Overview
Avianca Ecuador is registered in Quito, Ecuador. Its IATA code is 2K, ICAO code GLG, radio callsign GALAPAGOS and IATA accounting code 547. Its predecessor Aerogal was founded in November 1985 and initially flew Boeing 727 and Boeing 737 aircraft on domestic Ecuadorian and Galápagos routes. Aerogal joined the Avianca group in 2012, moved its fleet from Boeing narrowbodies to the Airbus A320 family and registered under the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). On 18 June 2014 Aerogal retired its brand and began operating as Avianca Ecuador, becoming the group's local carrier in Ecuador. In 1999 the Ecuadorian civil aviation authority certified Aerogal's operations to Part 121 standards and issued its public air carrier certificate. The group discloses more than six hundred employees in Ecuador, five domestic routes and nine international routes, making it the most complete scheduled network in the country after LATAM Ecuador.
The main operating base is Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) and the secondary hub is Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE), with scheduled stations at domestic points including Cuenca (CUE), Manta (MEC), Coca (OCC), and Baltra (GPS) and San Cristóbal (SCY) in the Galápagos. Quito sits at about 2,800 metres and is a high-altitude airport, which places strict limits on take-off performance and belly payload; Avianca Ecuador has operated there for years and has established procedures for high-altitude payload calculation, fuel balancing and ULD load planning. On the cargo side, Avianca Ecuador operates no freighters: all cargo space comes from the belly holds of its A319 and A320 family aircraft and is sold and documented through Avianca Cargo. The airline is an IATA member and part of the Avianca group cargo network, so connections can be made at gateways such as Bogotá (BOG), Medellín (MDE) and Miami (MIA) using the group's Boeing 787 widebodies and Avianca Cargo freighters.
For Chinese shippers the value is that Avianca Ecuador has the most complete network and the strongest group backing of the local carriers in Ecuador. Chinese exports of mechanical and electrical products, new energy vehicle parts, solar modules, telecom equipment and project materials can route through Miami or New York in the United States or Bogotá in Colombia and connect onto Avianca Ecuador belly space to Quito or Guayaquil. Ecuadorian exports to China, mainly shrimp, bananas, roses and minerals, move the other way on the same network, consolidating at GYE/UIO to Miami and on to Chinese gateways. The airline's website is avianca.com.
China contact
Avianca Ecuador and the wider Avianca group do not currently have a published dedicated cargo office in mainland China. Contact their local China agent, or let us arrange the introduction. Group-level cargo sales are managed centrally by Avianca Cargo in Bogota; capacity requests, rate agreements, air waybill issuance and irregularity handling for shipments out of and into China are normally consolidated and booked through an international freight forwarder with South America route experience.
Chinese shippers can submit booking requests through us, Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, as a single point of contact. We work with the Avianca group cargo network on a standing basis and can, depending on cargo profile (general cargo, temperature-controlled, perishable, out-of-gauge) and transit time target, recommend routings that transit Miami (MIA) or New York (JFK) and continue on Avianca Ecuador belly capacity to Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE). In the return direction, Ecuadorian origin cargo can move over the same network into Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) and Beijing Capital (PEK). Our website is goodhope86.com, where rate requests and bookings can be submitted.
Accepting booking requests
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited accepts export and import bookings at major Chinese ports, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Qingdao, Xiamen and Chengdu. We handle customs declaration, commodity inspection, trucking to the terminal and coordination with customs clearance in Ecuador.
Rate and capacity enquiries
Avianca Ecuador belly capacity is sold alongside the group passenger schedule. Space tightens in peak seasons, namely the Valentine's Day and Mother's Day flower season in the northern hemisphere and the pre-Chinese New Year import season for consumer goods. Submit booking requests seven to fourteen days ahead. Final rates and bookable capacity are subject to written confirmation from us and the carrier.
Scope of international air freight from China to Ecuador
Avianca Ecuador does not itself fly nonstop between China and Ecuador. Belly cargo from China to Ecuador moves in segments across the Avianca group inter-Americas network. Outbound (China origin): a Chinese carrier or another Star Alliance member flies from a major Chinese airport to Miami (MIA), New York JFK or Bogota (BOG), where customs clearance and ground handover take place; Avianca Ecuador narrowbody belly capacity then carries the cargo to Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE), with onward domestic flights distributing to Cuenca, Manta and the Galapagos. Return (Ecuador origin): origin cargo is loaded at GYE or UIO, transits MIA, JFK or BOG and connects to Chinese airports.
