By Roaa Khaled 
Aviation in South America is divided into regions in terms of growth and development. Some regions, such as Upper South America, are witnessing strong growth, while others, such as Lower South America, are witnessing modest growth. In this article, we will study the top 10 airlines in South America ranked by World Airline Awards by SkyTrax. These airlines are characterized by their developments in destinations, capacity, fleet size, revenue, and others.
10-Flybondi
FB Líneas Aéreas S.A., also known as Flybondi airline, operates in Argentina, and it is one of the low-cost airlines in South America. The airline’s slogan is (La Libertad de volar), which means (The freedom of flying) in Spanish.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Boeing 737-800 | 16 |
| Total | 16 |
9-Clic Air
Clic Air, formerly known as Easyfly, established itself in Colombia and received certification as a 3-star low-cost airline. It offers low-cost tickets that provide some benefits, such as a free package allowance (15 kg) and free drinks. It serves short flights.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| ATR 42-500 ATR 42-600 | 2 12 |
| ATR 72-600 | 6 |
| Total | 20 |
8-StarPeru Airline
StarPeru airline was founded in 1997 in Lima, Peru. It operates an extensive network of domestic destinations, linking major cities and tourist destinations across Peru, such as Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Huánuco, Iquitos, Lima, Pucallpa, and Tarapoto. In addition, it provides regional flights to some international destinations in neighboring countries, which in turn enhances connectivity and supports the growth of Peru’s aviation sector.
| Aircraft type | Quantity |
| Boeing 737-300 | 4 |
| Dash 8-400 | 2 |
| Total | 6 |
7-Aerolineas Argentinas Airline
Aerolineas Argentinas airline was established in 1950. It provides flights to 20 international destinations in the Americas and Europe and 37 destinations across Argentina.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Airbus A330 | 9 |
| Boeing 737-700 Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 5 28 10 |
| Embraer ERJ-190 | 22 |
| Total | 47 |
6- Gol Linhas Aereas
Gol Linhas Aereas airline, a Brazilian low-cost airline, launched in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2001. The airline aimed to offer budget-friendly air travel within Chile and has since broadened its services to include several international destinations. GOL is working on making air travel accessible to a broader segment of the population.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Boeing 737-700 Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 10 59 45 |
| Total | 114 |
5- Avianca
Avianca airline serves as the flagship carrier of a consortium of airlines in the Americas, functioning as a single airline through a codesharing system. It is the largest airline in Colombia and the second largest in South America, following Chile’s LATAM.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Airbus A319-100 | 5 |
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320neo | 65 34 |
| Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | 15 |
| Total | 119 |
4- JetSMART Airline
JetSMART airline is an ultra-low-cost carrier created by Indigo Partners, a North American private equity firm, and established in 2016.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Airbus A320 Neo Airbus A320-200 | 13 1 |
| Airbus A321 Neo | 5 |
| Total | 19 |
3-SKY Airline
SKY airline was created in the early 2000s. It is a Chilean carrier that has experienced substantial growth, emerging as a major role in the aviation industry in South America. The airline was established with the goal of offering budget-friendly air travel within Chile and has since broadened its services to include several international destinations.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Airbus A320neo | 24 |
| Airbus A321neo | 7 |
| Total | 31 |
2- Azul Brazilian
Azul Brazilian airline was founded in 2008. It is considered Brazil’s largest airline, based on the number of departures and cities served, operating around 1,000 daily flights to over 150 destinations. This creates an unmatched network of more than 300 non-stop routes in South America.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| ATR 72 | 32 |
| Airbus A320neo | 49 |
| Airbus A321neo | 6 |
| Airbus A330-200 Airbus A330-900 | 5 3 |
| Boeing 737-400 | 2 |
| Embraer E195-E2 | 20 |
| Embraer ERJ-195 | 27 |
| Total | 144 |
1- LATAM Airlines
LATAM airlines, which was founded in 2012, is the foremost airline group and the largest airline in South America, operating in five domestic markets in South America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It also has international operations throughout Latin America, as well as Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean.
| Aircraft Type | Quantity |
| Airbus A319-100 | 38 |
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320neo | 132 18 |
| Airbus A321-200 Airbus A321neo | 48 14 |
| Boeing 767-300 | 28 |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 9 |
| Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | 7 24 |
| Total | 318 |
If you have any experience with South America’s airlines, we would be happy to hear from you. You can share your experiences or thoughts in the comments below.
Roaa Khaled Ahmad. A 21 years old Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics engineering student studying at zewail city of science and technology. She participated in many activities throughout her years in university including technical activities and artistic ones. She is obsessed with aviation and space and hope to specialize in this field in the future.
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