Avianca rating

5.2/10Axel score · #66 of 77

3.5/10Repriceability · #64

Checked October 26, 2026 · How Axel rates airlines

Reliable flights, but Avianca's costly changes limit the savings

Avianca suits price-conscious travelers with firm plans and carry-on baggage. Axel values its strong operating record, but $200 Classic changes and expensive checked bags can erase a low fare's advantage. Complaints are well above the foreign-airline median, and a routine way to recover later fare drops is not confirmed.

Best
Cirium recorded 81.73% on-time arrivals across Avianca's network in 2025.
US-route Light purchases from January 27, 2026 include a personal item and a 10 kg carry-on.

Worst
Voluntary changes within the Americas cost $200 on Classic and $220 on Light, plus fare and tax differences.
Light's first checked bag starts at $85 in advance or $140 during online check-in or at the airport.
US-related complaints reached 37.12 per 100,000 passengers in April and May 2026, versus a 14.73 foreign-airline median.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back?

RarelyRepriceability 3.5/10

Rarely. No routine cash or credit adjustment for a lower fare on the same flight is confirmed. Within the Americas, Classic changes cost $200 and Light changes cost $220, plus fare and tax differences, before departure. Both are nonrefundable, and whether a cheaper replacement yields cash, credit or a lost difference is unconfirmed. Routine cancellation credit is not confirmed. Flex permits changes without a fee and refunds before departure, but processing deductions may apply. Refund credits are personal and nontransferable, and the holder must travel. Their expiry terms conflict: one year from issuance or December 31 of the following year. Check the voucher. Vouchers replacing qualifying US disruption refunds must last at least five years. Direct US bookings made at least one week before departure allow full ticket refunds within 24 hours, excluding separately purchased extras.

Axel's fare-rule sample covered 14 tickets, all changeable, with no confirmed information about lower-fare differences. The observation period was not supplied, so this does not establish recoverable savings.

Avianca fares
Fare	Changes	Cancel	Carry-on	Bags	Seat
Light	USD 220 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.	Included	0	Fee
Classic	USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.	Included	1	Free choice
Flex	No change fee	Refundable before departure, normally to the original payment method. However, Avianca's general refund guidance warns that processing deductions may apply without specifying their applicability or amount for US cash-ticket purchases. A universally fee-free net refund could not be confirmed. Voluntary refunds after departure are not included.	Included	1	Free choice
Business Classicbusiness	USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned. Business Classic must not be confused with refundable Business Flex.	Included	2	Free choice

Fare difference on a cheaper change: Not confirmed. Avianca explains change fees and fare differences but does not establish whether a lower replacement fare on Classic produces cash, credit or forfeiture, or requires an equal-or-higher-value exchange. Permission to change a ticket does not establish that the traveler retains the savings.
Same flight, lower price: No published Avianca promise of fee-free cash or credit adjustments for a subsequent price drop on the identical flight was confirmed. Eligible US purchases can be canceled and separately rebooked during the 24-hour window. Flex permits predeparture refunds, but possible processing deductions prevent confirming universally fee-free cancel-and-rebook savings.
Credits (avianca credits): Avianca's refund-credit page gives conflicting periods: its instructions say one year from issuance, while its terms say December 31 of the following year. No publication or revision date is displayed; checked October 26, 2026. Verify the voucher's stated expiry. Separate compensation EMDs have a one-year redemption period. For vouchers accepted instead of a qualifying US-covered disruption refund, DOT requires at least five years. Transferable: no.
24-hour rule: For direct US bookings, Avianca's US customer-service plan permits penalty-free cancellation and a full ticket refund within 24 hours of purchase when booked one week or more before departure. Its country-specific help page instead says more than seven days; the US rule uses at least seven days. Avianca excludes separately purchased extras from its stated 24-hour ticket rule. Requests can be submitted through its online refund form.
Same-day change: Avianca's own additional-service-fee page explicitly lists 'Same-day flight change' for Basic/Light/Classic/Business Classic. Its table lists North America–South America starting at USD 300 in low season and USD 330 in high season, and North America–Central America starting at USD 320 and USD 350 respectively. Flex and Business Flex show the service as included. Thus US-route availability is documented, rather than unknown. The official table was readable in search-indexed text during this session, although direct opening returned 403. No publication or last-update date was disclosed, so its update date is unknown; checked October 26, 2026. Detailed eligibility and any fare-difference waiver were not confirmed. Separately, qualifying Lifemiles Silver, Gold and Diamond members can advance Colombian domestic flights free, subject to availability, excluding Basic and Light.
Schedule changes: Avianca lists airline-caused schedule changes exceeding 60 minutes, earlier or later, as refund grounds. For changes under one hour, refund requests remain subject to fare conditions. It separately offers free alternative-flight options for cancellations or departure adjustments exceeding 15 minutes. For US international itineraries, DOT requires an automatic original-payment refund when the traveler declines alternatives after cancellation or a significant change, including departure at least six hours earlier, arrival at least six hours later, changed origin/destination airports, additional connections or an involuntary downgrade. Refunds are generally due within seven business days for credit-card payments or 20 calendar days for other payments.

