The one-line answer: Avianca for nonstops and often the lowest fare, Copa for reliability, a bag on Classic and the Panama lounges, LATAM for South America and Australia. Our pick for most trips from Colombia: Copa, unless you need a nonstop.
The cheapest ticket is not always the cheapest trip. A cancellation that strands you overnight, or a checked bag priced at the airport, can erase the savings. We live in Colombia, fly these routes and carry lounge passes, so this guide is built around what actually happens, not just the fare.
No live prices. Always check the airline for fares and schedules.
The short answer
Avianca
Best for
Nonstops from Colombia
Hub and alliance
Bogotá (and San Salvador). Star Alliance.
Bag on the cheapest fare
No. Light has none; from $85 to North America.
Lounge
Not on Priority Pass. Business fares and top LifeMiles tiers; check Star Alliance access on the day.
Cancellations
The weak spot, by reports: what happens after the cancellation.
No airline is always cheapest. Avianca often shows the lowest headline fare, but that is the Light fare with no checked bag. In one Miami to Bogotá round-trip snapshot (Feb dates, Diario Las Américas), LATAM was $270, American $271 and Avianca $299. Compare the total with bags.
Copa. At the top fare Copa Full includes two 23 kg bags, one more than Avianca Flex. Copa's first paid bag on Basic ($38) costs less than half of Avianca's ($85 to North America). At the middle fare (Avianca Classic, Copa Classic, LATAM Plus), all three include at least one 23 kg bag.
Copa. Copa Club is on Priority Pass at both Bogotá and Panama City. Avianca and LATAM lounges are not on Priority Pass.
Copa led Latin America on on-time performance in the 2025 Cirium ranking, and in our experience it looks after you better when a flight is cancelled.
Avianca. Most US nonstops from Colombia, and the only one of the three with nonstops to Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, London, Paris).
Avianca
Avianca has the biggest network out of Colombia: the most US nonstops of the three and, of the three, the only Europe nonstops (Madrid, Barcelona, London, Paris). It says it serves 14 US destinations. Its lowest headline fare is often the lowest on the page, but on international routes that fare is Light: a personal item and a 10 kg carry-on, with a checked bag, seat and changes all extra, and no refunds.
Avianca fare names and bag fees
Light is the cheapest international fare. Basic is domestic only.
Classic adds one 23 kg bag. Flex adds a Plus seat, changes and refunds before the flight.
Paid first bag on Light: from $85 to or from North America, $95 to Europe, $80 South America and Brazil, $60 Central America and the Caribbean. Second bag from $140 (North America) or $150 (Europe).
Copa
Everything connects in Panama City (PTY). The upside: one stop to 18 US cities, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Copa was the most on-time airline in Latin America in the 2025 Cirium review, at 90.75%, its 11th win in that category. It is also the main international link out of Pereira.
One myth to retire: Copa does not always include a bag. Economy Classic includes one 23 kg bag; Economy Basic includes none. Avianca tells you the price up front, while Copa shows it when you book. Per Upgraded Points (May 2026), a paid first bag on Basic is $38 and a second $53 at airport rates, less if prepaid online. That is less than half of Avianca's $85 to North America.
LATAM
LATAM is strongest in South America, where it is the home airline in Peru, Chile and Brazil. It has had no alliance since leaving oneworld in 2020, but it has a Delta joint venture and a Qantas partnership. Its group satisfaction score hit a record (NPS 51 for 2024, company-reported).
From Colombia it flies Orlando, Miami and seasonal Aruba. To Europe it goes only through São Paulo, a long backtrack. It is the only one of the three to Australia, by way of Santiago.
Bags compared
Compare like with like: entry fare to entry fare, Classic to Classic.
Fare
Carry-on 10 kg
Checked bag
Good to know
Light
Yes, 10 kg
Paid: from $85 North America, $95 Europe
Cheapest international fare. Seat and changes are paid. No refunds.
Classic
Yes, 10 kg
1 x 23 kg
Changes are paid. No refunds.
Flex
Yes, 10 kg
1 x 23 kg
Plus seat, changes and refunds before the flight.
Fare
Carry-on 10 kg
Checked bag
Good to know
Economy Basic
Yes, 10 kg (up to 56 x 36 x 26 cm)
Paid: $38 first bag, $53 second, $150 third and more (airport rates per Upgraded Points, May 2026; less if prepaid online)
Seat paid, changes for a fee, nonrefundable. Personal item free (up to 43 x 25 x 22 cm).
Economy Classic
Yes, 10 kg
1 x 23 kg
Regular seat free. Changes for a fee. Nonrefundable.
Economy Full
Yes, 10 kg
2 x 23 kg
Free seats, no change fee, refundable.
Fare
Carry-on 10 kg
Checked bag
Good to know
Light
Yes
Paid (price depends on how early you buy, season, route)
Extras are paid.
