: 2 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 7 weekly · Airbus A350-1000
• Santiago (SCL): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 10 weekly · A35K/788/789

In addition, as of October 29th, British Airways increased from 7 to 10 services a week between London Heathrow and Sao Paulo for summer. The new frequency (BA 241/240 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) will be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.

Arajet opens its second base

Days after its second anniversary, the airline started flights to/from Punta Cana on October 27th, becoming its second hub in the Dominican Republic following Santo Domingo.

• Bogotá (BOG): 2 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Buenos Aires (EZE): 7 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Cancún (CUN): 7 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Cartagena (CTG): 4 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Guayaquil (GYE): 2 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Kingston (KIN): 2 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Lima (LIM): 4 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Medellín (MDE): 2 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Mexico City (NLU): 5 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Montreal (YUL): 4 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Quito (UIO): 2 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Santiago (SCL): 3 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 7 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX
• Toronto (YYZ): 4 weekly · Boeing 737 MAX

Bogotá, Cancún, Cartagena, Kingston, Lima and Mexico City also have flights from/to SDQ.

Arajet has 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in its fleet, and still awaits to launch services to the US.

Recently, the United States and the Dominican Republic signed an Open Skies Agreement, and the airline plans to begin operations to Miami and New York in 2025.

As a result of the open skies, connectivity between the two countries is expected to increase significantly, as well as the arrival of new operators, including Arajet.

Porto Alegre airport is back

Porto Alegre airport resumed commercial flights on October 21st, after 171 days closed due to major flooding in the city.

The first service was Azul Linhas Aéreas flight AD 2603, which arrived at 08:04 local time from Campinas, following a low pass through the airport, as shown in the screenshot below.

In order to resume operations, the airport concessionaire, Fraport, carried out major works at the airport, having to resurface and recondition the entire runway, as well as the taxiways.

At the moment, the airport is limited to domestic flights, with a shorter runway than the original (from 3,200 meters to 1,800 meters). The airport will be fully operational in December, when international flights will return.

Porto Alegre’s current schedule

• Belo Horizonte (CNF): 14 weekly · Azul · Airbus A320neo
• Brasilia (BSB): 7 weekly · GOL · Boeing 737
• Brasilia (BSB): 7 weekly · LATAM · A319/A320
• Campinas (VCP): 67 weekly · Azul · A320/E195/E295
• Curitiba (CWB): 15 weekly · Azul · ATR 72-600
• Curitiba (CWB): 7 weekly · LATAM · A319/A320
• Pelotas (PET): 4 weekly · Azul · ATR 72-600
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 14 weekly · Azul · A32N/E295
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 19 weekly · GOL · Boeing 737
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 14 weekly · LATAM · Airbus A320
• Santa Maria (RIA): 4 weekly · Azul · ATR 72-600
• Santo Ângelo (GEL): 3 weekly · Azul · ATR 72-600
• Sao Paulo (CGH): 30 weekly · Azul · A32N/E295
• Sao Paulo (CGH): 60 weekly · GOL · Boeing 737
• Sao Paulo (CGH): 52 weekly · LATAM · A319/A320/A320
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 32 weekly · Azul · Airbus A320neo
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 21 weekly · GOL · Boeing 737
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 28 weekly · LATAM · A319/A320
• Uruguaiana (URG): 2 weekly · Azul · ATR 72-600

VIVA celebrates its 18th anniversary, received a new aircraft and renewed its livery

On October 30th, at its hangar located at Monterrey airport, VivaAerobus introduced its new name (VIVA) and livery, as well as a new aircraft that just arrived brand new from the factory.

VIVA’s new livery was unveiled on the carrier’s Airbus A321-271NX, registration XA-VXT, which is a month old. As can be seen through our database, the A321 landed in Monterrey last October 26th from Hamburg via Reykjavik and Bangor.

In accordance with statements made by VIVA executives during the event, the company plans to have two more aircraft with the new livery before the end of the year. VIVA’s fleet consists of 110 aircraft, of which 48 are Airbus A320-200, 22 Airbus A320neo, 10 Airbus A321-200 and 30 Airbus A321neo.

With respect to its network, VIVA has more than 170 routes, both domestic and international, and expects to end the year with more than 27 million passengers transported, a 10% increase over 2023.

Air France commenced flights to Salvador de Bahia

At 16:20 local time on October 28th, Air France’s inaugural flight arrived in Salvador from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Salvador de Bahia becomes the airline’s fifth destination in Brazil, after Belém, Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

As per our database, Air France will offer three weekly services on this route on Airbus A350-900s with a capacity of 324 passengers in three classes.