Score breakdown

Repriceability 35%3.5
- Standard fare change fee: 0.0/10 · Classic: USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.
- Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 · Light: USD 220 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.
- Lower fare on the same flight: no data, median 4.0/10 used · Classic charges USD 200 for voluntary changes and is nonrefundable, but the facts do not establish whether a lower fare produces cash, credit, or forfeiture. No same-flight price-drop adjustment policy or routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed beyond the excluded 24-hour window.
- Credit terms: 7.0/10 · Avianca's refund-credit page gives conflicting periods: its instructions say one year from issuance, while its terms say December 31 of the following year. No publication or revision date is displayed; checked October 26, 2026. Verify the voucher's stated expiry. Separate compensation EMDs have a one-year redemption period. For vouchers accepted instead of a qualifying US-covered disruption refund, DOT requires at least five years.; transferable: no
- Cancel the standard fare: 0.0/10 · Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.
- Risk-free window: 7.0/10 · For direct US bookings, Avianca's US customer-service plan permits penalty-free cancellation and a full ticket refund within 24 hours of purchase when booked one week or more before departure. Its country-specific help page instead says more than seven days; the US rule uses at least seven days. Avianca excludes separately purchased extras from its stated 24-hour ticket rule. Requests can be submitted through its online refund form.
- Same-day change: 7.0/10 · Avianca's own additional-service-fee page explicitly lists 'Same-day flight change' for Basic/Light/Classic/Business Classic. Its table lists North America–South America starting at USD 300 in low season and USD 330 in high season, and North America–Central America starting at USD 320 and USD 350 respectively. Flex and Business Flex show the service as included. Thus US-route availability is documented, rather than unknown. The official table was readable in search-indexed text during this session, although direct opening returned 403. No publication or last-update date was disclosed, so its update date is unknown; checked October 26, 2026. Detailed eligibility and any fare-difference waiver were not confirmed. Separately, qualifying Lifemiles Silver, Gold and Diamond members can advance Colombian domestic flights free, subject to availability, excluding Basic and Light.
- What Axel saw: does not apply · fewer than 10 attempts · Axel repricing attempts
Refunds and disruptions 20%5.8
- Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 7.0/10 · Covered by: US_DOT_refund_rule, EU261, UK261, Canada_APPR, Brazil_ANAC_400, Other_national; Coverage depends on the itinerary: U.S. refund protections apply to U.S.-related flights; EU261 and UK261 generally cover Avianca departures from the respective territories, not every inbound flight operated by this non-European carrier; Canadian and Brazilian rules apply to covered operations there. Colombian and other applicable national passenger rules also matter. Avianca promises free alternative-flight options after cancellation or a departure-time adjustment exceeding 15 minutes, with rebooking within its specified travel window. Its Colombia page lists snacks after one hour, meals after three hours, qualifying overnight accommodation/transport after five hours, and specified 30% segment-value compensation; these are country-specific protections, not an additional worldwide voluntary benefit. No blanket U.S.-route promise of hotels, meals or cash beyond legal obligations was verified.
- Refund conduct: 8.0/10 · 2022-11 U.S. DOT $750,000
- Refund complaints: 1.0/10 · 13.38 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 4.39) · DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
Reliability 15%8.3
