Miami and Broward airports are adding new flights to Central America. See the details

Colombia’s largest airline is launching new direct routes between South Florida and Central America, accelerating its global ambitions

Starting May 10, Avianca will operate daily service between Miami International Airport and Guatemala City.

Also on May 10, Avianca will start a Fort Lauderdale-Managua route.

Here’s what to know about the two new Avianca flights:

At Miami International Airport

Avianca says it’s is looking to strengthen travel, tourism and business opportunities between South Florida and Guatemala. You can buy tickets online, through Avianca’s app or through travel agents.

“We are excited to launch this new direct route,” Rolando Damas, the airline’s sales director for North America, Central America, Europe, and the Caribbean, said in a statement. “Guatemala, located at the heart of the Mayan civilization, is a country full of history, with a rich biodiversity that makes it a top destination in the region.”

About 1.8 million people of Guatemalan origin lived in the United States in 2021, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. About 144,000 of them lived in Florida, tied with Texas for the second most.

The airline will fly an Airbus A320, which can hold 180 passengers. Service starts May 10.

At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

Avianca will fly directly between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Managua, Nicaragua, starting May 10. The airline will use an Airbus A320 on the route.

The Fort Lauderdale–Managua flight could fill in an important need in bringing families together.

An estimated 450,000 people of Nicaraguan origin lived in the U.S. in 2021, according to Pew. Florida had more than any other state, with about 166,000. That number has likely increased as the country’s president Daniel Ortega has cracked down on human rights and undermined democratic institutions, according to rights groups.

“Persecution of opponents to the Government or those perceived as dissenting voices has progressively been extended and intensified,” said a 2024 United Nations report. It noted the abuses date back to at least 2018.

Florida’s Americas connection

The new routes indicate that Colombia’s flagship airline is looking to connect South Florida with Latin America more broadly. The carrier says demand for travel between the U.S. and Central America continues to grow.

“Avianca is committed to strengthening its network and providing travelers with more operations,” Damas said.

Avianca says it flew over 4 million passengers in 2024 on more than 27,000 flights to and from the United States.

The carrier has long operated daily flights between FLL and Bogotá. But the airline is expanding this year. On March 30, it will start daily direct service to Medellin. This year it’ll also add Miami-San José, Costa Rica service.

Beyond South Florida, flights between Tampa and Bogotá and Chicago and San Salvador will debut.

“Florida has historically been a key gateway for connections to Latin America,” Frederico Pedreira, CEO of Avianca, said. “Which is why it is essential for us to contribute to reuniting families, boosting tourism, and promoting business.”