After the post about the United States and Canada market update, we continue with the Latin American region. To see previous editions, please click on the following link:

• United States and Canada – December 2023.

GOL, JetSMART and SKY were some of the South American airlines that incorporated aircraft to their respective fleets. In all three cases, these are brand new jets, fresh from the factory.

As for routes, there have been many start-ups in recent weeks, as well as announcements about future additions.

One of the highlights during this month was the inauguration of LATAM’s Lima-London route, resuming Peru’s connection with the UK after five years. A second highlight was the beginning of operations of Tulum’s new airport, located just over 100 kilometers from Cancun.

It is expected that Tulum airport will be very useful for the region, and will also gradually take traffic away from Cancun, since previously it was all centralized in that airport.

Aerolíneas Argentinas

During November, Aerolíneas Argentinas announced it will increase flights on some of its international routes from Buenos Aires. Certain changes will take place in December, while others will begin in April 2024.

Buenos Aires (AEP)

• Asunción (ASU): 10 to 14 weekly · April 2024
• Bogotá (BOG): 7 to 10 weekly · April 2024
• Curitiba (CWB): 4 to 6 weekly · April 2024
• Lima (LIM): 7 to 10 weekly · April 2024
• Porto Alegre (POA): 6 to 12 weekly · April 2024
• Punta del Este (PDP): 5 to 21 weekly · December 2023/January 2024
• Santiago (SCL): 26 to 28 weekly · April 2024
• Sao Paulo (GRU): 24 to 28 weekly · April 2024

Buenos Aires (EZE)

• Punta Cana (PUJ): 3 to 4 weekly · December 18th

Arajet

The Dominican airline incorporated a new Boeing 737 MAX 8, which arrived from Seattle Boeing Field. Arajet now has seven aircraft in its fleet, all of them MAX.

• HI1026
• HI1027
• HI1078
• HI1081
• HI1082
• HI1099 (latest addition)
• HI1104

Furthermore, in terms of routes, the company inaugurated its services between Santo Domingo and Buenos Aires on November 14th, offering three weekly flights:

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• DM 333  Santo Domingo SDQ 17:55 · 03:05+1 EZE Buenos Aires

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• DM 334  Buenos Aires EZE 04:25 · 11:40 SDQ Santo Domingo

avianca

The carrier began several routes during December for the start of the high season. This is the list:

Colombia

• Bogotá (BOG) – Los Angeles (LAX): 7 weekly
• Cali (CLO) – Miami (MIA): 7 weekly
• Cali (CLO) – New York (JFK): 3 weekly
• Medellín (MDE) – Orlando (MCO): 6 weekly
• Medellín (MDE) – San Juan (SJU): 4 weekly
• Pereira (PEI) – New York (JFK): 4 weekly

Costa Rica

• San José (SJO) – San Pedro Sula (SAP): 3 weekly
• San José (SJO) – Washington (IAD): 3 weekly

El Salvador

• San Salvador (SAL) – Las Vegas (LAS): 2 weekly
• San Salvador (SAL) – Oakland (OAK): 3 weekly
• San Salvador (SAL) – Orlando (MCO): 3 weekly
• San Salvador (SAL) – Panama City (PTY): 4 weekly

Guatemala

• Guatemala City (GUA) – Chicago (ORD): 2 weekly

Honduras

• San Pedro Sula (SAP) – New York (JFK): 2 weekly

In addition to these connections, avianca will resume its operations to Venezuela after a six-year suspension. Services to and from Costa Rica will be carried out as follows:

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• AV 669  San José SJO 11:00 · 15:50 CCS Caracas
• AV 668  Caracas CCS 17:20 · 18:05 SJO San José

Copa Airlines

The airline will restart flights to Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, on April 2nd, 2024. Copa will have three operations per week from Panama City with Boeing 737-700 jets.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• CM 480  Panama City PTY 11:39 · 15:10 STI Santiago de los Caballeros
• CM 482  Santiago de los Caballeros STI 16:01 · 17:47 PTY Panama City

Punta Cana and Santo Domingo are Copa Airlines’ current destinations in the Dominican Republic, both from the “Hub of the Americas,” as the airport in the Panamanian capital is known.

