Avianca Cargo is reinforcing its position in Miami as it expands its network, connecting Latin America to the rest of the world, leveraging the American city’s global connectivity and Bogota’s domestic infrastructure to optimise speed, cold-chain efficiency, and regional reach.

Miami has evolved from a gateway to the Americas into a global hub for perishable exports, particularly flowers, fruits, and fish. The city’s geographical proximity to Colombia and robust trucking connections across the US make it a strategic center for Latin American airfreight.

“Miami is a strategic location for us in Latin America, but also globally. They have capacity from almost everywhere, even from Asia, going in and out to Miami,” Diogo Elias, the CEO of Avianca Cargo, noted, emphasizing the city’s dual role as an origin and transit hub.

Miami’s operating setup allows for exceptionally fast transfers. Most of the flower pallets we transport aren’t broken down at the airport, which means they move straight from the aircraft to the truck in a matter of minutes—not hours.

“This efficiency is critical for maintaining freshness and protecting the cold chain for our customers” he stated.

The concentration of perishable exports highlights market predictability and operational planning. Colombia’s flower market, Brazil’s fruit exports, and seasonal products such as cherries create year-round cargo flows with seasonal peaks, which airlines can plan around. “Brazil is one of the biggest exporters of fruit, not only to the US, but also to Europe, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador,” Elias mentioned, illustrating South America’s significance as a global supplier.

Forwarders and shippers benefit from short flight times between regional hubs, while carriers gain efficiency from multi-stop routing and network optimisation. “You can serve imports to Brazil and then export from Chile, and you have a short flight from São Paulo to Santiago,” he said.

Integrated operations and capacity growth

The dual-hub strategy extends to Bogota, Avianca Cargo’s main operational centre, combining freighter operations with belly capacity from passenger aircraft. The airline operates nine dedicated freighters alongside its 130-strong passenger fleet, using widebody aircraft for intercontinental routes. This combination allows direct routing without unnecessary cargo transfers, enhancing reliability for perishable products.

“We have that ability to connect in and out Bogotá, we don’t have to move cargo to Bogotá and then to split on the widebodies, the cargo, the flower, especially the flower and fish market. It’s very close to Bogotá,” Elias stated. Partnerships with third-party carriers, such as Amazon, add incremental capacity, especially in domestic US and intra Latin American markets.

“We actually operate nine freighters, plus one from Amazon, with partnering with them and doing much” he confirmed.

Operational trends indicate an increasing reliance on integrated airfreight solutions. Miami’s combination of air, road, and cold-chain facilities enables efficient regional distribution, while South American production volumes create predictable, high-value cargo flows. Shippers and forwarders can exploit these efficiencies, but carriers face pressure to maintain speed and capacity, particularly during seasonal peaks. Certification, infrastructure, and service level investments are central to sustaining competitiveness.

South America’s airfreight market benefits from geographic and production synergies that reduce reliance on long-haul flights. Efficient regional links, combined with Miami’s global connectivity, allow carriers to consolidate imports and exports with minimal handling, maintaining perishable quality. “Imports mostly come from Miami, but also connecting through Miami, either Europe or either from Asia,” Elias continued.

The integration of freighters and passenger aircraft enables a scalable response to market demand. By pairing Miami’s transit capacity with Bogota’s operational base, Avianca Cargo can optimise routes for high-volume perishable exports while leveraging partnerships to increase flexibility. This model supports sustained service during peak seasons such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day in the flower market, while managing year-round fruit and vegetable flows. “We increased 3 in the last 14 to 15 months. So we are nine freighters operating in and out Bogota with Miami and all the South America and Central America and Mexico markets,” Elias expressed.