Since entering service in 1988, the Airbus A320
family has been a mainstay of global commercial aviation, with new variants set to change the industry in the coming years. From a high-level perspective, the Airbus A320 is a twin-engine narrowbody jet with impressive per-seat efficiency and medium-haul capabilities.
The aircraft, across the board, has been one of the most efficient and affordable aircraft to operate for decades now, making it a favorite of airlines across the globe, especially those in developing markets where operational costs are higher and average ticket fares are lower. With this in mind, the aircraft’s popularity within the South American commercial aviation market is unsurprising, as the market is ideal for an aircraft like the A320 to thrive.
With A320 family ranges allowing airlines to pretty much fly anywhere on the continent nonstop, the aircraft is ideal for carriers looking to operate flights within South America. Furthermore, with its customizable design (with more than a handful of different variants and multiple powerplant options), an airline can tailor its A320 family orders to fit the needs of its fleet, which vary from operator to operator.
Overall, the Airbus A320 is an incredibly capable aircraft, and, unsurprisingly, carriers across South America have grown to rely on the plane. Let’s take a look at five different South American airlines that operate the Airbus A320 family (and note that there are more than those that we will be discussing).
1
Avianca
Total A320 family aircraft in service: 112
|
Aircraft variant: |
Number in Avianca fleet: |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A319-100 |
7 |
|
Airbus A320-200 |
67 |
|
Airbus A320neo |
38 |
One of the largest airline conglomerates on the continent, Colombia-based Avianca, also operates one of the most extensive fleets of A320 family jets in South America. With destinations ranging from the United States to Argentina that see service from A320 family jets, it is safe to say that this aircraft is the cornerstone of the airline’s fleet.
Avianca currently only has one other type of aircraft in service, and it is the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which includes a number of units that formerly flew for now-defunct long-haul low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle. The airline also operates several Airbus A320neo family aircraft which were acquired from now-defunct ultra-low-cost carrier Viva Air Colombia. The A319 jets currently operated by the carrier are slated for retirement by the end of the year.
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2
LATAM
Total A320 family aircraft in service: 118
|
Aircraft variant: |
Number in LATAM fleet: |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A319-100 |
15 |
|
Airbus A320-200 |
78 |
|
Airbus A320neo |
7 |
|
Airbus A321-200 |
18 |
Over the past two decades, legacy conglomerate LATAM has emerged from the merger of LAN, a Chile-based carrier, and TAM, the former flag carrier of Brazil, and today operates as the de facto flag carrier for both nations. The airline operates an extensive short and medium-haul fleet, which includes four different variants of the Airbus A320 family.
Photo: Matheus Obst | Shutterstock
The smallest of these aircraft, the Airbus A319, remains a key element of the carrier’s short-haul operations, and unlike Avianca, the carrier currently has no plans to retire the jet. Currently, the carrier’s diverse long-haul fleet consists of Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 787-8, and Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
3
JetSmart
Total A320 family aircraft in service: 41
|
Aircraft variant: |
Number in JetSmart fleet: |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A320-200 |
11 |
|
Airbus A320neo |
21 |
|
Airbus A321neo |
9 |
Photo: Alexander Mitchell | Simple Flying
A smaller player that has managed to use the post-pandemic boom in leisure travel to its advantage, JetSmart has grown rapidly in recent years, capitalizing on the operational advantages of an all-A320 fleet. A budget airline that has continued to expand over the past few years, the carrier’s fleet is also set to grow as well. The airline currently maintains outstanding orders for over 70 Airbus A320 family jets, including 14 Airbus A321XLR units, according to a report from Aeroflap.
4
SKY Airline
Total A320 family aircraft in service: 29
|
Aircraft variant: |
Number in SKY Airline fleet: |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A320neo |
25 |
|
Airbus A321neo |
4 |
The second-largest airline in Chile after flag carrier LATAM and the oldest low-cost carrier in the country, SKY Airline has steadily grown over the years and centered its operations around the Airbus A320 family. According to the aviation analytics website Ch-Aviation, the carrier currently serves 45 destinations with its all-A320 family fleet.
Photo: Matheus Obst | Shutterstock
SKY Airline also has big plans for the development of its fleet in the coming years, with outstanding orders for 13 different A320 family aircraft. This is set to include 10 units of the A321XLR, the next ultra-long-range narrowbody aircraft to hit the market, which could allow the carrier to perform nonstop flights from its Santiago (SCL) hub to destinations deeper into the South American continent.
Related
Sky Airline Plans Airbus A321XLR Flights To The US
The carrier has ordered ten A321XLRs.
5
Azul
Total A320 family aircraft in service: 54
|
Aircraft variant: |
Number in Azul fleet: |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A320neo |
48 |
|
Airbus A321neo |
6 |
David Neeleman’s Azul, a carrier formally known as Azul Brazilian Airlines, is one of the many low-cost airlines built around a fleet of Airbus A320 family aircraft. However, the carrier does deploy widebodies for long-haul routes and ATR and Embraer regional jets for shorter routes within Brazil.
Photo: Tarcisio Schnaider | Shutterstock
Just like the other carriers discussed on this list, Azul is also set to continue expanding its Airbus A320 family fleet, with an additional 12 units on order from the manufacturer. The carrier uses its fleet of high-capacity narrowbody aircraft to serve destinations across its network.