At 00:07 local time on August 2nd, Aeromexico’s first flight to Seoul departed Monterrey after a two-year suspension. As can be seen through our database, the airline will offer the Mexico City – Monterrey – Seoul – Mexico City route with 243-seat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, once a day.

The South Korean capital becomes Aeromexico’s second destination in Asia following Tokyo Narita, which also operates from Mexico City and Monterrey.

Daily

• AM 90  Mexico City MEX 20:35 · 22:25 MTY Monterrey
• AM 90  Monterrey MTY 23:55 · 06:00+2 ICN Seoul
• AM 91  Seoul ICN 11:40 · 10:40 MEX Mexico City

Considering Seoul and Tokyo Narita, the Mexican carrier serves two daily frequencies in the Mexico-Asia market.

Turkish Airlines to fly to Chile?

It was recently announced that Turkish registered operations in the SIROS system (Operation Registration System Manual), owned by ANAC Brazil (National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil), on the Istanbul – Sao Paulo – Santiago de Chile route and vice versa.

The airline is scheduled to perform four weekly flights to the Chilean capital on Airbus A350-900 aircraft, configured for 329 passengers in two seating classes, starting December 12th.

If launched, Turkish Airlines would reach its ninth destination in Latin America.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday

• TK 215  Istanbul IST 14:50 · 04:30+1 GRU Sao Paulo

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday

• TK 215  Sao Paulo GRU 06:05 · 10:00 SCL Santiago
• TK 216  Santiago SCL 11:55 · 15:30 GRU Sao Paulo
• TK 216  Sao Paulo GRU 17:05 · 05:35+1 IST Istanbul

Aerovías DAP incorporated its first Dash 8

On July 15th at 18:10 local time, a new aircraft of Aerovías DAP, a Chilean airline, landed at Punta Arenas airport, in southern Chile.

The airplane is a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400, with registration CC-DHT. It is the airline’s first aircraft of this type, and also the first in the country.

Aerovías DAP’s fleet is composed, in addition to this Dash 8, of BAe 146-200 Avro RJ85/100, DHC-6 Twin Otter, Cessna 402, Cessna 404 Titan, Beechcraft King Air 100, Beechcraft King Air 300 and Cessna Citation 550 B, in terms of aircraft, and helicopters BO-105, AS-355, AS-350 B3. It also has vessels to navigate the Antarctic territory.

The ferry flight to Punta Arenas of the new Dash lasted four days, this being the route (local time).

July 11th

• Summerside YSU 10:25 · 10:38 YYG Charlottetown
• Charlottetown YYG 12:27 · 14:13 YYZ Toronto

12th

• Toronto YYZ 10:40 · 14:29 NAS Nassau

13th

• Nassau NAS 08:47 · 11:04 PTY Panama City
• Panama City PTY 12:54 · 15:12 GYE Guayaquil

14th

• Guayaquil GYE 08:41 · 13:21 ARI Arica
• Arica ARI 14:37 · 17:25 SCL Santiago

15th

• Santiago SCL 14:37 · 18:10 PUQ Punta Arenas

These are other highlights of the Latin American market

• Aerolíneas Argentinas and Avelo add flights to the Caribbean.

• American will start operations between Miami and South Caicos.

• Arajet to open a second base in the Dominican Republic.

• avianca will resume two international routes.

• Azul to operate flights between Willemstad and Fort Lauderdale.

• Copa Airlines began scheduled services using Boeing 737 MAX 8.

• Flybondi inaugurated a new route in Argentina.

• GOL will fly to Costa Rica for the first time.

• JetSMART expands its Argentine subsidiary, with new routes and more aircraft.

• LATAM in Brazil: new domestic and international connections.

• Porto Alegre airport plans to resume operations in October.

• SATENA will inaugurate several routes in Colombia and an international one to Venezuela.

• SKY Airline to have services between Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro.

• United will fly (again) to Port of Spain from Newark.

• VivaAerobus and Volaris add connections in Mexico and the United States.

Aerolíneas Argentinas

For 2024/25 South American summer season, Aerolíneas Argentinas confirmed an important expansion between Argentina and the Caribbean as of January 2025.