Monday, Thursday and Saturday

• AF 476  Paris CDG 10:25 · 16:40 SSA Salvador
• AF 465  Salvador SSA 18:50 · 08:20+1 CDG Paris

Air France in Brazil

Cayenne

• Belém (BEL): 1 weekly · Airbus A320-200

Paris Charles de Gaulle

• Fortaleza (FOR): 5 weekly · Boeing 777-200(ER)
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 14 weekly · A359/77W

We review other highlights of the Latin American market

Aerolíneas Argentinas

On October 31st, the carrier made its first flight between Buenos Aires and Miami with a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

Usually, Aerolíneas Argentinas has operations on this route by Airbus A330-200, with a capacity for 265 passengers. According to different reports, such change is due to salary issues with the airline’s pilots, in addition to the expiration of the A330 pilots’ licenses as a result of several strikes.

For now, the company has provided three services to Miami on 737 MAXs, and plans to perform more in the near future.

• Buenos Aires (EZE) – Lima (LIM) – Miami (MIA): October 31st · first flight (LV-KIT)
• Buenos Aires (EZE) – Lima (LIM) – Miami (MIA): November 1st · second flight (LV-GVE)
• Buenos Aires (EZE) – Lima (LIM) – Miami (MIA): November 4th · third flight (LV-KIU)

Aerolíneas Argentinas will continue to operate flights to Miami using Airbus A330s.

Aeromexico

The company resumed operations between Mexico City and Santiago de Chile on October 27th, which had been suspended since last April. As of this year, the Chilean capital will be served during South American summer.

Aeromexico will offer seven flights per week on Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with 243 and 274 seats, respectively.

Daily

• AM 10  Mexico City MEX 10:05 · 21:15 SCL Santiago
• AM 11  Santiago SCL 23:25 · 05:00+1 MEX Mexico City

Air Canada

As well as Aeromexico, Air Canada also switched flights to Santiago de Chile from a year-round scheduled service to a seasonal route.

The first operation arrived on October 28th at 10:55 local time from Toronto, following a nine-hour, 46-minute flight. Air Canada will operate five times weekly by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• AC 092  Toronto YYZ 23:30 · 12:10+1 SCL Santiago
• AC 093  Santiago SCL 20:50 · 05:40+1 YYZ Toronto (Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Sat)

American Airlines

For South American summer season, the airline started several routes, in addition to increasing its capacity on others.

The main features are as follows, highlighting Argentina, Brazil and Chile:

Buenos Aires

• Dallas (DFW): first flight · October 27th
• Miami (MIA): first flight with Boeing 777-300(ER) · October 27th
• Miami (MIA): increases from 14 to 21 weekly · October 27th
• New York (JFK): first flight with Boeing 777-300(ER) · October 27th

Rio de Janeiro

• Dallas (DFW): first flight · October 27th
• Miami (MIA): increases from 7 to 10 weekly · October 27th
• New York (JFK): first flight · October 27th

Santiago

• Dallas (DFW): first flight · October 27th
• Miami (MIA): first flight with Boeing 777-200(ER) · October 27th

Sao Paulo

• Miami (MIA): increases from 14 to 21 weekly · October 27th

avianca

Effective December 10th, the Colombian carrier will inaugurate operations in a new South American market.

Avianca will begin flying between Bogotá and Georgetown, Guyana, with Airbus A320-200 aircraft configured for 180 passengers in single class. The services will be performed with the following schedule:

Tuesday and Saturday

• AV 225  Bogotá BOG 23:10 · 03:10+1 GEO Georgetown
• AV 226  Georgetown GEO 04:15 · 06:00 BOG Bogotá

*Pending Government approval.

Furthermore, for summer 2024/25, avianca commenced these flights in late October:

• Guayaquil (GYE) – Buenos Aires (EZE): 4 weekly · Airbus A320
• Quito (UIO) – Punta Cana (PUJ): 2 weekly · Airbus A320
• San José (SJO) – Guayaquil (GYE): 4 weekly · Airbus A320

Caribbean

Beginning in December, Caribbean Airlines will add four new international routes from Port of Spain, all with 72-seat ATR 72-600s.

