We arrange charter flights for sports teams traveling into and out of Colombia, from professional and university squads to youth and academy teams heading to tournaments abroad.
International away games
The team trips we arrange out of Colombia are international: a squad flying from Bogota or Medellin to Panama City, Mexico City, Miami or further. Visiting teams from the United States can fly into Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla or Cartagena, which all have international airports. A season calendar is set months ahead and game dates do not move, so send us the schedule as soon as you have it.
Flights to games inside Colombia are flown by Colombian charter operators certified by the Aerocivil, because a foreign operator cannot carry paying passengers between two Colombian cities. Your advisor will talk you through the options for those trips.
Equipment and the aircraft
A team travels with far more than suitcases. Kit bags, training equipment and video gear add up, and their weight and bulk can rule out an aircraft, even if it has enough seats. Send us the equipment list along with the traveling party, and your advisor will check both with the operator.
Full squads and airliner-size aircraft
A full roster with coaches and staff often comes to more than nineteen people. Part 135 is the FAA’s set of rules for on-demand, for-hire charter. It carries stricter operating, crew, and insurance requirements than FAR Part 91, the rules for private, non-commercial flying that cannot be sold as charter.
When your total passenger count outgrows a heavy jet and the group consists of more than nineteen passengers, the aircraft required would fall into regional airliner, or airliner-size. These trips would no longer fall under the FAR Part 135 standards but possibly operate under FAR Part 121 or foreign equivalent standards. Part 121 and equivalent generally carry stricter crew and operating requirements than FAR Part 91 and FAR Part 135.
Flying home after the game
Many teams fly back on the night of the game so the players start the next training day at home. If that is the plan, we will agree a departure time with the operator that leaves room for a game that runs long. You can see the larger cabins on our VIP airliners page.
Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Colombia-Specific Patterns We Plan Around
Most international private flights into Colombia arrive at Bogota’s El Dorado International or Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova International in Rionegro, and Cartagena also takes international flights. Flights between two Colombian cities are flown by Colombian charter operators certified by the Aerocivil, Colombia’s civil aviation authority. Bogota and Medellin sit high in the Andes, so the operator plans the aircraft and the load with the altitude in mind. October and November usually bring the heaviest rain to the Andes, the hurricane season from June through November can affect San Andres and the Caribbean coast, and the weeks from early December to mid-January and Semana Santa book up first. The routing and any fuel stop on a long trip are confirmed with the operator before you book.
Contact
For a quote on a charter to or from Colombia, send the trip through our contact page or call an advisor at 1-888-987-5387. Our safety page sets out how we review operators and crews, and the aircraft gallery covers every category we arrange. We are also a member of the National Business Aviation Association.