Airline codes
AV · AVA
IATA · ICAO · callsign “AVIANCA”
Avianca’s IATA code is AV, its ICAO code is AVA, and the radio callsign is AVIANCA. Type AV and your flight number into a status search to follow an Avianca flight.
Avianca (AV) Guide
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Airline
Where Avianca flies from Bogotá, which aircraft it uses, what its cabins and bag allowances look like, and how to check in for an AV flight. Ask a question
In short
Avianca is the flag carrier of Colombia, headquartered in Bogotá with its hub at El Dorado International. It serves 70+ destinations in Colombia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the USA and Europe, and Bogotá connections link much of the Americas. Avianca belongs to Star Alliance and runs LifeMiles. Seats are sold in Business and Economy.
Avianca is Colombia’s largest airline and its flag carrier, registered in 1919 as SCADTA, making it one of the oldest airlines in the world. Headquartered in Bogotá, it flies across Colombia, Latin America and the Caribbean and to the United States and Europe.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Avianca. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
What to expect
Avianca is the flag carrier of Colombia, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá and its registered office in Barranquilla. It suits travellers flying within Colombia, between the Andes, Central America and the Caribbean, and from South America to the United States and Spain. Founded on 5 December 1919 in Barranquilla as SCADTA, it is one of the oldest airlines still flying.
Bogotá and the secondary hubs
El Dorado in Bogotá handles most of Avianca's connections. Medellín's José María Córdova airport, Cali and Cartagena act as secondary hubs, so some international flights leave directly from those cities without a change in Bogotá. Barranquilla, Miami, San José in Costa Rica and Quito are focus cities with extra flying.
The network reaches 74 destinations. Domestic Colombia is the densest part, followed by Central America, the Andean countries, Brazil and the Caribbean. In the United States, Miami has the largest operation, and long-haul flights cross the Atlantic to Spain.
Avianca Group and its leadership
Avianca now sits under Avianca Group, chaired by Roberto Kriete, with Gabriel Oliva as chief executive.
In October 2023 the airline moved to a lowercase "avianca" logo and shifted its short-haul flying toward a lower-cost model, with simpler fares and paid extras. A plan to take over the Colombian low-cost airline Viva Air was dropped on 13 May 2023. For a traveller the result is a fare chart where the cheapest ticket includes very little and each extra, from a checked bag to a chosen seat, is sold on its own.
Practical tips for Avianca flights
Check in online through avianca.com or the app, and arrive at El Dorado with time for document checks on international flights. Confirm the baggage included in your fare in Manage Booking, since it changes with the bundle and the route.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
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Good to know
- Founded1919
- Other gatewaysMDE / SJO / MIA
Everything you should know
At a glance
Avianca (IATA: AV, ICAO: AVA) is the flag carrier of Colombia, headquartered in Bogotá with its hub at El Dorado International Airport. Founded in 1919 and a Star Alliance member, it flies Airbus A319, A320, A320neo and Boeing 787 aircraft to about 70 destinations in the Americas and Europe.
| Headquarters | Bogotá, Colombia (registered office in Barranquilla) |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A319, A320, A320neo and Boeing 787-8 |
| Frequent flyer | LifeMiles |
| Official website | avianca.com |
Flight routes
Destinations and routes
Avianca’s hub and focus cities. The full network covers about 70 destinations; search your route to see current flights.
Search flights
Hub & focus cities
Bogotá (BOG) departures3 destinations
FromTo BOG MDE BogotáMedellín Available airlines1 airline- Avianca
FromTo BOG SJO BogotáSan José, Costa Rica Available airlines1 airline- Avianca
FromTo BOG MIA BogotáMiami Available airlines1 airline- Avianca
Fleet and aircraft
Avianca flies about 102 aircraft. The Airbus A320 family does most of the work: eight A319-100s, 47 A320-200s and 31 A320neos on domestic, regional and US routes. Thirteen Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners fly the long-haul routes to Europe and the longest flights in the Americas. A single-aisle fleet of this size means most flights within Latin America are on a similar cabin, with a seat pitch that varies by fare.
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Airbus A319 Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes
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Airbus A320 Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes
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Airbus A320neo Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes
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Boeing 787-8 Wide-body · 16 in service Long-haul routes
Cabin classes
Two cabins are on sale at Avianca: Business and Economy. Not every Avianca route has all of them.
Business Selected flights
Business class
Business class on Boeing 787 and selected other flights.
Lie-flat on the 787Lounge access
Economy All flights
Standard seat
The main cabin on every flight.
Fare options with or without bags
LifeMiles
Avianca’s loyalty programme. Join LifeMiles online before you fly so the trip counts.
LifeMiles members earn miles on Avianca and Star Alliance flights and with many partners, and redeem them for award flights.