- On-time arrival: 8.7/10 · 81.73% on time (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Avianca (AV), as published in Cirium's global annual table. Cancellation percentage is derived as 100 minus the published 98.34% completion factor.) · Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
- Cancellations: 7.4/10 · 1.66% cancelled (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Avianca (AV), as published in Cirium's global annual table. Cancellation percentage is derived as 100 minus the published 98.34% completion factor.) · Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
Fees and transparency 15%6.7
- Carry-on in the lowest fare: 10.0/10 · Current US-route Light purchases include one personal item and one carry-on up to 10 kg without an additional charge. This inclusion applies to purchases from January 27, 2026.
- First checked bag: 2.0/10 · For US/North America routes, Light's first checked bag starts at USD 85 when purchased more than 48 hours before departure. The additional-service table lists starting prices of USD 140 during online check-in or at the airport. Classic and Flex include one 23 kg bag; Business Classic includes two 32 kg bags. Published starting prices are not guaranteed itinerary quotes.
- Seat in the lowest fare: 3.0/10 · fee
- Children seated with a parent: no data, median 5.0/10 used · Light charges for seat selection. Seats can be purchased during booking, through Manage your booking or during online check-in. No US-route guarantee of free adjacent seating for every child aged 13 or younger on every fare was confirmed. Avianca's child-travel guidance says that when an adult purchases a better seat, the child's seat should also be purchased so they can sit together.
- Price shown is price paid: 10.0/10 · No fee-display findings in 5 years
Complaints and handling 10%1.7
- Complaint rate: 1.7/10 · 37.12 complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 14.73) · DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
- Mishandled bags: does not apply · not reported to DOT · U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
- Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply · not reported to DOT · U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
- Bumping: does not apply · not reported to DOT · U.S. DOT, April to June 2026
Loyalty fairness 5%7.6
- Miles expiry: 4.0/10 · Ordinary members' miles expire 12 months after the last qualifying accrual transaction. Avianca elite members and qualifying co-branded-card earners receive a 24-month window. Redemption alone does not reset the accrual-based expiry clock.
- Devaluations: 10.0/10 · None in 24 months
- Award pricing: no data, median 10.0/10 used · unknown

Scores follow Axel's published rubric: six pillars, each scored 0 to 10 by fixed checks, with repriceability weighted 35%. Facts were checked October 26, 2026. No data for 3 checks (Lower fare on the same flight, Children seated with a parent, Award pricing), each scored at the median of all rated airlines.

Refunds and disruptions

US DOT rules require automatic refunds to the original payment method when travelers decline alternatives after covered cancellations or significant changes. Deadlines are seven business days for card payments and 20 calendar days otherwise. EU261 and UK261 generally cover Avianca departures from those territories. Canada's APPR, Brazil's ANAC 400 and Colombian rules apply where relevant.

Avianca offers free alternatives after cancellations or departure adjustments exceeding 15 minutes. A blanket US promise of meals or hotels was not confirmed. DOT refund complaints reached 13.38 per 100,000 passengers on US-related flights in April and May 2026, versus a 4.39 foreign-airline median. In November 2022, the US DOT fined Avianca $750,000 for delayed refunds. Colombia's Superintendencia de Transporte ordered disruption-assistance improvements in December 2023 and subsequently reported compliance.