Across the group, Avianca operates more than 160 routes and over 700 daily flights, with a fleet of about 135 narrowbody and 16 widebody passenger aircraft serving more than 80 destinations in 27 countries. The group runs an inter-Americas connecting hub in Bogota (BOG) that links Ecuadorian origin and destination cargo with routes to Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Central America and the US East Coast, giving Chinese shippers the flexibility to receive in one country and distribute across several. For Chinese exporters this means machinery and electrical products, new energy vehicle parts, telecom equipment and construction machinery components can fly to the Bogota hub in one movement and be distributed by Avianca Ecuador to inland Ecuadorian cities. In the return direction, Ecuadorian white shrimp, roses, bananas, coffee and mineral products are consolidated at GYE or UIO, connect through MIA or JFK to Chinese airports, and can also be palletised in Bogota together with Colombian flowers and Peruvian minerals to raise ULD utilization and lower unit cost. Since the China-Ecuador free trade agreement took effect in 2024, tariff reductions have deepened: Ecuadorian exports of white shrimp, bananas, roses, timber and minerals to China have grown noticeably, while Chinese vehicles, machinery and new energy products have gained share in Ecuador. That two-way density supports regular belly capacity availability on Avianca Ecuador.
| Route direction | Gateway connection point | Avianca Ecuador destination | Reference capacity basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| China airport to US East Coast gateway | Miami MIA / New York JFK | Quito UIO, Guayaquil GYE | Passenger belly capacity; times are local; schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| China airport to Colombia hub | Bogota BOG / Medellin MDE | Quito UIO, Guayaquil GYE, Cuenca CUE | Via Bogota, Avianca group through capacity |
| Ecuador origin to US gateway | Origin Quito UIO / Guayaquil GYE | Miami MIA, New York JFK | Priority for peak-season flower and white shrimp cold chain capacity |
| Ecuador to the Andean Community | Origin UIO / GYE | Lima LIM, Bogota BOG, Medellin MDE, Santiago SCL | Belly capacity within the Andean Community |
| Ecuador to European long-haul connection | Via Bogota BOG onto Avianca 787 | Madrid MAD, Barcelona BCN | Group widebody belly capacity, not operated by 2K |
The table summarizes the main connecting directions from public sources. Segments actually flown and schedules are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
Aircraft types
The Avianca Ecuador fleet consists of Airbus A320 family narrowbodies. On published third-party fleet database figures the fleet numbers about nine aircraft, including roughly one Airbus A319-100, six Airbus A320-200 and two Airbus A320neo. From 2024 the Avianca group began allocating the first A320neo aircraft to the Ecuadorian unit to replace older ceo airframes and cut fuel burn per seat-kilometer. All are single-aisle passenger aircraft: cargo capability comes from the bulk and lower holds, there is no main-deck freighter door, and the aircraft suit standard ULDs (LD3) and bulk cargo but not oversize, over-length or very heavy pieces.
Airbus A319-100
As the shortened member of the A320 family, the A319 suits short domestic sectors in Ecuador and the Galapagos routes, with lower-hold space for a few LD3 containers plus bulk. It has extensive experience at high-altitude Andean airports, with Quito UIO at about 2,800 meters, and the cargo handling procedures for high-elevation departures are well established.
Airbus A320-200
The main type at Avianca Ecuador, flying trunk routes from Quito and Guayaquil to Miami, New York, Bogota and Lima. The lower hold takes several LD3 containers plus a bulk compartment, making it the main capacity source for two-way belly cargo between China and Ecuador.
Airbus A320neo
A new-generation narrowbody introduced by the group in recent years, with new engines and sharklets for better fuel efficiency and range than the ceo versions. Since allocation to Ecuador it mainly flies Quito to the US East Coast and Colombian trunk routes, with belly volume comparable to the A320-200.
Group widebody connecting capacity
The Avianca group operates about 15 Boeing 787-8 widebodies from its Bogota and Medellin hubs on long-haul European routes such as Bogota to Madrid and Barcelona. Cargo from China to Ecuador transiting Bogota can connect to those widebody holds for the transatlantic sector, but 2K itself does not operate widebodies.
Airports served in China and schedules
Neither Avianca Ecuador nor the wider Avianca group currently maintains a scheduled cargo station in China, and no public information shows 2K flight numbers operating to Chinese points. Belly cargo from or to China must first fly from a major Chinese international airport (Shanghai Pudong PVG, Guangzhou Baiyun CAN, Beijing Capital PEK, Shenzhen Bao'an SZX, Xiamen Gaoqi XMN, Chengdu Tianfu TFU and others) to the Miami, New York or Bogota gateway on a Chinese or other international carrier, then continue under an Avianca Ecuador flight number to UIO or GYE.
On schedules, Avianca Ecuador flies daily on Quito to Miami, Quito to New York, Guayaquil to New York and Quito to Bogota, a high frequency. For summer 2026 the Guayaquil to New York route increased from nine to twelve weekly flights and Quito to New York from six to seven. Times are local and schedules change with the season, subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking. Schedules on the Chinese airport to gateway sector are set by the operating carrier, so ask us to check connection times on the combined routing when booking.