Bridgetown, Castries (St. Lucia), Dominica, Fort-de-France and Pointe-a-Pitre will have more flights:

Port of Spain

• Fort-de-France (FDF): 3 weekly · December 3rd
• Bridgetown (BGI) – Fort-de-France (FDF): 1 weekly · December 7th
• Castries (SLU) – Dominica (DOM): 2 weekly · December 7th
• Bridgetown (BGI) – Pointe-a-Pitre (PTP): 2 weekly · December 8th

Delta

In addition to the new Boston – Sao Paulo route, as announced in our U.S./Canada report, the company launched seasonal service between New York and Buenos Aires on October 27th.

Delta Air Lines will fly once daily with Airbus A330-900neo aircraft configured for 282 passengers, the same schedule operated last summer.

Daily

• DL 115  New York JFK 20:50 · 09:45+1 EZE Buenos Aires
• DL 114  Buenos Aires EZE 22:25 · 07:15+1 JFK New York

For the first time, starting December 13th, Delta will offer two services a day between Atlanta and Buenos Aires. The new flight DL 279/278 will run through January 13th, 2025.

Flybondi

The Argentine low-cost airline incorporated its first Boeing 737-800 under the ACMI leasing agreement (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance).

On November 2nd at 19:57 local time, AlbaStar’s Boeing 737, registration EC-MUB, landed at Ezeiza airport from Palma de Mallorca via Espargos and Natal, after an almost 17-hour ferry flight.

The aircraft, owned by the Spanish charter carrier, will operate for Flybondi during South American summer 2024/25, with AlbaStar crew. Following a recent update of the Argentine Aeronautical Code, foreign crews are now allowed to operate within the country.

Flybondi’s fleet is composed as follows:

Boeing 737-800: 16

• LV-HKN
• LV-KAH
• LV-KAY
• LV-KCD
• LV-KCE
• LV-KDQ
• LV-KDR
• LV-KEF
• LV-KEG
• LV-KEH
• LV-KGN
• LV-KHO
• LV-KJD
• LV-KJE
• LV-KJF
• EC-MUB

Flybondi will soon add a second AlbaStar Boeing 737-800, which will also fly for the low cost this summer.

Iberojet

Santa Clara (Cuba) new destination for the Spanish company.

The first flight of the European summer season 2025 will be on June 25th, 2025, a route to be operated by Airbus A330-900neo with 388 seats in single class. Iberojet will serve from Barcelona, once per week.

Wednesday

• E9 885  Barcelona BCN 16:05 · 20:55 SNU Santa Clara
• E9 886  Santa Clara SNU 22:55 · 14:55+1 BCN Barcelona

JetSMART

For the first time, JetSMART Argentina reaches 10 Airbus A320-200s in its fleet.

At 00:06 local time on October 18th, the new airplane of JetSMART Argentina arrived in Buenos Aires. As the ninth A320, the aircraft is Chilean registered, coming from JetSMART Chile.

JetSMART Argentina fleet

• LV-HEK
• LV-HVT
• LV-IVN
• LV-IVO
• LV-JQE
• LV-KDP
• LV-KFX
• LV-KJA
• CC-AWE
• CC-AWC (10th aircraft)

Due to fleet expansion, the low cost carrier resumed two domestic routes in Argentina, which had been suspended since last April.

• Mendoza (MDZ) – Bariloche (BRC): 5 weekly · Airbus A320-200
• Mendoza (MDZ) – Salta (SLA): 4 weekly · Airbus A320-200

KLM

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plans to serve between Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro on Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, during the South American summer 2025/26. In accordance with its website, it will operate with a mix of 772s and 787-10s effective late October 2025, under the following schedule:

Daily

• KL 705  Amsterdam AMS 10:40 · 18:40 GIG Rio de Janeiro
• KL 704  Rio de Janeiro GIG 20:50 · 12:15+1 AMS Amsterdam

LATAM

The company launched operations with Wamos Air’s Airbus A330-200 on November 1st. As we mentioned in our last Latin America report, LATAM will use 2 Airbus A330s from the Spanish airline during summer 2024/25.

At the time of publication, Bogotá, Lima and Los Angeles will be its routes from Santiago de Chile.

On November 1st at 00:46 local time, the first regular service of Wamos Air’s A330 for LATAM departed the Chilean capital to Bogotá, covering flight LA 572 (EC-NBN).

Paranair

At 15:08 local time on November 3rd, Paranair’s inaugural flight from Asunción arrived in Jujuy. The Argentine city recovered international services after six years.