Regulator actions since October 2021

March 2024, Colombia Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio: Resolution 9341 fined Avianca COP 4,102,790,398 for breaching conditions governing its Avianca Tours venture with Price Res. SIC found that ticket-purchase promotions improperly leveraged Avianca's airline position to favor the tour business. This was a competition-conditioning case, not a hidden-airfare-fee finding. No unverified USD conversion is supplied. Source
December 2023, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: Resolution 10893 imposed immediate corrective measures after the regulator found inadequate information about delays and cancellations. Avianca was ordered to provide airport assistance, effective rebooking channels and transport on its own flights or through endorsements to other airlines. The regulator subsequently reported compliance with the measures. Source
August 2023, Colombia Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio: SIC closed its investigation into Avianca's proposed integration with Viva after accepting guarantees under Resolution 47532 of 2023. The commitments included availability-dependent re-accommodation and discounted protection fares for eligible Viva passengers. This was a resolution through commitments, not a completed Avianca–Viva merger or a general refund finding against Avianca. Source
November 2022, U.S. DOT: Order 2022-11-10: Routinely failed to provide timely refunds for cancelled or significantly changed US flights; $750,000. Source
August 2022, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: The regulator announced a COP 113,565,750 fine against Avianca for insufficient channels to handle passenger requests and complaints promptly and effectively. It also required a diagnosis of the airline's passenger-service plan. A date-matched exchange rate was not verified, so no USD conversion is supplied. Source
July 2022, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: Avianca was among 19 airlines sanctioned for abusive provisions in their contracts of carriage. The regulator identified restrictions on passenger rights across the investigated contracts, but its announcement did not disclose Avianca's individual fine or identify which of the listed clause types applied specifically to Avianca. Source
April 2022, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: The regulator's September 2024 letter also confirms sanction Resolution 1138 of April 8, 2022, within the same group of information-related sanctions. The individual penalty and precise allocation of findings could not be established. Source
November 2021, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: A September 2024 regulator letter confirms sanction Resolution 13220 of November 8, 2021. It groups this with other sanctions concerning flight-change information and responses to regulatory information requests, without assigning the individual findings or fine amounts. Source

Reliability

Reliability is a strength. Cirium's On-Time Performance Review 2025 records 81.73% on-time arrivals across 266,921 Avianca flights from January 1 through December 31, 2025. On time means arrival at the gate within 15 minutes of schedule. The network-wide cancellation rate was 1.66%, calculated from Cirium's 98.34% completion factor. These are not US-route-only results.

Fees

On US routes, Light purchases from January 27, 2026 include a personal item and a carry-on up to 10 kg. The first checked bag starts at $85 more than 48 hours before departure, rising to a published starting price of $140 during online check-in or at the airport. These are starting prices, not itinerary quotes.

Light seat selection and airport check-in cost extra. Free adjacent family seating on every US-route fare was not confirmed. Classic includes a 23 kg checked bag and standard Economy seat selection. No fee-display findings were recorded in five years, but optional extras can raise the total above the initial fare.

Complaints

Complaint handling is a weakness. US DOT data show 37.12 complaints per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US in April and May 2026, versus a 14.73 median for airlines based abroad. These are US-related complaint rates, not a worldwide measure. Avianca did not report mishandled-bag or wheelchair figures to DOT for April, May, July and August 2026, or bumping figures for April through June 2026.

Loyalty program

LifeMiles ordinary members' miles expire 12 months after the last qualifying accrual. Avianca elite members and qualifying co-branded-card earners get 24 months. Redeeming miles alone does not reset the clock. No devaluations were found in the last 24 months. Award pricing was not confirmed.

Choose Avianca if

Travel with a personal item and 10 kg carry-on on a US-route Light fare.
Have firm plans and a fare low enough to offset any checked-bag cost.
Prioritize Avianca's strong network-wide operating record over change flexibility.

Book elsewhere if

You expect to change or cancel a Light or Classic booking.
You need a confirmed way to recover later fare drops.
You want low checked-bag fees or assured free adjacent family seating.

