There’s a new way to get to South America from Miami. See destination details

Avianca, Colombia’s largest airline, is adding as many as 39 new weekly flights this December as it seeks to strengthen connections between North America and Central and South America.

One new route just began in the 305.

Avianca started daily non-stop flights between MIA and Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Oct. 26.

New Avianca flights

Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city, an important economic engine and has a popular port. It lies along the Guayas River which connects to the Pacific Ocean. You go there to travel to the Galápagos Islands.

The year-round flights will be more convenient coming from Ecuador. They leave there at 6:50 p.m. or 7:05 p.m. local time.

From MIA, you’ll have to stay up late. Departures are at 1:45 a.m. or 2 a.m.

About 776,000 Ecuadorians live in the U.S. according to the 2020 census. Queens County, New York, has the largest number, about 115,000.

Avianca is also boosting service to its second hub, the capital of El Salvador.

The carrier will have 10 weekly flights this December between MIA and San Salvador, up from three last December. And they’ll be year-round.

The airline is also adding one more flight between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Bogotá to give it seven a week.

Avianca spent about $600 million in 2025, on 13 new routes and 6 new aircraft, Rolando Damas, sales director for North America and Europe, said in an interview the Miami Herald.

Serving New York

The airline is also increasing frequency of existing routes. It’s upping flights between Guayaquil and New York’s John F. Kennedy International from 8 to 12 weekly flights. It’ll have 25 flights each week between JFK and San Salvador, an increase from 21.

Additionally, Avianca is bringing back seasonal flights for the winter across the United States, including Orlando to San Salvador.

The carrier is expanding business class, too. Starting Nov. 1, business-class seats will be available on flights between MIA and Quito and MIA and Guayaquil.

“We’re investing a lot in business class,” Damas said. “Corporate travel has pretty much come back to pre-COVID levels” for the company.

That means so-called premium seating, in-flight meals and beverages, and more entertainment options, as well as access to Avianca’s lounges.

Earlier this year, Avianca added service between MIA and San Jose, Costa Rica, FLL and Medellín, and Tampa and Bogotá. Outside the Sunshine State, where it’s also expanding, the airline started service between Dallas and Bogotá

The carrier will have 80 weekly flights from MIA this year, up by one-third from the 60 last year. That includes three daily flights between Miami and Managua.

In the airline industry, it’s tough to do things much better than competitors, Damas said.

“What we’re aiming for,” he said, “is to do 100 things 1% better.”