Tourexpi
Colombia is significantly expanding its international air connectivity in 2026, with 20 new routes operated by ten airlines. The additional services connect six Colombian cities with ten international source markets and will provide around 15,438 additional seats per week.
According to ProColombia, the routes are being introduced between 4 June and 18 December 2026 and together account for 79 weekly frequencies. The expansion has been developed in cooperation with airlines and regional organisations as Colombia seeks to strengthen its position in international tourism and business travel.
Medellín gains six new international routes
Medellín is the biggest beneficiary of the expansion, adding six international connections during the year. Viva Aerobus began flying from Mexico City on 5 June, followed by Wingo services from Montego Bay on 23 June and Guatemala City on 25 June.
Avianca is scheduled to connect Caracas with Medellín from 28 August, while JetSmart will launch Buenos Aires flights on 12 November. Volaris will complete the new programme with a Guadalajara service beginning on 2 December.
Cartagena is gaining four routes. Viva Aerobus launched Mexico City flights on 4 June and World2Fly followed with a Madrid connection on 3 July. United Airlines will enter the Cartagena market with two routes from the United States on 17 December, serving the Colombian Caribbean city from Houston and Washington.
Barranquilla adds four connections
Barranquilla is also receiving four new international services. Wingo began operating from Aruba on 9 July, while Avianca launched a Fort Lauderdale connection on 15 July.
JetBlue will add another Fort Lauderdale service from 1 October. The most significant European addition comes on 18 December, when Air Europa is scheduled to begin flights from Madrid.
Bogotá, meanwhile, gains three routes. Wingo will serve the Colombian capital from Valencia in Venezuela and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, while Qatar Airways is scheduled to introduce a Doha-Bogotá connection on 4 September.
The Doha service represents the first direct connection between the two cities and substantially increases Colombia’s direct accessibility from the Middle East.
New flights also reach Cali and Bucaramanga
Cali gains two additional connections from Fort Lauderdale. Avianca launched its service on 15 July, with JetBlue scheduled to follow on 15 October.
Bucaramanga receives one new international route, with Wingo connecting the city with Aruba from 17 June.
Among the most significant developments are United Airlines’ arrival in Cartagena, Qatar Airways’ Doha-Bogotá service, Air Europa’s return and World2Fly’s expansion of capacity between Spain and Colombia. JetSmart’s Buenos Aires-Medellín route also strengthens direct links between Colombia and Argentina.
International ticket sales exceed 325,000
The expansion comes as international demand for Colombia continues to grow in several important source markets. ProColombia recorded 325,788 passengers in ticket sales to Colombia between April and June 2026, based on data from IATA GAP.
Barranquilla achieved the strongest growth among Colombia’s principal international destinations. Ticket sales increased by 12.7%, from 8,629 passengers in the second quarter of 2025 to 9,729 in the same period this year.
United States remains Colombia’s largest source market
The United States continues to dominate international ticket sales to Colombia. The number increased by 4.2% year-on-year, from 128,381 to 133,777 passengers in the second quarter.
The US consequently accounted for 41.1% of all tickets sold to Colombia during the period. Bogotá and Medellín together attracted around 56% of these passengers, followed by Cartagena and Cali.
Spain also recorded growth. Ticket sales increased by 5.1%, from 26,739 to 28,108 passengers, with Bogotá, Cali and Pereira the principal Colombian destinations for travellers originating in Spain.
Brazil continued its upward trend, with passenger numbers rising 6.7% from 20,237 to 21,587. This followed growth of 18.6% between the second quarters of 2024 and 2025.
The combination of additional airline capacity and rising sales in major source markets strengthens Colombia’s international accessibility, while the distribution of new routes across Medellín, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali and Bucaramanga broadens connectivity beyond the country’s principal aviation hub.
Image Credit: © AI generated illustration
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