I flew with Avianca from Mexico City to Bogotá (Colombia). This is my review.
Flight: Avianca AV073
From: Mexico City International Airport Benito Juárez (MEX)
To: El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and the second largest in Latin America, after LATAM Airlines of Chile, operating on more than 140 routes. The airline was founded on December 5, 1919. Its headquarters are in Bogotá, and its hub is El Dorado International Airport.
This was my first time flying with Avianca and also my first trip to Colombia, making it the 116th UN-Listed Member State and 133rd on my own personal countries and territories list. Colombia is my first country in South America.
I booked directly on the Avianca website.
For convenience, I chose the 14:00 flight out of Mexico City (AICM) airport, arriving in Bogotá at 19:35.
Colombia is 1 hour ahead of Mexico City and the flight time is listed as 4 hours and 35 minutes.
I also booked the return flight:
As you can see, 189 USD each way, with baggage.
I chose the LIGHT fare, which afforded me a personal item and a 10 kg carry-on.
The plan was to jump on a flight to Leticia. Avianca have two flights, departing at 06:50 and 15:00.
Latam Airlines has 1 flight leaving at 05:10.
I could have chosen a night flight out of Mexico, arriving in Bogota at 04:55, but a 2-hour window to make the 06:50 Leticia flight was a bit too tight, and I wasn’t keen on waiting until 3 pm for the afternoon flight.
I would be connecting from an international flight to a domestic flight (the first time I have ever done that), so I would need to go through immigration.
To play it safe, I decided on the afternoon flight, arriving early evening, stay the night near the airport at the Bababuy Hostel (I am too old for sleeping in airports) and get the Leticia flight the next day.
The booking process was very simple, even using the Spanish-language version.
The baggage fees were very clear. That’s the beauty of booking directly with the airline.
I got screwed using Expedia once, a cheaper flight but no checked-in bag, so the flight ended up being way more expensive than if I had booked directly with BA.
Never again will I use a 3rd party app for booking a flight.
From the UK GOV site for Colombia:
Colombian authorities advise that you can speed up your entry to the country by completing the ‘Check-Mig’ form on Migración Colombia, although this is not mandatory. You can complete the form between 72 hours and one hour before you travel to Colombia. You will receive a confirmation email that you will need to show to immigration officials when you arrive.
Confirmation is sent via email. Make sure you download it.
Check-in was available 48 hours before the flight. I didn’t want to pay extra for a seat, so I was given a seat, chosen by their computer, which in my case was seat 32 E, middle seat, back row.
I took the metro to the airport in Mexico City:
Even having checked in online, you still have to get your documents checked at the check-in desk.
I wasn’t asked to show my return ticket, maybe they could see it on the system. Nor was I asked to show my Check-Mig, or proof of accommodation.
As I hold temporary residency in Mexico, I had to go to immigration to get stamped out:
This is only my 2nd time doing this. The last time was at Felipe Angeles Airport when I flew to the Dominican Republic on Arajet.
Avianca flight AV 73 to Bogotá:
The flight was good. We left on time, we arrived on time. No complaints there, just that the seat was a bit hard for the duration of the flight. I got up and walked the length of the cabin to stretch the legs a few times.
Complimentary sandwich with juice and water:
You can ask for water anytime you like. There was the usual trolley service, offering a range of snacks and drinks, at cost naturally.
The flight took 4 hours and 7 minutes. We landed at a remote area of the airport, so we had a take a bus to the terminal.
There is free Wi-Fi at the airport, just scroll down a ways, past the paid subscription and other ads.
The line at immigration is long but it moves fairly ok.
Could you make a connecting flight with a 2-hour window?
Some had onward flights, in less than 1 hour. That is pushing it for me. I wouldn’t want the stress.
I was asked my purpose of my visit to Colombia, for my hotel reservation, even if this info was on my Check-Mig, which I wasn’t asked to show.
Originally, I was going to take an Uber, or use iDrive, the Colombian alternative to the most popular ride sharing app but after some research, I found the buses that would pass quite close to the hostel.
But I made 2 errors. The bus stop I had located, was quite a walk from the airport (there was a stop much nearer the terminal).
And having walked 15 minutes, I then discovered that you must by a travel card, available from the kiosk inside the airport, to ride the public transportation in Bogota.
So, I just walked to the Bababuy Hostel, in the dark. Bogota has a bad rep.
Sometimes you make plans and then you have to improvise. Thanks to God, I arrived safely after 30 more minutes.
