COLOMBIA · TRAVEL AND BUSINESS
Key Facts
- The airline Aerolíneas Argentinas is Argentina’s flag carrier, based in Buenos Aires.
- What happened The airline’s chief executive confirmed on 10 November 2026 that it will fly to Cartagena, Colombia, from January.
- The schedule Five flights a week will link Buenos Aires and Cartagena from 1 January 2027.
- The market Travel between Argentina and Colombia runs at 70,000 to 80,000 passengers a year, the chief executive said.
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.1 points (November 2026 edition).
Argentina’s flag carrier, Aerolíneas Argentinas, will fly five times a week between Buenos Aires and the Colombian Caribbean port city of Cartagena from 1 January 2027. Chief executive Fabián Lombardo repeated the plan on Tuesday 10 November 2026 in an interview, and called Colombia a priority market.
For US readers, the route shows demand for travel between Argentina and Colombia. It also gives Americans a direct option for Americans who combine Buenos Aires with a Caribbean beach stop.
What Happened
Lombardo said Aerolíneas Argentinas will operate five weekly frequencies to Cartagena from January, and that the airline had no direct flight to the Colombian Caribbean before. He also said Bogotá, the airline’s existing link to Colombia, is a route it will keep flying.
He called Colombia a priority market for the airline. The route was first announced in August 2026 as part of the airline’s summer schedule, together with a new flight to the Caribbean island of Curaçao.
The Numbers Behind the Route
Lombardo put travel between Argentina and Colombia at between 70,000 and 80,000 passengers a year. He said the airline’s seats between the two countries rose by about 40% over the past two years.
Colombia’s tourism promotion agency, ProColombia, says arrivals of Argentine visitors grew by more than 22%, though the interview did not give the period. The airline’s own January 2027 plan calls for about 1.5 million seats across its network, which is 13% more than in January 2026.
Why Cartagena
Cartagena’s walled old city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed in 1984. Until now, the airline had no direct flight there.
A direct flight shortens the trip for leisure travellers and gives the airline a new Caribbean route. For Colombia, it adds a new source of visitors to its Caribbean coast.
What It Means for You
If you plan a South America trip that includes Buenos Aires, you can now add Cartagena without a connection, at least from 1 January 2027. Check the airline’s booking page for fares and exact days, because the interview did not give them.
Investors who follow Latin American travel should note that Argentina’s flag carrier is adding routes while tourism between the two countries grows. The route does not change the airline’s finances on its own, and no financial figures were given.
What Is Not Known
The interview does not give the operating days, the fares, the aircraft type or the airline’s passenger forecast for the route. Schedules and frequencies can change before the first flight.
Some Colombian local reports say the Bogotá flights will pause from 1 January to 31 March 2027, which the airline’s chief executive did not mention. It is also unclear how many of the seats will be filled by Argentine tourists and how many by Colombians or travellers from other countries.
The airline has not said how long it will keep the five weekly frequencies. Travellers should check the schedule before booking.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times. Related: Colombia’s key players.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Aerolíneas Argentinas Start Flying to Cartagena?
The first flights are planned for 1 January 2027, with five weekly frequencies between Buenos Aires and Cartagena. The airline’s chief executive confirmed the plan on 10 November 2026.
Will the Airline Keep Its Bogotá Flights?
The chief executive said Bogotá is a route the airline will keep flying. Some local reports say flights there will pause from 1 January to 31 March 2027, which the airline has not confirmed to us.
How Many People Fly Between Argentina and Colombia?
The chief executive put the market at 70,000 to 80,000 passengers a year. He said the airline’s capacity between the two countries rose about 40% in two years.
Can Americans Use the New Route?
Yes, anyone can book it, but it links Buenos Aires and Cartagena rather than the United States. A US traveller would need to reach Buenos Aires or Cartagena first.
Sources: Aerolíneas Argentinas, route and schedule announcements, August to November 2026; ProColombia, tourism promotion agency of Colombia; UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
Living in or visiting Cartagena? See our Cartagena city guide with rents, safety and upcoming concerts.