Plus
Yes
1 or 2 x 23 kg, depending on the route
Seat choice.
Top
Yes
2 x 23 kg
Changes included.
Fare names checked on the airline sites in November 2026. LATAM names vary by country site, so check your booking. Copa publishes no fixed bag table, so its fees are third-party figures; Copa prices bags at booking. Copa personal item up to 43 x 25 x 22 cm, free.
Lounges
For Priority Pass, Amex and Star Alliance holders. Headline: Copa gets you a Copa Club at both ends, Bogotá and Panama City. Avianca and LATAM lounges are not on Priority Pass.
Panama City (PTY): Copa Club in Terminal 2 (Priority Pass, 05:30 to 22:15, 5 hours maximum, one guest), Copa Club in Terminal 1, The Lounge and Royal Saloon. The best connection lounge of the three.
Bogotá (BOG), 7 Priority Pass lounges: international side, Copa Club (03:00 to 21:30), El Dorado Lounge (24 hours) and Wait N' Rest (24 hours). Domestic: Zeppelin, The Lounge (Concourse D) and Harmony (Terminal 2). Landside: Sleep Oasis.
Avianca's own lounge is for business fares and top LifeMiles tiers. Star Alliance status may also get you in, here and in Copa Clubs; check the rules for your ticket on the day.
Where each airline flies
Rule of thumb: Avianca wins on nonstops from Colombia. Copa is the one-stop answer across the Americas. LATAM is the South America, Europe-via-São Paulo and Australia option. Schedules change by season, so confirm on the airline site.
United States by region
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
Strongest. Nonstop to Miami, Fort Lauderdale (twice daily from Bogotá, daily from Cali and Barranquilla), Orlando (21 a week from Bogotá) and Tampa (7 a week). Barranquilla-Miami daily, Cali-Miami permanent from Dec 17, 2026.
Copa (via Panama City)
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa via Panama City.
LATAM
Bogotá-Orlando 14 a week, plus Miami (check the schedule).
Also consider
American, JetBlue (daily Fort Lauderdale to Cali from Oct 15, 2026), Wingo. Spirit stopped flying to Colombia in May 2026.
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
JFK nonstop from Bogotá, plus seasonal Cali and Pereira. Boston.
Copa (via Panama City)
JFK and Boston via Panama City (12 to 13 a week to Boston in winter).
LATAM
JFK (check the schedule).
Also consider
JetBlue, Delta, United to Newark.
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
14 a week nonstop from Bogotá (check which airport).
Copa (via Panama City)
Dulles and Baltimore via Panama City.
LATAM
None found.
Also consider
United to Dulles. United Cartagena-Dulles from Dec 17, 2026 (subject to approval).
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
None found.
Copa (via Panama City)
Atlanta, 6 a week via Panama City.
LATAM
None.
Also consider
Delta nonstop (check the schedule).
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
No Bogotá-Chicago nonstop found. Chicago is a connection through Central America.
Copa (via Panama City)
Chicago O'Hare via Panama City (14 to 17 a week in winter).
LATAM
None.
Also consider
United and American via their hubs.
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
Houston and Dallas nonstop from Bogotá (Dallas 4 a week).
Copa (via Panama City)
New Orleans. Houston not confirmed.
LATAM
None.
Also consider
United to Houston, American to Dallas. United Cartagena-Houston from Dec 17, 2026 (subject to approval).
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
Las Vegas, seasonal.
Copa (via Panama City)
Denver (6 to 7 a week) and Las Vegas via Panama City.
LATAM
None.
Also consider
United to Denver.
Avianca (nonstop from Colombia)
Bogotá-Los Angeles is a daily nonstop and the only California nonstop. San Francisco likely connects via San Salvador (check your booking).
Copa (via Panama City)
Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego (its newest US city) via Panama City.
Copa is strongest: the Panama City hub reaches nearly every capital and Caribbean island in one stop.
Avianca: a second hub in San Salvador covers Central America, plus some Caribbean nonstops.
Mexico: about 90 weekly flights on 12 direct routes, run by Aeroméxico, Volaris, Viva Aerobus, Avianca and Aerorepública. Viva and Avianca have a one-ticket deal from Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey via Bogotá to 23 Avianca domestic cities. Viva flies Medellín and Cartagena from Mexico City AIFA from June 2026.
Avianca nonstops: Bogotá-Madrid 28 a week, Bogotá-Barcelona 14 a week (summer, and Dec 1 to Jan 31), Bogotá-London 7, Bogotá-Paris 7, Medellín-Madrid 4, Cali-Madrid 3.
LATAM: Europe only via São Paulo, a long backtrack south. Not a good Colombia-Europe option.
Copa: no Europe flights. Star Alliance partner tickets only.
Also consider (check schedules): Iberia, Air Europa, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Turkish.
