Air TransportAvianca will add two Airbus A330-900 aircraft to its fleet as part of a plan by the Abra Group to introduce seven jets of the type across its airlines. The aircraft are expected to enter service in the second half of 2026 and will be based in Colombia.
The jets will be deployed on routes within the Americas and configured with 377 seats, including the airline’s “Business Class Américas” product. Avianca said the aircraft will allow it to increase capacity on key markets across the continent.
The remaining five A330-900 aircraft will be operated by Brazilian carrier GOL, also part of the Abra Group. The jets are owned by leasing company Avolon and are currently flying with rival airline Azul, which is expected to return them during 2026.
GOL plans to use the aircraft to launch long-haul services for the first time in its history, starting with flights between Rio de Janeiro and New York.
For Avianca, the move marks a return to the Airbus A330 family after several years operating an all-Boeing 787 passenger widebody fleet. The airline previously operated 22 first-generation A330 aircraft. Nine of those jets remain in service today as cargo aircraft following conversion to freighters.
Avianca currently operates 16 Boeing 787s on passenger routes, including 13 787-9s and three smaller 787-8s. The A330-900 offers greater seating capacity than the airline’s 787-9 configuration, which currently carries 291 passengers in a two-class layout.