Cubana de Aviación

Cuba’s state-owned company recovered the Ilyushin Il-96-300, registration CU-T1250, following a one-year period in Russia. This is the second aircraft that Cubana has reincorporated after maintenance.

Cubana has 4 Ilyushin Il-96s in its fleet, although one of them, registered CU-T1250, is the only allowed to fly. The other three, with registrations CU-T1251, CU-T1254 and CU-T1717, are currently abandoned at Havana’s Jose Marti Airport.

The Ilyushin CU-T1250 is expected to enter service in January 2024, with possible destinations being Buenos Aires and Madrid. At present, these are operated with Plus Ultra Airbus A340-300s, once a week each.

Flybondi

The low cost carrier will have a new destination in Argentina as of January 1st, 2024. Flybondi will operate to Mar del Plata, a city located 400 kilometers from Buenos Aires on the Argentine coast.

Monday, Wednesday and Sunday

• FO 5720  Buenos Aires AEP 23:00 · 23:50 MDQ Mar del Plata

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday

• FO 5721  Mar del Plata MDQ 00:20 · 01:15 AEP Buenos Aires

Friday

• FO 5720  Buenos Aires AEP 21:15 · 22:05 MDQ Mar del Plata
• FO 5721  Mar del Plata MDQ 22:35 · 23:30 AEP Buenos Aires

Flybondi’s routes from Buenos Aires (AEP/EZE)

• Bariloche (BRC)
• Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD)
• Córdoba (COR)
• Corrientes (CNQ)
• El Calafate (FTE)
• Florianópolis (FLN)
• Iguazú (IGR)
• Jujuy (JUJ)
• Mar del Plata (MDQ)
• Mendoza (MDZ)
• Neuquén (NQN)
• Posadas (PSS)
• Puerto Madryn (PMY)
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG)
• Salta (SLA)
• Santiago del Estero (SDE)
• Sao Paulo (GRU)
• Tucumán (TUC)
• Ushuaia (USH)

GOL

In November, GOL Linhas Aéreas added its 41st Boeing 737 MAX 8 to its fleet. The aircraft, registered PS-GRC, arrived in Belo Horizonte from Seattle Boeing Field with a stopover in Punta Cana.

The airline is the main operator of the MAX in South America.

Regarding routes, GOL Linhas Aéreas will launch flights to Bogotá from Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires with Boeing 737 MAX 8s effective April 1st, 2024. The company will have traffic rights between Buenos Aires and Bogotá, which means that GOL will be able to carry passengers on this segment (in addition to the Sao Paulo – Bogotá one).

Flights are on sale.

Buenos Aires

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• G3 8240  Bogotá BOG 05:50 · 14:20 EZE Buenos Aires
• G3 8241  Buenos Aires EZE 16:50 · 21:25 BOG Bogotá

Sao Paulo

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• G3 8240  Sao Paulo GRU 23:50 · 03:35+1 BOG Bogotá

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• G3 8241  Bogotá BOG 23:45 · 08:10+1 GRU Sao Paulo

These are the operations to Colombia from Argentina and Brazil

Argentina

• Buenos Aires (AEP) – Bogotá (BOG): 7 weekly · Aerolíneas Argentinas
• Buenos Aires (EZE) – Bogotá (BOG): 14 weekly · avianca

Brazil

• Belo Horizonte (CNF) – Bogotá (BOG): 3 weekly · avianca
• Manaus (MAO) – Bogotá (BOG): 4 weekly · avianca
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG) – Bogotá (BOG): 7 weekly · avianca
• Sao Paulo (GRU) – Bogotá (BOG): 21 weekly · avianca
• Sao Paulo (GRU) – Bogotá (BOG): 7 weekly · LATAM

JetSMART

The Chilean low cost airline will resume services between Santiago de Chile and Mendoza after almost five years. The flights, which are already on sale, will start on March 4th, 2024.

Monday, Friday and Sunday

• JA 990  Santiago SCL 19:41 · 20:45 MDZ Mendoza
• JA 991  Mendoza MDZ 21:30 · 22:26 SCL Santiago

Saturday

• JA 990  Santiago SCL 08:09 · 09:09 MDZ Mendoza
• JA 991  Mendoza MDZ 09:54 · 10:54 SCL Santiago

Additionally, JetSMART added a new Airbus A321neo last December 4th. The plane, registered CC-DIB, landed in Santiago from Hamburg via Reykjavik, Newport News and Cali.