The company will resume services from Córdoba to Punta Cana after five years, in addition to opening two new routes it had never operated before.

Buenos Aires (A330)

Daily except Sunday

• AR 1324  Buenos Aires EZE 02:25 · 09:10 PUJ Punta Cana
• AR 1325  Punta Cana PUJ 11:10 · 19:25 EZE Buenos Aires

Córdoba (737 MAX)

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday

• AR 1326  Córdoba COR 14/3014:45 · 21:20/21:35 PUJ Punta Cana
• AR 1327  Punta Cana PUJ 22:35/22:50 · 07:30/07:45+1 COR Córdoba

The first flight on this route will be on September 13th, and will increase to four services per week in January.

Rosario (737 MAX) · January 3rd, 2025

Friday

• AR 1348  Rosario ROS 15:10 · 22:20 PUJ Punta Cana
• AR 1349  Punta Cana PUJ 23:35 · 08:45+1 ROS Rosario

Tucumán (737 MAX) · January 5th, 2025

Sunday

• AR 1338  Tucumán TUC 16:15 · 22:30 PUJ Punta Cana
• AR 1339  Punta Cana PUJ 23:45 · 08:15+1 TUC Tucumán

On the other hand, Aerolíneas Argentinas has again incorporated a new jet from the factory following a six-year hiatus. We will review it later in the new aircraft table.

Aerovías DAP

In the Chilean Patagonia, Aerovías DAP has regular, non-regular and charter services. Its main hub is Punta Arenas, which offers the following connections:

• Balmaceda (BBA): 1 weekly · BAe Avro RJ100
• Pampa Guanaco (DPB/SCBI): 2 weekly · effective October
• Porvenir (WPR): 10 weekly · Cessna
• Puerto Williams (WPU): 6 weekly · BAe Avro RJ100/Twin Otter

During South American summer, DAP provides flights between Punta Arenas and King George Island Teniente R. Marsh Airport, in Antarctica. Operations are carried out by BAe Avro RJ100.

American Airlines

The company will add a new destination to the Turks and Caicos Islands, with the start of services between Miami and South Caicos effective February 15th, 2025. American will run two weekly operations on this route using Envoy Air’s Embraer 175s, configured for 76 passengers.

Wednesday and Saturday

• AA 3815  Miami MIA 10:05 · 12:27 XSC South Caicos
• AA 3815  South Caicos XSC 13:44 · 15:55 MIA Miami

South Caicos airport currently has two flights a day to Providenciales by InterCaribbean Airways, and a daily frequency to Grand Turk Island with Caicos Express Airways.

Arajet

As of October 27th, the carrier will modify its operations in the Dominican Republic, introducing flights from Punta Cana.

At the time of publication, Arajet will have services to Buenos Aires, Cancún, Kingston, Guayaquil, Lima, Mexico City (NLU), Montreal, Quito, Santiago de Chile, Sao Paulo and Toronto, ceasing to operate from Santo Domingo to these cities.

Destinations Arajet will maintain to/from Santo Domingo

• Aruba (AUA)
• Bogotá (BOG)
• Cartagena (CTG)
• Guatemala City (GUA)
• Medellín (MDE)
• San José (SJO)
• St. Maarten (SXM)
• Willemstad (CUR)

Avelo

Avelo Airlines will expand its network in Latin America by starting three new routes, as mentioned in the U.S./Canada report.

Cancún and Montego Bay, in Mexico and Jamaica respectively, will join San Juan (Puerto Rico), which currently has flights from New Haven and Wilmington (ILG).

Montego Bay · November 16th

Wednesday and Saturday

• XP 902  Hartford BDL 07:20 · 11:30 MBJ Montego Bay
• XP 903  Montego Bay MBJ 12:30 · 16:29 BDL Hartford

Cancún · November 20th

Wednesday and Saturday

• XP 964  Hartford BDL 06:00 · 10:19 CUN Cancún
• XP 965  Cancún CUN 11:19 · 15:13 BDL Hartford

In addition, the company will provide services between Lakeland and San Juan from October 26th.

Wednesday and Saturday

• XP  Lakeland LAL 11:00 · 14:15 SJU San Juan
• XP  San Juan SJU 13:10 · 15:42 LAL Lakeland

avianca

The company will resume, on October 27th, its operations between San José (Costa Rica) and Panama City.