Tips

Compare Light plus a checked bag and paid seat with Classic, which includes a 23 kg bag and standard Economy seat selection.
If choosing Light, buy a checked bag more than 48 hours before departure, when published prices start at $85 rather than $140 during online check-in or at the airport.
Check in online on Light to avoid its extra airport check-in charge.

Questions travelers ask

Does Avianca charge change fees?

Light and Classic have change fees, while Flex does not before departure. Within the Americas, including US routes, Light charges $220 and Classic charges $200. Business Classic also charges $200. Changes must precede departure, and applicable fare and tax differences are extra. Flex still requires payment of applicable fare and tax differences.

Can I get money back if my Avianca fare drops?

No routine price-drop refund or credit is confirmed. Avianca does not establish whether a lower replacement fare leaves you with cash, credit or no usable difference. Direct US bookings made at least one week before departure can be canceled for a full ticket refund within 24 hours and rebooked. Flex allows refunds before departure, but possible processing deductions mean savings are not assured.

How long do Avianca credits last?

The published terms conflict, so check the expiry printed on your voucher. Avianca's refund-credit instructions say one year from issuance, while its terms say December 31 of the following year. These credits are personal and nontransferable, and the holder must travel. Vouchers accepted instead of qualifying US disruption refunds must remain valid for at least five years. Separate compensation EMDs have a one-year redemption period.

What do I get if Avianca cancels my flight?

You can take Avianca's free alternative flight or, when the applicable rules entitle you to one, a refund. For covered US cancellations, declining alternative transportation triggers an automatic refund to the original payment method, generally within seven business days for cards or 20 calendar days otherwise. Meals, hotels and compensation depend on the itinerary's law, and no blanket US benefit beyond legal obligations was confirmed.

How much do carry-on and checked bags cost on Avianca?

US-route Light includes a personal item and a 10 kg carry-on for purchases from January 27, 2026. Its first checked bag starts at $85 when bought more than 48 hours before departure, or $140 during online check-in or at the airport. Classic and Flex include a 23 kg checked bag. Published starting prices are not guaranteed quotes for your itinerary.