JetSMART’s fleet

Argentina

• Airbus A320-200: 9

Chile

• Airbus A320-200: 2
• Airbus A320neo: 7
• Airbus A321neo: 4

Perú

• Airbus A320neo: 5

LASER

Beginning December 15th, LASER Airlines will increase its flights between Caracas and Bogotá, reaching four weekly. The Venezuelan airline operates with McDonnell Douglas MD-82 jets.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (new flight on Fridays)

• QL 2980  Caracas CCS 08:30 · 09:10 BOG Bogotá
• QL 2981  Bogotá BOG 10:20 · 13:00 CCS Caracas

Bogotá, Curaçao, La Romana and Santo Domingo are LASER’s international destinations.

LATAM

As with avianca, LATAM also started various connections in December for the summer. In this case, all of them departing and arriving at Jorge Chávez Airport in the Peruvian capital.

Routes that were suspended due to the pandemic:

• Lima (LIM) – Salta (SLA), Argentina: 3 weekly · Airbus A319 and Airbus A320 (December 1st)
• Lima (LIM) – Oranjestad (AUA), Aruba: 3 weekly · Airbus A320 (December 2nd)

On December 1st, LATAM’s inaugural flight to London Heathrow departed Lima. The carrier will serve between the two cities for the first time.

Peru and the UK regained the non-stop connection after a five-year hiatus, when British operated from London Gatwick.

• Lima (LIM) – London (LHR): 5 weekly · Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
  

On the other hand, LATAM confirmed that it will offer services between Bogotá and Madrid starting July 3rd, 2024. Following LATAM’s start-up, five operators will have flights on this route (Air Europa, Avianca, Iberia and Plus Ultra, in addition to LATAM).

Daily

• LA 710  Santiago SCL 15:30 · 20:25 BOG Bogotá
• LA 710  Bogotá BOG 22:50 · 15:40+1 MAD Madrid

• LA 711  Madrid MAD 17:25 · 20:40 BOG Bogotá
• LA 711  Bogotá BOG 23:10 · 06:00+1 SCL Santiago

Lufthansa Cargo

The company began cargo operations to Santiago de Chile on November 16th. Due to the Chilean cherry season, Lufthansa Cargo will have a total of 11 flights until the end of December (approximately two per week).

The regular route Frankfurt – Campinas – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Campinas – Frankfurt has been extended with a stopover in Santiago on the Buenos Aires – Campinas leg.

Regular Lufthansa Cargo destinations in South America:

• Buenos Aires (EZE), Argentina
• Campinas (VCP), Brazil
• Curitiba (CWB), Brazil
• Montevideo (MVD), Uruguay
• Sao Paulo (GRU), Brazil

Mexicana de Aviación

Uncertain future for the new Mexicana de Aviación. We had previously talked about the restart of this historic airline, with more than 20 routes planned from Mexico City’s Felipe Angeles International Airport, all with Boeing 737s.

Finally, a Mexicana aircraft appeared, an Embraer 145 from TAR, which is planned to be operated by Mexicana de Aviacion. Days later it was confirmed that the company was canceling 11 announced routes, leaving nine operational.

There is not much more information about the new Mexicana. Time passes and flights are still not available for purchase.

Silver Airways

On November 16th, Silver inaugurated its services between San Juan (Puerto Rico) and La Romana. Operations will be carried out with 46-seat ATR 42-300 aircraft in single class.

Thursday, Friday and Sunday

• 3M 121  San Juan SJU 10:30 · 11:35 LRM La Romana
• 3M 121  La Romana LRM 12:10 · 13:15 SJU San Juan

Silver is the only company offering this route.

SKY Airline

The low cost carrier added a new aircraft after almost two years. The Airbus A321neo, registration CC-DCD, arrived in Santiago de Chile from Hamburg via Reykjavik, Charleston and Lima on November 28th.

SKY’s fleet consists of the following:

• Airbus A320neo: 24
• Airbus A321neo: 4
  

The average age of the fleet is 3.7 years, one of the most modern in Latin America.

