Avianca (AV): routes from Mexico, baggage, loyalty program

Avianca (IATA: AV) is a full-service carrier from Colombia, Star Alliance. Its economy checked-baggage allowance is 23 kg and it operates from its BOG, SAL, SJO hubs. It appears on 3 routes relevant to Mexican travellers in our catalogue, with fares quoted in pesos (MXN).

At a glance

Avianca (AV) operates 3 routes in our catalogue with 35 combined weekly departures, out of Colombia and hubbed at BOG, SAL, SJO. Economy allowance: 23 kg. Alliance: Star Alliance. Local brand recognition 7/10 and infant fare 10% of the adult one.

• IATA: AV
• Country: Colombia
• Type: full-service
• Alliance: Star Alliance
• Hubs: BOG, SAL, SJO
• Economy baggage: 23 kg
• AirHelp eligible: No

Reach in the Mexican market. Its catalogued routes span 2,278 km (CUN-BOG) to 3,159 km (MEX-BOG), measured great-circle between airports. That range matters because distance decides aircraft type, the usual allowance and — on sectors touching Europe — the compensation band that applies if the flight is delayed.

Where it is the only option. On 1 of its 3 catalogued routes, Avianca is the pair’s only airline: CUN-BOG. In those corridors no price comparison is possible and a cancellation cannot be solved by stepping across to a competitor. If your date is rigid, check alternative pairs from neighbouring airports before buying.

What this record covers and what it does not. It gathers the 3 catalogued routes on which Avianca appears — those relevant to travellers leaving or entering Mexico — not its full network. Baggage and programme data come from our own carrier record and are checked against the airline’s site; where a field does not exist it is marked unknown rather than filled with an industry-average figure.

Avianca routes from/to Mexico

Avianca appears on 3 catalogued routes from 2 airports, with 35 combined weekly departures; the busiest is MEX-BOG (~21/wk) and 1 of the routes carry a cached fare. Its catalogued destinations number 2, under Star Alliance. The table below breaks each pair down with its frequency and its lowest observed fare.

Routes in our catalogue this carrier operates, with combined weekly frequency, block time and the lowest peso fare detected:

Where it actually competes. On 1 of its routes three or more airlines share the pair, and there Avianca’s pricing is disciplined by its neighbours: MEX-BOG. In those corridors compare with the bag already included, because the base-fare gap between operators is usually smaller than the baggage fee.

Its hubs govern the connection. Avianca concentrates operations at BOG, SAL, SJO, and that is where it has aircraft and crews to fix a problem. A connection through its hub is usually more robust than the same connection through an airport where it runs one daily frequency, even when the itinerary looks identical in the search engine. The difference shows up on the day something slips.

Baggage & family

Avianca includes 23 kg of checked baggage in its base economy fare, with the infant fare at 10% of the adult one. Its LifeMiles programme adds benefits for recurring travellers. It operates 3 catalogued routes to or from Mexico. That figure is the published base fare’s, not the ‘basic’ or ‘light’ families’.

Avianca applies the following baggage policy. Paisano travellers visiting family should check the airline’s program before buying, since extra bags change the total ticket cost:

The allowance belongs to the fare, not to the passenger. The kilos listed are those of the published base fare. ‘Basic’, ‘light’ and ‘zero’ families on several carriers exclude the checked bag, seat selection and sometimes date changes, even though the flight and the aircraft are identical. The carrier’s LifeMiles programme attaches to specific fare families: buy the cheapest bucket and the benefit does not travel with you. Always compare with the bag already added: on short sectors the ranking of operators usually flips once it is in.

Passenger rights

Across its 3 catalogued routes neither EU261 nor UK261 applies: Avianca is registered in Colombia. Leaving Mexico, Art. 47 Bis governs — at least 25% of the ticket for a delay over 4 h; leaving its own country, Aerocivil (Colombia). The operator’s nationality is the field that decides.