Paranair will offer two weekly operations by 50-seat CRJ-200(ER) jets, as follows:

ASU – JUJ

• ZP 870  Asunción ASU 11:40 · 13:20 JUJ Jujuy (Wednesday)
• ZP 870  Asunción ASU 14:00 · 15:40 JUJ Jujuy (Sunday)

JUJ – ASU

• ZP 871  Jujuy JUJ 14:00 · 15:40 ASU Asunción (Wednesday)
• ZP 871  Jujuy JUJ 16:20 · 18:00 ASU Asunción (Sunday)

Jujuy joins Buenos Aires, Ciudad del Este, Córdoba, Montevideo and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, its other scheduled destinations from the Paraguayan capital.

Rutaca

New domestic route in Venezuela.

Rutaca Airlines began service between Maturín and San Antonio del Táchira on November 2nd, with 149-seat Boeing 737-300 aircraft, offering one frequency per week.

Saturday

• 5R 1378  Maturín MUN 07:20 · 09:00 SVZ San Antonio del Táchira
• 5R 1379  San Antonio del Táchira SVZ 10:00 · 11:40 MUN Maturín

Rutaca’s routes from Maturín and San Antonio del Táchira

Maturín

• Caracas (CCS): 4 weekly · Boeing 737
• San Antonio del Táchira (SVZ): 1 weekly · Boeing 737

San Antonio del Táchira

• Barquisimeto (BRM): 1 weekly · Boeing 737
• Caracas (CCS): 3 weekly · Boeing 737
• Maturín (MUN): 1 weekly · Boeing 737
• Valencia (VLN): 2 weekly · Boeing 737

SKY

El Calafate, SKY’s new destination in Argentina.

The Chilean low cost continues its international expansion with a new route for summer 2024/25. On December 18th, flights from Santiago de Chile will commence and will continue until March 2025.

Wednesday and Saturday

• H2 649  Santiago SCL 16:05 · 19:00 FTE El Calafate
• H2 650  El Calafate FTE 20:10 · 23:05 SCL Santiago

SKY will fly Airbus A320neo aircraft with 186 single-class seats.

United

On October 27th, United Airlines resumed seasonal operations between Houston and Santiago de Chile, using 214-seat Boeing 767-300(ER) jets.

As well as Aeromexico and Air Canada, according to the current schedule, the U.S. carrier will serve to the Chilean capital through the end of March 2025, with a planned return in October 2025.

Daily

• UA 847  Houston IAH 20:25 · 08:50+1 SCL Santiago
• UA 846  Santiago SCL 22:45 · 05:25+1 IAH Houston

Furthermore, also for summer 2024/25, United Airlines increased its flights to Buenos Aires from Houston, its only route in Argentina.

The airline boosted from 7 to 10 weekly services on October 27th, and plans to operate 14 times weekly between Houston and Buenos Aires for the first time as of November 30th.

IAH – EZE

• UA 831  Houston IAH 18:30 · 07:20+1 EZE Buenos Aires (Wed/Fri/Sun)
• UA 819  Houston IAH 20:30 · 09:20+1 EZE Buenos Aires (daily)

EZE – IAH

• UA 818  Buenos Aires EZE 22:05 · 05:25+1 IAH Houston (daily)
• UA 832  Buenos Aires EZE 23:55 · 07:15+1 IAH Houston (Mon/Thu/Sat)

New flight UA 831/832.

Volaris El Salvador

The Salvadoran subsidiary inaugurated on October 27th its services to Miami from San Pedro Sula (Honduras) and San Salvador (El Salvador).

In accordance with our platform, Volaris El Salvador will provide four services per week on the San Salvador – Miami – San Pedro Sula – Miami – San Salvador route by Airbus A320neo planes, with a capacity for 188 passengers.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• N3 4338  San Salvador SAL 07:41 · 11:11 MIA Miami
• N3 4338  Miami MIA 12:41 · 14:05 SAP San Pedro Sula

• N3 4339  San Pedro Sula SAP 15:05 · 18:22 MIA Miami
• N3 4339  Miami MIA 19:55 · 21:43 SAL San Salvador

Volaris El Salvador has operations in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland and Washington DC, with respect to U.S. cities, in addition to Miami.

Aircraft incorporated by Latin American airlines

• avianca

• Azul Linhas Aéreas

• Azul Cargo

• Flybondi (AlbaStar)

• JetSMART

• LATAM (Wamos)

• SKY Airline

• VIVA

• Volaris

Other reports we have published

• Europe
• Asia and Oceania
• Africa and Middle East
• United States and Canada

Cover photo: Roar Torgersen – JetPhotos (London Heathrow Int’l – EGLL).