Traveller reference · AV
Avianca
Star Alliance · IATA AV · Bogotá and San Salvador, two hubs doing different jobs
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This page is a general reference written by our team. Baggage allowances, fees and policies are set by the airline and change without notice, so confirm anything that affects your trip with Avianca directly before you travel.
Official site: avianca.comAvianca is one of the oldest airlines in the world, founded in Colombia in 1919, and today it operates two hubs that serve quite different purposes. Bogotá is the South American hub and the larger of the two. San Salvador, inherited from the TACA network, is the Central American one, and it is the reason Avianca matters so much to travellers flying between the United States and El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
That Central American network is heavily driven by people visiting family. San Salvador is the largest US market in Central America, and the routes that feed it — Los Angeles, Washington, Houston, New York — track where Salvadoran communities in the United States actually live rather than where tourists go.
Avianca has moved toward a branded-fare structure in which the cheapest tickets look much like a low-cost carrier's, with the cabin bag included and everything else priced separately. It is still a Star Alliance member with a full-service network and a business cabin, but the fare you pick now determines a great deal about what the journey includes.
Avianca at a glance
- IATA code
- AV
- ICAO code
- AVA
- Based in
- Colombia
- Alliance
- Star Alliance
- Type
- Full-service
- Frequent flyer
- LifeMiles
How Avianca baggage works
Allowance is determined by the branded fare rather than by the airline. The cheapest fares typically include only a personal item and cabin bag, with checked baggage sold separately; higher fares include hold baggage and add flexibility.
Allowances also vary by region. What is included on a Colombian domestic flight, a Central America regional flight and a long-haul service to Europe are three different things on the same airline, so read the fare rules for the specific segment rather than the airline as a whole.
Star Alliance elite status adds checked baggage on top of the fare. Because Avianca is a full member, status earned on United or elsewhere in the alliance counts, which can be worth more than the fare difference between branded fares.
Check-in
Online check-in generally opens the day before departure. At Bogotá in particular, using it is worth the effort, since El Dorado handles a large connecting bank and counter queues build quickly.
Entry requirements for the destination are verified at the departure counter. Several countries in the region require onward-travel evidence or specific passport validity, so having documentation available avoids a slow conversation at check-in.
Boarding
Boarding is by group, with Business and Star Alliance elite tiers first. On the regional narrowbody fleet overhead space is limited and gate-checking is routine on full flights.
The hubs operate in connecting waves, so a departure bank means multiple flights boarding simultaneously and correspondingly busy gate areas.
Before you fly Avianca
Pick the hub that matches the destination
For Colombia and most of South America the routing is through Bogotá. For El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua it is usually San Salvador. Choosing an itinerary through the wrong hub adds hours for no benefit, and both appear in search results for the same journey.
The branded fare is the decision, not the airline
The gap between the cheapest fare and the next one up often covers a checked bag and seat selection for less than buying them separately. Price the fare families against what you actually need rather than defaulting to the lowest number.
LifeMiles is a Star Alliance currency
LifeMiles can be earned and redeemed across Star Alliance, which makes it more useful than a purely regional programme. If you already collect United MileagePlus, credit to whichever programme you actually use rather than splitting balances.
Planning a trip rather than researching a carrier?
Our route and airport guides cover the journey itself — when demand peaks, which airports work, and how long the connection really takes.
FAQ
Avianca — common questions
General guidance only. Avianca sets these policies and can change them, so confirm anything that affects your trip at avianca.com.
Is Avianca still in Star Alliance?
Yes. Avianca remains a full Star Alliance member and also holds a joint business arrangement with United and Copa. Elite status and mileage earning work across the alliance in the usual way.
Does Avianca include checked baggage?
It depends on the branded fare and the region. The cheapest fares generally include a cabin bag only, with hold baggage sold separately, while higher fare families include it. Allowances differ between domestic, regional and long-haul flights, so check the rules for your specific fare at avianca.com.
Why does Avianca fly through San Salvador?
San Salvador was the hub of the TACA network that merged into Avianca, and it remains the airline's Central American connecting point. It is the largest Central American market for US travel, driven substantially by people visiting family, and connecting there is usually faster than routing via Bogotá for destinations in the region.
What is LifeMiles?
LifeMiles is Avianca's loyalty programme. Because Avianca is a Star Alliance member, miles can be earned and redeemed across alliance carriers rather than only on Avianca, which makes it usable well beyond Latin America.