Avianca will have a daily flight with 180-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft in single class.

Daily

• AV 643  San José SJO 10:15 · 12:35 PTY Panama City
• AV 642  Panama City PTY 13:30 · 13:45 SJO San José

After a five-year hiatus, the Bogotá – Chicago route will return.

Services will begin in late October by Airbus A320neo planes. It will be the company’s second destination from/to ORD following Guatemala City.

Daily

• AV 262  Bogotá BOG 07:00 · 12:15 ORD Chicago
• AV 263  Chicago ORD 13:35 · 20:25 BOG Bogotá

Azul Linhas Aéreas

Effective December 9th, the Brazilian airline will commence flights between Willemstad (Curaçao) and Fort Lauderdale. These operations will be an extension of the Belo Horizonte – Willemstad route, currently served with two weekly frequencies.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

• AD 8786  Belo Horizonte CNF 10:40 · 15:40 CUR Willemstad
• AD 8786  Willemstad CUR 16:55 · 19:00 FLL Fort Lauderdale

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

• AD 8787  Fort Lauderdale FLL 08:00 · 11:55 CUR Willemstad
• AD 8787  Willemstad CUR 13:10 · 20:10 CNF Belo Horizonte

It will be Azul’s first route offered without passing through Brazil.

Copa Airlines

At 13:03 local time on July 30th, Copa Airlines’ first Boeing 737 MAX 8 scheduled flight departed Panama City. As can be seen through our database, the MAX, registration HP-9801CMP, covered flight CM 485 to Miami.

Copa currently has one 737 MAX 8 in its fleet, and there are another six aircraft on order, which will be delivered soon.

The Venezuelan government’s ban on operations between Venezuela and Panama has caused Copa to add some special services to Cúcuta, on the Colombia-Venezuela border, from the Panamanian capital.

In accordance with the current NOTAM, flights between the two countries will be suspended until August 31st, as well as from Venezuela to Peru and the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela will maintain a limited international connection, with services to/from Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Curaçao, Iran, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago and Türkiye.

Flybondi

Last August 2nd, the Argentine low cost carrier began a new domestic route in the country.

These flights will be between El Calafate and Ushuaia, in the Argentine Patagonia, operated as follows:

El Calafate FTE – Ushuaia USH (schedule during August)

• FO 5545  FTE 09:55 · 11:15 USH (Monday)
• FO 5545  FTE 10:10 · 11:30 USH (Wednesday)
• FO 5545  FTE 10:15 · 11:35 USH (Friday)

Ushuaia USH – El Calafate FTE

• FO 5544  USH 10:35 · 11:55 FTE (Monday)
• FO 5544  USH 10:10 · 11:30 FTE (Wednesday)
• FO 5544  USH 10:15 · 11:35 FTE (Friday)
• FO 5544  USH 09:45 · 11:05 FTE (Sunday)

Flybondi reaches 25 routes in its regular schedule, and 5 without passing through Buenos Aires:

• Córdoba (COR) – Bariloche (BRC): 7 weekly
• Córdoba (COR) – Mendoza (MDZ): 4 weekly
• Córdoba (COR) – Neuquén (NQN): 4 weekly
• Córdoba (COR) – Salta (SLA): 4 weekly
• FTE – USH: 3 weekly /// USH-FTE: 4 weekly

GOL Linhas Aéreas

Costa Rica, new market for GOL Linhas Aéreas.

The company will inaugurate operations between Sao Paulo Guarulhos and San José, Costa Rica, starting November 14th. GOL will perform three services a week on Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• G3 7718  Sao Paulo GRU 13:55 · 18:25 SJO San José
• G3 7719  San José SJO 20:40 · 07:10+1 GRU Sao Paulo

In addition to Brazil, its hub, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Suriname, United States and Uruguay have GOL Linhas Aéreas flights. Aruba, with Oranjestad, will be added in December.

Furthermore, on January 3rd, 2025, the Brazilian airline will launch a new international route for summer 2025.

