Delta recently disclosed it is adding nonstop flights from Atlanta to both Medellín and Cartagena in Colombia. The new Delta flights are planned to start on December 19 and are already offered for sale on Delta’s website. However, both new routes are pending government approvals. The new city locations in Colombia complement Delta’s existing nonstop flights between Atlanta and Bogotá and between New York and Bogotá.

The new flights between Atlanta and Medellín will be daily and the flights between Atlanta and Cartagena will be scheduled three times a week (on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday). The new flights provide many connectivity options in Atlanta, which is Delta’s largest hub with over 200 destinations.

Delta claims the company is adding the additional flights to Colombia because Delta wants to position itself as the best U.S. airline in Latin America. Delta has alliances with Aeromexico, Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and Aerolineas Argentinas in Latin America. With its alliances, Delta provides service to 30 countries and 53 destinations in the Latin America/Caribbean region.

New Delta Flights Details

The new flights between Atlanta and Medellín will operate using a 124-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft. The daily flights will use the following schedule:

• Depart Atlanta at 5:30pm, arriving in Medellín at 10:10pm (flight DL 983)
• Depart Medellín at 7:40am, arriving in Atlanta at 12:54pm (flight DL 982)

The new flights between Atlanta and Cartagena will operate using a 160-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The three times a week flights (on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday) will use the following schedule:

• Depart Atlanta at 9:45am, arrive in Cartagena at 1:50pm (flight DL 989)
• Depart Cartagena at 2:50pm, arrive in Atlanta at 7:10pm (flight DL 984)

The Bottom Line

With a 14% increase in foreigners visiting Colombia in 2014, we are not surprised to see airlines adding more direct flights to Colombia. Colombia is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in all of South America.

The Delta direct flights to Atlanta from Medellín and Cartagena are nice additions as Atlanta is a major connection hub with flights to many locations in the U.S. and internationally. Delta has nonstop service from Atlanta to over 120 cities in the U.S. and 62 international destinations. The new Delta flights between Atlanta and Medellín and Cartagena will also start in December just in time for the popular holiday season.

We have been seeing airlines adding Colombian destinations at a rapid pace so far this year. Recently, new flights between Colombia and Europe were added by KLM and Avianca. And last month we saw Avianca adding flights between Bogotá and Los Angeles and Aeromexico adding flights between Mexico City and Medellín.

We wouldn’t be surprised if we continue to see more international flights added by airlines over the next several years as the number of foreign visitors to Colombia is expected to continue to experience strong growth.