Avianca's loyalty programme is LifeMiles, with four elite tiers: Red Plus, Silver, Gold and Diamond. LifeMiles members can earn and redeem on Avianca and on Star Alliance airlines.
Avianca joined Star Alliance on 21 June 2012. That puts United Airlines, Copa Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada and other members on the same alliance, which helps if you connect in Bogotá to a partner or carry Star Alliance status.
Baggage allowance
On Avianca, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your AV e-ticket.
Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only
Avianca sets one allowance for short-haul and another for long-haul, and its premium cabins always carry more than the cheapest economy fare. Check the route-by-route figures on avianca.com.
Pro tip: weigh your bags at home before leaving for the airport; extra weight on Avianca usually costs more at the counter than when you add it online.
Travel day
Online Check-in
Avianca check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at El Dorado International.
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Step 1
Check in online
Use avianca.com to check in for eligible flights. Have your Avianca booking reference or e-ticket number and your surname ready.
Booking ref + surname -
Step 2
Prepare your documents
Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic AV passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · ID -
Step 3
Arrive early
Avianca closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at BOG.
Check your deadline -
Step 4
Drop your bags
At the airport, take your bags to the Avianca bag-drop point. Collect a printed AV boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.
Avianca counter
Ready to check in?
Check in and manage your booking on the official Avianca website.
Save money
Cheap tickets
Ways to pay less for an Avianca ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.
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01
Be flexible with your Avianca dates
Compare a full week of Avianca departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.
Midweek flights -
02
Steer clear of peak weeks
Avianca prices climb around school holidays and big festivals. Flying a few days before or after the rush usually helps.
School holidays · festivals -
03
Check what each Avianca fare includes
The lowest AV fare is not always the cheapest trip once bags and seats are added. Compare the fare types before you pay.
Baggage & changes -
04
Don’t leave busy routes late
Popular Avianca flights fill the cheaper fares first, so give yourself several weeks of lead time on busy routes.
Popular routes -
05
Join LifeMiles
Add a LifeMiles number to your booking so points from your AV flights are credited.
Before you fly -
Ready to compare fares?
Search Avianca alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Avianca flights
Reviews and questions
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Visitors are asking
There are two: AV for IATA and AVA for ICAO, and pilots use the radio callsign AVIANCA.
Its main hub is El Dorado International (BOG) in Bogotá, and its head office is in Bogotá, Colombia (registered office in Barranquilla).
Yes, Star Alliance, so Avianca flights can share one ticket with partners such as Turkish Airlines or ANA.
Airbus narrow-bodies do nearly all the flying, with 86 A319s, A320s and A320neos in July 2026. The 16 Boeing 787-8s are kept for long-haul.
Yes, it is called LifeMiles. Add your LifeMiles number when you book so the miles are credited automatically.
Look at your e-ticket or Manage Booking on avianca.com. The figure depends on your AV route, cabin and fare type.
Still looking?
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Avianca.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying Avianca.
We checked these Avianca answers with the airline’s own pages and public airline records on 10 October 2026.
General
Avianca has been a Star Alliance member since June 2012. Partners include United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada and Copa Airlines, so you can connect across the alliance and use status benefits.
Avianca's main hub is El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. Medellín, Cali and Cartagena are secondary hubs, and the airline also has major operations in San José, Costa Rica, and Miami.
Avianca's loyalty programme is LifeMiles. Members earn miles on Avianca and Star Alliance flights and with partners, and can redeem them for award travel. Elite tiers are Red Plus, Silver, Gold and Diamond.
Avianca offers Business and Economy cabins. Economy is sold in fare bundles, from basic fares with fewer extras to flexible fares with checked bags and changes. Long-haul Boeing 787 flights have a separate Business cabin.
Avianca was founded on 5 December 1919 in Barranquilla as SCADTA, which makes it one of the oldest airlines still flying.
Avianca is part of Avianca Group, chaired by Roberto Kriete, with Gabriel Oliva as chief executive.
Medellín, Cali and Cartagena are secondary hubs to Bogotá. Barranquilla, Miami, San José in Costa Rica and Quito are focus cities.
Contact Avianca through its official website, avianca.com.
What's included
It depends on the fare bundle. The lowest fares may include only a personal item, while higher bundles add checked bags. Check the allowance for your fare on avianca.com before booking, and add bags online if needed.
Booking
About 102. The fleet is Airbus A319, A320 and A320neo jets for short and medium routes and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for long-haul flights.
Avianca flies to 70+ destinations. They are listed by region, with fares and route guides where we have them, in the destinations section of this page.
Timing & weather
Avianca joined Star Alliance on 21 June 2012.
Getting there
Avianca uses the IATA code AV and the ICAO code AVA. Its radio callsign is AVIANCA.
Check in on avianca.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Besides its main hub, Avianca also serves Medellín (MDE), San José, Costa Rica (SJO) and Miami (MIA).
