Air Europa is adding the Colombian city of Barranquilla to its long-haul network, becoming the only scheduled carrier to fly the route nonstop.
The Spanish carrier will operate three flights a week between Madrid Barajas and Barranquilla from 18 December, using a Boeing 787 widebody. The service extends Air Europa’s presence in Colombia, where it already serves Bogota and Medellin, and taps a market the airline describes as “one of the key economic and logistical engines of the Colombian Caribbean.”
Barranquilla, a port city on Colombia’s northern coast, has not previously had a nonstop link to Europe, so Air Europa will have the direct market to itself. The three-times-weekly frequency gives the airline a foothold it can build on if demand from business, cargo and Caribbean leisure traffic develops.
The route fits Air Europa’s strategy of using Madrid as a hub between Europe and Latin America, funnelling connecting passengers from across its European network onto long-haul services to the region. Colombia has become an increasingly important market for the carrier, and Barranquilla adds a third Colombian destination to complement its existing services to the capital and to Medellin.
Air Europa operates a fleet of more than 60 aircraft, comprising Boeing 787-8s and -9s alongside Boeing 737s. The 787 is the backbone of its long-haul operation, and its range and economics make it well suited to thinner intercontinental routes like Madrid–Barranquilla, where a smaller widebody can open a market that would not support a larger aircraft.
The carrier is also in the middle of a fleet transition. It is adding Boeing 737 MAX 8s to its narrowbody operation and is scheduled to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in 2028, having placed a firm order for 40 of the type. Those A350s will eventually give Air Europa a larger, more efficient widebody to sit above the 787 on its densest long-haul routes.
Air Europa’s ownership is also in flux. A member of the SkyTeam alliance and majority-owned by Globalia, the airline is set to see Star Alliance carrier Turkish Airlines acquire a 25–27% stake, while British Airways parent IAG holds a 20% interest. That mix of shareholders underlines the strategic value rivals place on Air Europa’s Madrid hub and its Latin American network — the same network the new Barranquilla service is designed to strengthen.
Tickets for the Madrid–Barranquilla route are on sale, with flights beginning in December.
Sources: FlightGlobal. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By James Holloway.
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