Avianca Brings Back Business Class on Select Routes Within the Americas

Updated: December 12, 2023, 4:29am CST

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Table of Contents

Avianca’s Business Class Decision in 2022
The Return of Avianca Business Class
Final Thoughts

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Avianca, the Bogotá-based flag carrier of Colombia, is restoring business class service on select routes within the Americas, as first reported by One Mile at a Time.

Here’s everything that you need to know.

Avianca’s Business Class Decision in 2022

In October 2022, Avianca executives made the decision to eliminate business class service on a majority of the carrier’s routes. This included all flying within North and South America (but not Europe).

At the time, Manuel Ambriz, Avianca’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the decision was to create “a more practical and simple flight experience without being tied to a particular class.”

As a result of this decision, the airline’s fleet of Airbus A320 Avianca aircraft was stripped of both business class seats and personal televisions. Meanwhile, it began selling seats in the business class cabins of its Boeing 787 and Airbus A330 aircraft simply as seats with more space. There was no elevated business class service or amenities offered.

Ambriz said that there were 15 ancillary products or services that could be added to the base fare.

The Return of Avianca Business Class

Avianca Boeing 787 Business Class seat lie flat — A lie-flat seat in Avianca business class on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Image credit: Daniel Ross

Now, however, Avianca is backtracking on that decision it made last year. Flights that are operated by the Boeing 787 or Airbus A330 will once again be getting the full business class treatment, with a progressive rollout.

Here’s a look at the routes that have — or will have — business class:

Bogotá (BOG) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Bogotá (BOG) to Buenos Aires (EZE)
Bogotá (BOG) to Miami (MIA)
Bogotá (BOG) to São Paulo (GRU)
San Salvador (SAL) to Miami (MIA)

Business class service and amenities have already returned to the daily Bogotá-Los Angeles route and will return to the rest of the routes mentioned above as of August 15, 2023.

With several of these flights being quite lengthy — the flight between Bogotá and Los Angeles is over 7 hours in duration — passengers will surely welcome the return of business class amenities, food, and service to match their lie-flat seats.

Hot Tip:

Want to know more about the Avianca Lifemiles program? Read our full guide to this under-the-radar loyalty system.

Final Thoughts

After filing for bankruptcy in 2021 and going to an all-economy configuration in 2022, Avianca is making yet another change and reinstating a true business class product on select routes within the Americas region.