The number of scheduled seats within Colombia’s domestic market will reach record levels this week, research by Routes has found, eclipsing the previous weekly high set in October 2022.

As Routes Americas 2024 gets underway in Bogota, airlines operating in Colombia are providing the highest level of domestic capacity ever witnessed, with the recent addition of JetSmart further contributing to this surge.

Analysis of data from OAG Schedules Analyser reveals that the total capacity for the week starting March 18 will amount to 930,264 available seats, surpassing the prior weekly peak of 918,797 seats recorded during the week beginning Oct. 10, 2022.

Avianca will have about 59.6% of the market, followed by LATAM Airlines Group on 26.9%. New entrant JetSmart—which commenced domestic flights in Colombia on March 14—will have a 3% share. 

The domestic growth follows a year of upheaval after the demise of ULCCs Viva and Ultra Air during the first quarter of 2023, succumbing to rising costs and financial difficulties. The two airlines collectively accounted for approximately 24% of seat capacity in the country.

Their exit saw Colombia’s two largest carriers—Avianca and LATAM Airlines Group—work quickly to backfill capacity. Avianca now offers 38% more domestic seats than it did this time last year, while LATAM has grown by 15%. Copa Airlines’ subsidiary Wingo has also added six domestic routes over the past 12 months.

However, the exit of Viva and Ultra Air resulted in the removal of all ultra-low-cost seats from the market, leaving Colombia without a ULCC domestic operator until the recent entry of JetSmart. Chile-based JetSmart will base three Airbus A320neo in Colombia, initially flying a network of eight routes.

The airline’s inaugural flight last week connected Bogota and Medellin—one of four routes being served from Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport. About 149 domestic JetSmart flights will operate within Colombia this week, increasing to almost 270 by the end of May.

“The ultra-low-cost model is back in Colombia,” JetSmart CEO Estuardo Ortiz declared. “We see enormous potential in Colombia to bring low-cost air travel to all Colombians, as well as connect with international destinations to promote development, tourism and connectivity.”

The new Colombian carrier becomes the fourth in the JetSmart group, alongside the company’s original Chilean operation and its subsidiaries in Argentina and Peru. It sees the airline enter the third-largest domestic market in Latin America and the Caribbean and the 13th-largest globally.

“We believe, trust and invest in Colombia, to contribute to the tourism, development and connectivity of all communities, as we have already done with the 25 million people who have flown with us throughout South America,” Ortiz added. “Our new operation in Colombia is an important step in our vision of 100 million passengers and 100 aircraft by 2028.”