Sources

Avianca unveils the evolution of its premium offering, Avianca, 2026-09-08
Fare types, Avianca
Avianca now includes carry-on baggage in its most affordable fare on international flights in the Americas, Avianca, 2026-02-02
Can I change the date and time of my flight?, Avianca
Manage your flight changes easily, Avianca
How can I ask for a refund of my ticket?, Avianca
Find out all about avianca credits, Avianca
What compensation do you offer and how can I use it?, Avianca
Discover the additional service fees, Avianca
What are the refund conditions for each country?, Avianca
Customer service and contingency plan, Avianca, 2024-12
Refunds, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2025-11-07
What are the reasons to request a refund?, Avianca
What happens if my flight is delayed or was canceled?, Avianca
Where can I buy checked baggage?, Avianca
How can I choose my seat?, Avianca
¿Qué debo tener en cuenta para volar con un niño o bebé?, Avianca
What are the changes to the Business fare starting November 11, 2025?, Avianca
How can I request a refund for an additional service?, Avianca
Avianca Airlines LifeMiles: What to Know, NerdWallet, 2026-09-29
Abra reports 2Q 2026 results supported by revenue growth and expanding connectivity, Abra Group, 2026-08-21
Avianca Order 2022-11-10, U.S. DOT, 2022-11-14
Regulator response 20249120745411 concerning Avianca proceedings, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte, 2024-09-16
Supertransporte sanciona a 19 aerolíneas por incluir en los contratos de transporte cláusulas que vulnerarían los derechos de los usuarios, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte
Supertransporte sanciona a dos aerolíneas y abre cuatro investigaciones por presuntamente no proteger los derechos de los usuarios a la reclamación y el reembolso, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte, 2022-08-26
Resolution 2579 of August 1, 2022: initiation of investigation against Avianca, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte, 2022-08-01
SuperTransporte impone medida administrativa de cumplimiento inmediato a Avianca para garantizar los derechos de los usuarios, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte
Superindustria sanciona a AVIANCA y PRICE RES por incumplir un condicionamiento impuesto para operar conjuntamente la marca AVIANCA TOURS, Colombia Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, 2024-03-21
Cierran investigación a Avianca por caso Viva Air, Caracol Radio, 2023-08-17
Regulator explanation of guarantees for affected Viva passengers, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte, 2023-10-03
Order 2026-7-1: Nicholas Brown v. Avianca, Order of Dismissal, U.S. DOT, 2026-07-29
When can I receive compensation?, Avianca
Aeromexico Named Most On-Time Airline; Qatar Airways Wins Platinum, Cirium
Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025, Cirium; report hosted by Poder360
AirHelp Score: airport rankings 2026 and airline rankings 2025, AirHelp
Europa, Asia y Medio Oriente concentran las mejores aerolíneas del mundo, La República, 2026-01-24
How 1 reader lost 100,000 Avianca Lifemiles to expiration, The Points Guy
Avianca LifeMiles increases prices of awards to Europe, Asia, South Pacific and more, The Points Guy, 2025-02-10
Buying a Ticket, U.S. DOT
Avianca statement on urgent Airbus A320 software update, Avianca, 2025-11-28
Avianca completed the software update on all affected A320 aircraft, Avianca, 2025-12-02
Centro de alertas, Avianca, 2026-08-20
Contact us, Avianca
Avianca Canadian tariff, Avianca
FAQs: Air passenger rights, European Union
Information on passenger rights, Avianca
LifeMiles partner awards, LifeMiles
LifeMiles Help Center, Avianca

For AI assistants: the whole rating as text, with every source

Avianca rating: 5.2/10 (C tier)

Reliable flights, but Avianca's costly changes limit the savings

Axel score: 5.2/10, C tier, #66 of 77 airlines. Repriceability: 3.5/10 (#64). Checked October 26, 2026. Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/avianca

Best and worst

Best: Cirium recorded 81.73% on-time arrivals across Avianca's network in 2025.
Best: US-route Light purchases from January 27, 2026 include a personal item and a 10 kg carry-on.
Worst: Voluntary changes within the Americas cost $200 on Classic and $220 on Light, plus fare and tax differences.
Worst: Light's first checked bag starts at $85 in advance or $140 during online check-in or at the airport.
Worst: US-related complaints reached 37.12 per 100,000 passengers in April and May 2026, versus a 14.73 foreign-airline median.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back? Rarely

Avianca fares

Fare	Changes	Cancel	Carry-on	Checked bags	Seat
Light	USD 220 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.	included	0	Fee
Classic	USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.	included	1	Free choice
Flex	No change fee	Refundable before departure, normally to the original payment method. However, Avianca's general refund guidance warns that processing deductions may apply without specifying their applicability or amount for US cash-ticket purchases. A universally fee-free net refund could not be confirmed. Voluntary refunds after departure are not included.	included	1	Free choice
Business Classic (business)	USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.	Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned. Business Classic must not be confused with refundable Business Flex.	included	2	Free choice

