Avianca Cargo transports 18,000 tonnes flowers to Miami, LA

Avianca Cargo concluded its Valentine’s Day 2025 season with record-breaking flower shipments from Colombia and Ecuador to North America.

"To meet heightened demand, the airline doubled its regular capacity, prioritising on-time performance, service excellence and quality handling," says an official release.

Avianca Cargo operated approximately 300 cargo flights, transporting around 18,000 tonnes of flowers to key hubs like Miami and Los Angeles, the release added. "To support this increased volume, the airline invested in infrastructure enhancements, digitalisation projects, and a 30 percent increase in workforce, enabling it to successfully deliver on its value proposition."

Diogo Elias, Senior Vice President, Avianca Cargo says: "In preparation for Valentine's Day, we optimised our logistics to ensure a seamless season for our customers. Our record-breaking efficiency gains included over 40 percent reduction in flower processing and delivery times of around 50 percent, underscoring our commitment to excellence. We are proud to support the flower industry with superior service, driven by our dedicated team and strong partnerships across the supply chain."

Ralph Cutie, Director and CEO, Miami International Airport (MIA) adds: "MIA is proud to be America’s largest gateway for fresh flowers, with more than 1,500 tonnes projected to arrive daily this year for Valentine’s Day, which would be a three percent increase over last year. Thanks to our strong partnership with airlines like Avianca Cargo and federal support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, millions of blooms will reach their destinations across the country in time for the holiday."

Avianca Cargo will expand its fleet with two additional Airbus A330 P2F aircraft, significantly improving efficiency and capacity to better serve high-demand markets, the release added.