Australia and New Zealand: LATAM is the only one of the three. Fly Bogotá or Medellín to Lima, or Bogotá to Santiago, then across the Pacific to Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland. The alternative is via Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Asia and the Middle East: none of the three. Turkish Airlines flies Istanbul-Bogotá. Qatar Airways Doha-Bogotá was announced and reported delayed to November 2026, so check its status. Emirates reaches Bogotá only as an extension of its Miami flight.
Flying from Medellín, Cali, Pereira, Cartagena, Barranquilla
Cali: Avianca to Miami (permanent from Dec 17, 2026) and Fort Lauderdale (daily), seasonal JFK, Madrid 3 a week. American to Miami. Copa to Panama.
Barranquilla: Avianca to Miami and Fort Lauderdale, both daily. American to Miami.
Cartagena: United from Houston and Dulles from Dec 17, 2026 (subject to approval).
Medellín: Avianca to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando (seasonal) and Madrid 4 a week. Viva from Mexico City from June 2026.
Pereira: Copa year-round to Panama, the main one-stop international link. Avianca seasonal JFK. In practice, the choice from Pereira is usually Copa via Panama City or Avianca via Bogotá.
Under Colombian rules (RAC 3, section 3.10, from Aerocivil), the airline owes you more than a rebooking when it causes the problem. International flights also fall under international conventions. This is a summary, not legal advice; see the Aerocivil passenger rights page.
Delays
Airline-caused delay of 1 to 3 hours: a snack and a phone call of up to 3 minutes. 3 to 5 hours: add a meal. Over 5 hours: additional compensation (below). If the delay runs past 10:00 pm and you do not live there, hotel and transfers.
Cancellations and the 30% rule
For overbooking without agreement, a delay over 5 hours, or a cancellation caused by the airline, you are owed at least 30% of the segment price in cash, unless you expressly accept tickets, vouchers or miles. A cancellation also means a refund of the segment, plus hotel and transfers if you are away from home. It is not owed if the replacement flight leaves within 6 hours of the original time, or for force majeure or weather affecting safety. "Cash unless you accept a voucher" is the line to remember.
What to do at the counter
Ask for the cancellation or delay reason in writing.
Ask for the hotel, transfer and meals the rule requires, and keep receipts.
Ask for the 30% compensation in cash, and say you do not accept a voucher.
Photograph your boarding pass and the departures board.
If the airline refuses, file a complaint with Supertransporte.
Booking tips
Compare the total, not the headline fare
Add the bag to the cheap fare and compare it with Classic. Avianca publishes bag fees up front (from $85 to North America); Copa shows its price at booking.
Protect the trip
Book with a card that has trip-delay insurance. Never skip a segment. Request the Panama Stopover before ticketing. Check holiday bag limits on your route.
Check the alliance for lounges
Avianca and Copa are both Star Alliance, so status and lounge access carry across United, Lufthansa, Turkish and others. LATAM is not in an alliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avianca or LATAM cheaper to the US?
It depends on the dates. In one Miami to Bogotá round-trip snapshot (Feb dates, Diario Las Américas), LATAM was $270, American $271 and Avianca $299. Avianca's lowest fare is the Light fare with no checked bag, so compare the total price with a bag added.
Does Copa include a checked bag?
Not on Economy Basic. Economy Classic includes one 23 kg bag and Economy Full includes two. A first paid bag on Basic is about $38 at airport rates (Upgraded Points, May 2026), less if prepaid online. Copa itself shows the price when you book.
Can I use Priority Pass in Panama?
Yes. Copa Club in Terminal 2 is on Priority Pass (05:30 to 22:15, 5 hours maximum, one guest per cardholder). Copa Club in Terminal 1 is also listed.
Which airline flies nonstop from Colombia to Europe?
Avianca, to Madrid, Barcelona, London and Paris. Madrid is also nonstop from Medellín and Cali. Iberia and Air Europa also fly to Madrid, so check their schedules. LATAM only reaches Europe by way of São Paulo, and Copa does not fly to Europe.
How do I get from Colombia to Australia?
LATAM is the only one of the three. You connect in Lima or Santiago and fly across the Pacific from Santiago to Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland. The other route is through Los Angeles or San Francisco.
What does Avianca owe me if it cancels?
Under Colombian rules (RAC 3), when the airline causes the cancellation you are owed a refund of the affected segment, at least 30% of the segment price as compensation in cash (unless you accept tickets, vouchers or miles), and hotel and transfers if you are away from home. It is not owed if the replacement flight leaves within 6 hours of the original time, or for force majeure or weather that affects safety.
Is Copa's Panama Stopover really free?
There is no added airfare. You get one stopover of at least 24 hours and up to 15 days, outbound or return, but it must be in the itinerary before ticketing. You pay Panama entry and exit taxes, about $50. A second stopover may cost $250 plus taxes.
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