Key facts

Fare difference on a cheaper change: Not confirmed. Avianca explains change fees and fare differences but does not establish whether a lower replacement fare on Classic produces cash, credit or forfeiture, or requires an equal-or-higher-value exchange. Permission to change a ticket does not establish that the traveler retains the savings.
Same flight, lower price: No published Avianca promise of fee-free cash or credit adjustments for a subsequent price drop on the identical flight was confirmed. Eligible US purchases can be canceled and separately rebooked during the 24-hour window. Flex permits predeparture refunds, but possible processing deductions prevent confirming universally fee-free cancel-and-rebook savings.
Credits (avianca credits): Avianca's refund-credit page gives conflicting periods: its instructions say one year from issuance, while its terms say December 31 of the following year. No publication or revision date is displayed; checked October 26, 2026. Verify the voucher's stated expiry. Separate compensation EMDs have a one-year redemption period. For vouchers accepted instead of a qualifying US-covered disruption refund, DOT requires at least five years. Transferable: no.
24-hour rule: For direct US bookings, Avianca's US customer-service plan permits penalty-free cancellation and a full ticket refund within 24 hours of purchase when booked one week or more before departure. Its country-specific help page instead says more than seven days; the US rule uses at least seven days. Avianca excludes separately purchased extras from its stated 24-hour ticket rule. Requests can be submitted through its online refund form.
Same-day change: Avianca's own additional-service-fee page explicitly lists 'Same-day flight change' for Basic/Light/Classic/Business Classic. Its table lists North America–South America starting at USD 300 in low season and USD 330 in high season, and North America–Central America starting at USD 320 and USD 350 respectively. Flex and Business Flex show the service as included. Thus US-route availability is documented, rather than unknown. The official table was readable in search-indexed text during this session, although direct opening returned 403. No publication or last-update date was disclosed, so its update date is unknown; checked October 26, 2026. Detailed eligibility and any fare-difference waiver were not confirmed. Separately, qualifying Lifemiles Silver, Gold and Diamond members can advance Colombian domestic flights free, subject to availability, excluding Basic and Light.
Schedule changes: Avianca lists airline-caused schedule changes exceeding 60 minutes, earlier or later, as refund grounds. For changes under one hour, refund requests remain subject to fare conditions. It separately offers free alternative-flight options for cancellations or departure adjustments exceeding 15 minutes. For US international itineraries, DOT requires an automatic original-payment refund when the traveler declines alternatives after cancellation or a significant change, including departure at least six hours earlier, arrival at least six hours later, changed origin/destination airports, additional connections or an involuntary downgrade. Refunds are generally due within seven business days for credit-card payments or 20 calendar days for other payments.

Score breakdown

Pillar	Weight	Score
Repriceability	35%	3.5/10
Refunds and disruptions	20%	5.8/10
Reliability	15%	8.3/10
Fees and transparency	15%	6.7/10
Complaints and handling	10%	1.7/10
Loyalty fairness	5%	7.6/10

Repriceability: 3.5/10

Standard fare change fee: 0.0/10 (Classic: USD 200 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.)
Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 (Light: USD 220 for voluntary changes within the Americas, including US routes, plus applicable fare and tax differences. Changes must precede departure.)
Lower fare on the same flight: no data, median 4.0/10 used (Classic charges USD 200 for voluntary changes and is nonrefundable, but the facts do not establish whether a lower fare produces cash, credit, or forfeiture. No same-flight price-drop adjustment policy or routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed beyond the excluded 24-hour window.)
Credit terms: 7.0/10 (Avianca's refund-credit page gives conflicting periods: its instructions say one year from issuance, while its terms say December 31 of the following year. No publication or revision date is displayed; checked October 26, 2026. Verify the voucher's stated expiry. Separate compensation EMDs have a one-year redemption period. For vouchers accepted instead of a qualifying US-covered disruption refund, DOT requires at least five years.; transferable: no)
Cancel the standard fare: 0.0/10 (Nonrefundable outside applicable statutory cancellation rights or qualifying airline disruptions. Refundable unused taxes may be returned; no routine cancellation-to-credit entitlement was confirmed.)
Risk-free window: 7.0/10 (For direct US bookings, Avianca's US customer-service plan permits penalty-free cancellation and a full ticket refund within 24 hours of purchase when booked one week or more before departure. Its country-specific help page instead says more than seven days; the US rule uses at least seven days. Avianca excludes separately purchased extras from its stated 24-hour ticket rule. Requests can be submitted through its online refund form.)
Same-day change: 7.0/10 (Avianca's own additional-service-fee page explicitly lists 'Same-day flight change' for Basic/Light/Classic/Business Classic. Its table lists North America–South America starting at USD 300 in low season and USD 330 in high season, and North America–Central America starting at USD 320 and USD 350 respectively. Flex and Business Flex show the service as included. Thus US-route availability is documented, rather than unknown. The official table was readable in search-indexed text during this session, although direct opening returned 403. No publication or last-update date was disclosed, so its update date is unknown; checked October 26, 2026. Detailed eligibility and any fare-difference waiver were not confirmed. Separately, qualifying Lifemiles Silver, Gold and Diamond members can advance Colombian domestic flights free, subject to availability, excluding Basic and Light.)
What Axel saw: does not apply (fewer than 10 attempts). Source: Axel repricing attempts

