Avianca: What 30,000 Passenger Reviews Really Say

History and positioning

More than a century of history did not stop Avianca from going through Chapter 11 proceedings in 2020, from which it emerged in 2021 with a revised cost structure. The shift toward a hybrid model, closer to low-cost on some fares, is still ongoing and is also the reason its Skytrax certification was put under review.

The fleet

The fleet combines the Airbus A320 family for short and medium-haul with Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s for long-haul, allowing both regional direct flights within South America and intercontinental ones to Europe and North America.

What passengers say

On AirAdvisor, Avianca has an average score of 3.18 out of 5, calculated on almost 30,000 reviews: an average figure, but one that hides a worrying trend, with about 3,500 complaints recorded in a single half-year according to the most recent data. In the 2024 Skytrax ranking, no Colombian airline appears among the world's top hundred.

Fares and baggage

With the shift toward a hybrid model, more and more Avianca fares exclude checked baggage and other extras from the base price, something to check carefully at the time of purchase to avoid surprises at check-in.

Avianca remains a logical choice for those who need to connect through Bogotá to the rest of South America or intercontinentally, but the growing volume of complaints suggests allowing extra margin on connections and always documenting everything in case of problems. The most useful practical tip: keep receipts, boarding passes and every communication from the airline, because with almost 3,500 complaints per half-year, having everything documented speeds up any refund request considerably.