GOL will have three weekly services between Rosario and Florianópolis by Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with the following schedule:

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• G3 9522  Florianópolis FLN 23:55 · 02:20+1 ROS Rosario

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• G3 9521  Rosario ROS 03:30 · 05:45 FLN Florianópolis

JetSMART

The low cost carrier announced the expansion of its Argentine subsidiary, with the resumption of three suspended routes and the addition of two aircraft to its fleet.

JetSMART Argentina currently has 8 Airbus A320-200s and more than 15 destinations from/to Buenos Aires, as well as an international connection from Mendoza (MDZ) and a route without passing through the country’s capital.

• Salta (SLA) – Mendoza (MDZ): 4 weekly · November 5th
• Mendoza (MDZ) – Bariloche (BRC): 4 weekly · November 5th
• Buenos Aires (AEP) – Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD): 5 weekly · January 8th, 2025

JetSMART Argentina fleet

• LV-HEK: 6 years
• LV-HVT: 6 years
• LV-IVN: 5.5 years
• LV-IVO: 5.5 years
• LV-JQE: 6 years
• LV-KDP: 6 years
• LV-KFX: 6.5 years
• LV-KJA: 7 years

The two new Airbus A320-200s will join from JetSMART Chile, between October and November. Based on different reports, the A320s will maintain the Chilean registration when incorporated into the Argentine subsidiary.

These will be the first foreign-registered aircraft to operate regularly in Argentina.

LATAM

On August 3rd, the airline inaugurated flights between Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Pelotas (PET).

This is due to the closure of Porto Alegre airport since May, and to increase operations to cities near Porto Alegre until its reopening.

Tuesday and Saturday

• LA 4638  Sao Paulo GRU 07:05 · 09:05 PET Pelotas
• LA 4639  Pelotas PET 09:50 · 11:50 GRU Sao Paulo

Azul and GOL have services to the Brazilian city from Campinas and Guarulhos, respectively.

LATAM confirmed it will commence services between Fortaleza and Santiago as of November 30th.

Flights will be once per week with 174/180-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft, and will last nearly seven hours.

Saturday/Sunday

• Fortaleza FOR 14:45 · 21:15 SCL Santiago (Saturday)
• Santiago SCL 06:30 · 13:00 FOR Fortaleza (Sunday)

Porto Alegre

Fraport, the concessionaire of Porto Alegre airport, announced it plans to reopen the airport in October, after being closed for almost six months due to the floods suffered by the Brazilian city and the region during April and May.

The concessionaire is currently undergoing airport works, such as resurfacing the runway and taxiways, eliminating the remaining water at the airport, and improving the facilities between terminals and hangars.

At publication time, the airport is expected to be back in operation for commercial flights on October 21st, but will have some limitations:

• Partial operation, with 50 daily flights (350 per week)
• Domestic flights only, from 10:00 to 22:00
• Use of 1,700-meter runway

Beginning in December, the airport would be fully operational, with the return of international services.

Prior to the floods, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Azul, Copa, LATAM and TAP had international flights to/from Porto Alegre, although the return date for each has not yet been confirmed.

• Full domestic and internacional operations
• Passenger terminal at 100%
• Use of 3,200-meter runway

The Canoas Air Base, located in northern Porto Alegre, currently has 72 weekly flights, in accordance with our database, between Azul Linhas Aéreas, GOL Linhas Aéreas and LATAM Airlines.

SATENA

Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales, or simply SATENA, will add new routes during September, which will be conducted on Beechcraft 1900s and Embraer 145s.

• Quibdó (UIB) – Cartago (CRC): 2 weekly · September 2nd 
• Cúcuta (CUC) – Arauca (AUC): 2 weekly · September 3rd
• Cúcuta (CUC) – Maracaibo (MAR): 3 weekly · September 3rd
• Medellín (EOH) – Paipa (RON): 2 weekly · September 3rd
• Yopal (EYP) – Paipa (RON): 2 weekly · September 3rd
• Cali (CLO) – Timbiqui (TBD): 3 weekly · September 23rd
• Popayán (PPN) – Timbiqui (TBD): 3 weekly · September 23rd