Surinam Airways

Effective December 18th, the airline plans to begin operations on the Paramaribo – Oranjestad – Curaçao – Miami route. Surinam will fly with Boeing 737-800s configured for 168 passengers.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• PY 481  Paramaribo PBM 06:30 · 08:15 AUA Oranjestad
• PY 481  Oranjestad AUA 09:15 · 09:50 CUR Curaçao
• PY 481  Curaçao CUR 10:50 · 12:50 MIA Miami

• PY 480  Miami MIA 14:20 · 18:10 CUR Curaçao
• PY 480  Curaçao CUR 19:10 · 19:45 AUA Oranjestad
• PY 480  Oranjestad AUA 20:45 · 00:30+1 PBM Paramaribo

Surinam Airways currently offers three weekly services between Paramaribo and Miami via Georgetown with the same aircraft.

Tulum Airport

On December 1st, the new Tulum airport began regular operations. VivaAerobus had the privilege of having the first arrival at 11:49 local time, with flight VB 9360 from Mexico City’s Felipe Angeles Airport (AIFA).

For now, Aeromexico and VivaAerobus will have services to and from Tulum. As of March 2024, U.S. airlines will be added, with flights from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Newark and Orlando.

Current schedule

• Mexico City (MEX): Aeromexico and VivaAerobus
• Mexico City (NLU): VivaAerobus
• Monterrey (MTY): VivaAerobus

New routes

• Atlanta (ATL): Delta · eff March 28th, 2024
• Charlotte (CLT): American · eff March 28th, 2024
• Chicago (ORD): United · eff March 31st, 2024
• Dallas (DFW): American · eff March 28th, 2024
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL): Spirit · eff March 28th, 2024
• Guadalajara (GDL): VivaAerobus · eff December 16th
• Los Angeles (LAX): United · eff March 31st, 2024
• Miami (MIA): American · eff March 28th, 2024
• Newark (EWR): United · eff March 31st, 2024
• Orlando (MCO): Spirit · eff March 28th, 2024
• Tijuana (TIJ): VivaAerobus · eff December 17th

United Airlines

Last November 30th, United started its second frequency between Houston and Buenos Aires. For the first time since it began operating this route in 2012, the carrier will offer more than one daily flight (excluding the suspension due to the pandemic).

United will have 10 weekly services with 275-seat Boeing 777-200(ER) jets.

Daily

• UA 819  Houston IAH 20:15 · 09:20+1 EZE Buenos Aires
• UA 818  Buenos Aires EZE 22:05 · 05:35+1 IAH Houston

New flight

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• UA 831  Houston IAH 18:15 · 07:20+1 EZE Buenos Aires

Monday, Thursday and Saturday

• UA 832  Buenos Aires EZE 23:55 · 07:25+1 IAH Houston

VivaAerobus

The Mexican company inaugurated flights between Mexico City’s Felipe Angeles Airport and Guadalajara on December 9th. Viva will operate two daily services on Airbus A320neo aircraft with 180 seats.

Daily

• VB 3285  Mexico City NLU 16:30 · 17:45 GDL Guadalajara
• VB 3286  Guadalajara GDL 18:50 · 20:05 NLU Mexico City

Daily

• VB 3287  Mexico City NLU 20:35 · 21:50 GDL Guadalajara
• VB 3280  Guadalajara GDL 06:25 · 07:40 NLU Mexico City

Wingo

Connectivity between Colombia and Venezuela has been recovering in recent months, with the start of several Venezuelan airlines, LATAM and some Colombian carriers.

As of January 16th, 2024, Wingo will launch flights between Medellín and Caracas. The company owned by Copa will have three weekly operations on Boeing 737-800s with capacity for 186 passengers.

Tuesday

• P5 7402  Medellín MDE 08:38 · 11:38 CCS Caracas
• P5 7403  Caracas CCS 12:48 · 13:47 MDE Medellín

Wednesday

• P5 7402  Medellín MDE 04:31 · 07:30 CCS Caracas
• P5 7403  Caracas CCS 08:40 · 09:39 MDE Medellín

Saturday

• P5 7404  Medellín MDE 12:09 · 15:08 CCS Caracas
• P5 7405  Caracas CCS 16:18 · 17:17 MDE Medellín

Cover photo: Alex Rivera – JetPhotos (Bogotá, Colombia).