Tampa International Airport has initiated its first-ever scheduled passenger flights to and from South America with the launch of Avianca's service from Bogotá on March 30. This development positions Tampa as the fourth airport in Florida to be serviced by the Colombian carrier, joining a total of 10 US destinations set to be served this year, including San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Avianca now serves 12 airports across the US and Canada from Colombia. This includes a return to Chicago O'Hare in 2024, and an upcoming addition of Dallas/Fort Worth starting in May.
Highlighting passenger data, Tampa was reported to have approximately 155,000 round-trip South American passengers last year. São Paulo topped the list with 30,000 passengers, followed by Bogotá, Lima, Medellín, and Buenos Aires. Most travelers were connecting through Miami with American Airlines or Copa Airlines in Panama City.