SKY

The low cost airline will fly between Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro starting December 18th. In line with its website, SKY will offer this route four times a week by Airbus A320neo aircraft with 186 seats.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• H2 644  Santiago SCL 07:55 · 10:10 MVD Montevideo
• H2 644  Montevideo MVD 11:10 · 13:55 GIG Rio de Janeiro

• H2 645  Rio de Janeiro GIG 15:05 · 18:20 MVD Montevideo
• H2 645  Montevideo MVD 19:20 · 21:55 SCL Santiago

SKY routes in Montevideo during summer 2024/25

• Florianópolis (FLN): 3 weekly
• Lima (LIM): 3 weekly
• Rio de Janeiro (GIG): 4 weekly
• Salvador (SSA): 3 weekly
• Santiago (SCL): 7 weekly

Turkish

We review the company’s current route network in Latin America, also considering Santiago de Chile:

Argentina

• IST – Sao Paulo (GRU) – Buenos Aires (EZE): 7 weekly · Airbus A350-900

Brazil

• IST – Sao Paulo (GRU): 11 weekly · Airbus A350-900

Chile (tentatively)

• IST – Sao Paulo (GRU) – Santiago (SCL): 4 weekly · Airbus A350-900

Colombia/Panama

• IST – Bogotá (BOG) – Panama City (PTY) – IST: 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Cuba/Venezuela

• IST – Havana (HAV) – Caracas (CCS) – IST: 4 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Mexico

• IST – Mexico City (MEX) – Cancún (CUN) – IST: 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Panama

• IST – Panama City (PTY): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Venezuela

• IST – Caracas (CCS): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9

United Airlines

United will resume operations from Newark to Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), which will be available effective December 19th and will run through early January 2025, as of press time.

Daily

• UA 1904  Newark EWR 19:00 · 01:05+1 POS Port of Spain
• UA 1905  Port of Spain POS 02:20 · 06:55 EWR Newark

VivaAerobus

The Mexican carrier will expand its services from Guadalajara with four new routes to the United States.

Operations, which are already on sale, will initiate in early December:

• Las Vegas (LAS): 4 weekly · December 2nd
• Oakland (OAK): 7 weekly · December 2nd
• San Antonio (SAT): 4 weekly · December 2nd
• Dallas (DFW): 4 weekly · December 3rd

VivaAerobus will also add new domestic connections in Mexico between October and December, to be operated on Airbus A320s.

• Mexico City (NLU) – Guanajuato (BJX): 7 weekly · October 1st
• Mexico City (NLU) – Matamoros (MAM): 2 weekly · November 1st
• Mexico City (NLU) – Ciudad Obregón (CEN): 2 weekly · November 3rd
• Guadalajara (GDL) – Ciudad Obregón (CEN): 3 weekly · December 2nd
• Guadalajara (GDL) – Mexicali (MXL): 7 weekly · December 2nd
• Guadalajara (GDL) – Puerto Escondido (PXM): 3 weekly · December 3rd
• Guadalajara (GDL) – Torreón (TRC): 3 weekly · December 3rd

Volaris

Starting in November, Volaris plans the addition of seven new routes from Monterrey, both domestic and international.

• Chicago (ORD): 4 weekly · November 3rd
• Oaxaca (OAX): 4 weekly · November 3rd
• Querétaro (QRO): 7 weekly · November 3rd
• San Antonio (SAT): 7 weekly · November 3rd
• Ciudad Obregón (CEN): 3 weekly · November 4th
• Los Mochis (LMM): 3 weekly · November 4th
• Oakland (OAK): 3 weekly · November 5th

These operations will be carried out by Airbus A320neo aircraft seating 186 passengers.

We review the aircraft incorporated by Latin American airlines during July and early August:

• Aerolíneas Argentinas

• Aeromexico

• Aerovías DAP

• avianca (x3)

• GOL Linhas Aéreas

• JetSMART

• LATAM

• Total Linhas Aéreas

• Volaris

*It’s not new from the factory.

Other reports we have published:

• Europe
• Asia and Oceania
• Africa and Middle East
• United States and Canada
• ANA spreads its wings in Europe
• ITA expands its Asia presence with two new routes
• Holidaymaker express: Delta starting London-Orlando flights

Cover photo: Gabriel Mora – JetPhotos (Mexico).