Avianca is not EU- or UK-registered, so EU261/UK261 do not apply. Passenger rights follow the civil-aviation rules of the origin or destination country (Aerocivil (Colombia)), which has no fixed cash-compensation table equivalent to Europe’s. Keep your expense receipts and claim directly with the airline; if it does not respond, escalate to the regulator. AirHelp does not handle this regime.

The operating carrier decides, not the seller. The compensation regime follows the airline that actually operates the flight, not the one printed on your ticket. A codeshare sold under a Mexican carrier’s code but operated by a European one is claimed under the operator’s regime, and vice versa. The ‘operated by’ line on the boarding pass is the field that fixes who you claim from and before which authority.

What does apply on departure from Mexico. Mexico’s Ley de Aviación Civil (Art. 47 Bis), enforced by AFAC and PROFECO, covers flights taking off from Mexican territory regardless of the airline’s nationality: a delay over 4 hours attributable to the carrier entitles you to at least 25% of the ticket price, and from the first hour the airline owes assistance that escalates with duration. Keep the boarding pass and the purchase receipt — a claim stands on those two documents.

When NOT to choose Avianca

On the pairs Avianca operates, our catalogue lists 2 alternative airlines (Aeromexico, Volaris). With 23 kg of allowance and 3 routes covered, there are clear scenarios where another option returns more for the same money. On 1 of those pairs three or more operators compete.

• For Mexican domestic or short transborder hops, a low-cost carrier (Volaris or VivaAerobus) is usually cheaper.
• If your loyalty program is in another alliance, note that Avianca is in Star Alliance.

Travelling light, you pay for something you do not use. Those 23 included kg are inside the price whether or not you check a bag. If the trip is two days and fits in the cabin, a bag-free low-cost fare on the same pair works out better. A generous allowance pays off on the family trip and the loaded return, not on the weekend break.

When it is the right pick. On the pairs where it holds the highest frequency, where its hub is your connecting point, or when the included allowance matches exactly what you carry. This section does not say the airline is bad: it says in which concrete scenarios another option on the same pair returns more — a different question, and the only useful one once you already have two tabs open.

FAQ

The 8 questions on this record are answered from catalogue figures for AV: routes and weekly frequencies, minimum fares observed by the collector, checked-baggage allowances and the rights regime that applies on each leg. No answer adds data that is not in those sources.

Which compensation regime applies to Avianca? Avianca is not EU- or UK-based, so EU261/UK261 do not apply; the destination country’s rules govern.

What checked-baggage allowance does Avianca include? Avianca’s economy checked-baggage baseline is 23 kg. Its LifeMiles program adds baggage for family-visiting travellers.

Which alliance is Avianca in? Avianca is a member of Star Alliance.

Does Avianca fly from Mexico? Yes. Avianca appears on 3 routes in our catalogue from/to Mexico — see the table above for frequencies and MXN fares.

What is Avianca’s longest route in this catalogue? Its catalogued routes span 2,278 to 3,159 km great-circle. Distance drives aircraft type, the usual allowance and — on sectors touching Europe — the compensation band that applies if the flight is delayed.

On which routes is Avianca the only airline? On 1 of its 3 catalogued routes it is the pair’s only operator. There, no carrier-to-carrier price comparison exists and a cancellation cannot be solved by switching competitor: it depends on interline agreements or on waiting.

How many weekly departures do Avianca’s routes total? Its 3 catalogued routes total 35 weekly departures, counting every airline on each pair. It measures corridor supply, not Avianca’s own flight count.

Where are Avianca’s hubs? At BOG, SAL, SJO. Connecting through the airline’s own hub is usually more robust than through an airport where it runs one daily frequency: that is where it has aircraft and crews to fix a delay.

Sources

• Regulador de destino

Related

• Bogotá Airport (BOG)
• San Salvador Airport (SAL)
• San José Airport (SJO)
• MEX-BOG flights
• Flight delay compensation calculator

Published by FlightsMX Editorial Team. Verify baggage policies with the airline before travelling — these change frequently.