In this new update dedicated to regional aviation news in Latin America, Visit Latin America looks at the main announcements from recent weeks: new routes, seasonal resumptions, domestic reinforcements and infrastructure projects.
This selection highlights several movements to follow, from Colombia to Panama, from Brazil to Uruguay, with information also concerning Venezuela, Costa Rica and Medellín/Rionegro airport.
New route between Buenos Aires and Medellín
JetSMARTwill add a new direct route between Medellín and Buenos Aires/Ezeiza from November 12, 2026. The airline plans five weekly frequencies (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) between Argentina and José María Córdova International Airport, located in Rionegro.
This route will directly connect two major cities and offer connections to Bogotá, Lima or Panama. It adds to JetSMART’s Colombian network, which notably serves Cartagena, Santa Marta, San Andrés, Cali and Bucaramanga.
Medellín/Rionegro (MDE) – Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) – Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays:
- Flight JA 5851: MDE 16:55 – EZE 01:45 (+1)
- Flight JA 5850: EZE 02:45 – MDE 07:35
Brazil prepares the season toward Punta del Este and Foz do Iguaçu
Azul will strengthen its program between Brazil and Uruguay for the 2026-2027 season. The airline will open, for the first time, direct flights between Belo Horizonte/Confins and Punta del Este from December 14, with two weekly frequencies on Mondays and Fridays.
On the same date, it will also resume its regular service between Porto Alegre and Montevideo. Flights will operate twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, with 136-seat Embraer E2 aircraft. This resumption allows Porto Alegre to join Campinas/Viracopos, Belo Horizonte/Confins and Recife among the Brazilian cities directly connected to the Uruguayan capital by the Brazilian airline.
Belo Horizonte/Confins (CNF) – Punta del Este (PDP) – Mondays and Fridays, from December 14, 2026:
- CNF 11:50 – PDP 15:30
- PDP 16:45 – CNF 20:00
Porto Alegre (POA) – Montevideo (MVD)– Mondays and Fridays, from December 14, 2026:
- POA 11:00 – MVD 12:45
- MVD 14:00 – POA 15:35
Azul will also resume its seasonal operations from Porto Alegre and Campinas/Viracopos to Punta del Este. From Porto Alegre, flights will resume on December 12, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. From Campinas, the service will restart on December 13, with different schedules on Thursdays and Sundays.
Porto Alegre (POA) – Punta del Este (PDP) – Wednesdays and Saturdays, from December 12, 202
- POA 11:00 – PDP 12:45
- PDP 14:00 – POA 15:35
Campinas/Viracopos (VCP) – Punta del Este (PDP) – Thursdays, from December 13, 2026:
- VCP 12:05 – PDP 15:00
- PDP 16:15 – VCP 18:55
Campinas/Viracopos (VCP) – Punta del Este (PDP) – Sundays, from December 13, 2026:
- VCP 10:30 – PDP 13:25
- PDP 14:40 – VCP 17:20
In Brazil, GOL is also strengthening domestic access to Foz do Iguaçu from Porto Alegre. Since July 2, the airline has operated direct flights between the two cities, with two weekly frequencies until September 17, on Thursdays and Saturdays. After this period, the route will continue with one weekly frequency, on Saturdays.
Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) – Porto Alegre (POA):
- Flight G3 2133: IGU 11:45 – POA 13:05
- Flight G3 2132 : POA 13:55 – IGU 15:15
Copa adds Isla Margarita to its Venezuelan network
Copa Airlines will add Isla Margarita to its network from November 26, 2026. The airline plans three weekly flights (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) between Panama City/Tocumen and Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport, which serves Porlamar and Margarita Island.
This new service completes Copa’s presence in Venezuela, already built around Caracas, Valencia, Maracaibo and Barquisimeto. Via Panama, Isla Margarita will also be connected to other markets in the region through the Tocumen hub.
Panama City/Tocumen (PTY) – Porlamar/Isla Margarita (PMV) – martes, jueves y domingos:
- Flight CM 651: PTY 09:50 – PMV 13:36
- Flight CM 652: PMV 14:46 – PTY 16:30
Medellín and Guanacaste invest in their airports
In Medellín, José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro now has a new roadmap for the next thirty years. The objective is to support the expected increase in passenger and cargo traffic, with several expansion projects planned in the medium and long term.
The most important project concerns the construction of a second runway. According to the studies presented, this new infrastructure could be developed in two stages, first between 2025 and 2030, then between 2030 and 2035. For Medellín, the issue is straightforward: preparing the airport to absorb more operations, as the city continues to gain weight on the Colombian and international tourism scene.
In Costa Rica, Guanacaste Airport has inaugurated PURA Lounge, a new 354 m² VIP lounge operated by Coriport. The space is accessible to Priority Pass and Lounge Key members, as well as to passengers purchasing day access.
Photos : ACI-LAC