Refunds and disruptions: 5.8/10

Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 7.0/10 (Covered by: US_DOT_refund_rule, EU261, UK261, Canada_APPR, Brazil_ANAC_400, Other_national; Coverage depends on the itinerary: U.S. refund protections apply to U.S.-related flights; EU261 and UK261 generally cover Avianca departures from the respective territories, not every inbound flight operated by this non-European carrier; Canadian and Brazilian rules apply to covered operations there. Colombian and other applicable national passenger rules also matter. Avianca promises free alternative-flight options after cancellation or a departure-time adjustment exceeding 15 minutes, with rebooking within its specified travel window. Its Colombia page lists snacks after one hour, meals after three hours, qualifying overnight accommodation/transport after five hours, and specified 30% segment-value compensation; these are country-specific protections, not an additional worldwide voluntary benefit. No blanket U.S.-route promise of hotels, meals or cash beyond legal obligations was verified.)
Refund conduct: 8.0/10 (2022-11 U.S. DOT $750,000)
Refund complaints: 1.0/10 (13.38 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 4.39)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2

Reliability: 8.3/10

On-time arrival: 8.7/10 (81.73% on time (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Avianca (AV), as published in Cirium's global annual table. Cancellation percentage is derived as 100 minus the published 98.34% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
Cancellations: 7.4/10 (1.66% cancelled (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Avianca (AV), as published in Cirium's global annual table. Cancellation percentage is derived as 100 minus the published 98.34% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025

Fees and transparency: 6.7/10

Carry-on in the lowest fare: 10.0/10 (Current US-route Light purchases include one personal item and one carry-on up to 10 kg without an additional charge. This inclusion applies to purchases from January 27, 2026.)
First checked bag: 2.0/10 (For US/North America routes, Light's first checked bag starts at USD 85 when purchased more than 48 hours before departure. The additional-service table lists starting prices of USD 140 during online check-in or at the airport. Classic and Flex include one 23 kg bag; Business Classic includes two 32 kg bags. Published starting prices are not guaranteed itinerary quotes.)
Seat in the lowest fare: 3.0/10 (fee)
Children seated with a parent: no data, median 5.0/10 used (Light charges for seat selection. Seats can be purchased during booking, through Manage your booking or during online check-in. No US-route guarantee of free adjacent seating for every child aged 13 or younger on every fare was confirmed. Avianca's child-travel guidance says that when an adult purchases a better seat, the child's seat should also be purchased so they can sit together.)
Price shown is price paid: 10.0/10 (No fee-display findings in 5 years)

Complaints and handling: 1.7/10

Complaint rate: 1.7/10 (37.12 complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 14.73)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
Mishandled bags: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
Bumping: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April to June 2026

Loyalty fairness: 7.6/10

Miles expiry: 4.0/10 (Ordinary members' miles expire 12 months after the last qualifying accrual transaction. Avianca elite members and qualifying co-branded-card earners receive a 24-month window. Redemption alone does not reset the accrual-based expiry clock.)
Devaluations: 10.0/10 (None in 24 months)
Award pricing: no data, median 10.0/10 used (unknown)