Avianca Launches Abu Dhabi Route and Expands Venezuela Flights

Avianca has officially entered the United Arab Emirates market by launching a wet-lease service between Barcelona and Abu Dhabi for Etihad Airways, while simultaneously doubling daily flights to Venezuela. The new route begins on October 25, 2026, marking the first time the carrier operates in the emirate under an agreement with Grupo Abra’s strategic partner.

International Expansion

The Barcelona–Abu Dhabi service is operated using Boeing 787 Dreamliners configured for 291 passengers. Under the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) model, Avianca provides the aircraft, crew, and technical support, while Etihad handles commercialization under its own code. This operational launch follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed on July 21 in Farnborough, UK, aimed at strengthening connectivity between Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia Source: El Tiempo. The contract runs for one year, concluding on October 25, 2027 Source: Portafolio.

Regional Growth

Concurrently, Avianca is increasing capacity on the Caracas–Bogotá route. Starting October 25, a second daily flight will operate via Airbus A320s, adding 2,500 weekly seats to the market Source: El Tiempo. This brings the total weekly frequency between Colombia and Venezuela to 28, distributed across two daily flights from Caracas, one from Valencia, and one from Maracaibo Source: El Tiempo.

Strategic Context

These moves highlight the utility of Grupo Abra’s platform, which combines Avianca and GOL under shared leadership. The group manages over 300 aircraft serving 145 destinations globally Source: Portafolio. In 2025, Avianca transported approximately 37 million passengers, reinforcing its position as a leader in Colombia, Ecuador, and Central America Source: Portafolio. David Alemán, Avianca’s Sales Director for Colombia and South America, emphasized that enhanced air connectivity is crucial for driving economic opportunities and bringing countries closer Source: El Tiempo.