| China origin ports | Gateway transit | Avianca Ecuador onward point | Schedule basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong PVG | Miami MIA / Bogota BOG | Quito UIO, Guayaquil GYE | Daily to several weekly; times are local |
| Guangzhou Baiyun CAN | Miami MIA | Guayaquil GYE, Quito UIO | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Beijing Capital PEK | New York JFK / Bogota BOG | Quito UIO | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Shenzhen Bao'an SZX | Miami MIA | Guayaquil GYE | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Xiamen / Qingdao / Chengdu and others | Any of the above gateways | UIO / GYE and domestic distribution points | Consolidated at a domestic hub before departure |
Freight advantages for Chinese shippers
The value of Avianca Ecuador to Chinese shippers lies in the depth of its local network in Ecuador as a specific destination and in the Avianca group inter-Americas connections. The trade structure between China and Ecuador has shifted noticeably in the past three years: two-way trade reached USD 17.33 billion in 2025, up 24 percent year on year, and USD 9.831 billion in the first half of 2026, up 20.1 percent. China remains the largest destination for Ecuadorian non-oil exports, while Chinese vehicles, machinery and new energy products keep gaining share in Ecuador. Avianca Ecuador belly capacity is the local vehicle serving that two-way flow. For Chinese exporters, shipping to Ecuador over the Avianca group network means one AWB number covers the whole journey, cutting the cost of booking segment by segment and declaring repeatedly. For Chinese importers, Ecuadorian cargo loaded at GYE or UIO enters the group unified tracking system, so status is visible end to end.
Two local hubs covering the Pacific coast
Quito UIO serves customers in inland Ecuador and the Andes; Guayaquil GYE serves Ecuador's largest city and its Pacific port. Both hubs connect to the Avianca group inter-Americas network, so Chinese export cargo can use whichever hub is closer to the destination city and avoid a second long truck leg inside Ecuador.
Established perishable and cold chain experience
The Avianca group is one of the world's major flower carriers, moving more than 21,000 tonnes of flowers from Colombia and Ecuador in the 2026 Mother's Day peak. Quito to Miami and Quito to Los Angeles have long carried cold chain flowers and white shrimp, and that experience in temperature control, transit time and packaging is directly relevant to Chinese imports of Ecuadorian roses and shrimp.
Andean Community network
Through Bogota, Chinese cargo can be distributed to several points in Colombia, Peru and Chile at the same time, and on the return leg Peruvian minerals, Chilean cherries and Ecuadorian white shrimp can be palletised together to Chinese airports, which helps traders on both sides buy and sell across the region.
IATA membership and IOSA standards
Avianca Ecuador is an IATA member and passes IOSA audit, so documentation and air waybill (AWB) handling interface smoothly with mainstream Chinese forwarder systems. The three-digit accounting code 547 simplifies rate agreements and settlement centre processing and reduces compliance friction in cross-border settlement.
Booking path from China
Chinese shippers using Avianca Ecuador belly capacity need to book through an international freight forwarder with South America experience. We, Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, act as the single point of contact for enquiries, booking, documentation, customs declaration, cross-border transit and delivery on arrival. Because belly capacity is sold against the passenger schedule, and Quito's high-altitude airport imposes payload limits in certain seasons, shippers should give accurate pieces, weight and dimensions, temperature requirements, dangerous goods status and transit time target when requesting a booking, so we can choose the routing through MIA, JFK or BOG with the shortest connection and the best payload utilization.
Submit an enquiry
The shipper gives us the origin airport, destination city (UIO, GYE or other), pieces, weight and dimensions, commodity, cold chain requirement and transit time target; we calculate the combined routing through MIA, JFK or BOG and the rate.
Confirm booking
We apply for capacity in the Avianca Cargo sales system, confirm the 2K flight number, schedule, LD3 positions and connection times, and return a booking confirmation to the shipper.
Handover and customs clearance
The shipper delivers the cargo to the airport terminal in China at the agreed time. We handle export declaration, commodity inspection and dangerous goods identification where applicable, and issue the air waybill (MAWB or HAWB) once the cargo is loaded.
Transit and delivery
After customs clearance and ground handover at MIA, JFK or BOG the cargo continues to UIO or GYE. We track status throughout and, on arrival, help the Ecuadorian importer with clearance and inland truck distribution.
Cargo services shaped around China trade
Given the structure of China-Ecuador trade, Avianca Ecuador belly capacity has clear use cases in the following cargo categories, and we can design dedicated solutions around them. Ecuador combines an equatorial climate with vertical Andean zones. Exports concentrate in the white shrimp farms along the Pacific coast, the rose growing belt of the highlands and the coastal banana plantations, while imports are mainly Chinese machinery and electrical products, new energy vehicles, solar modules, telecom equipment and construction materials. How efficiently that two-way flow is consolidated and distributed at the MIA and BOG gateways directly affects delivery cycles for Chinese shippers.
Ecuadorian white shrimp, cold chain import
White shrimp is Ecuador's largest export category, worth USD 4.698 billion in the first half of 2026. Frozen shrimp mostly moves by sea; time-critical orders can be loaded at GYE, transit MIA and be imported through PVG or CAN. Belly cold chain capacity should be booked ahead in peak season.
Roses and cut flowers by air
Ecuadorian highland roses are an important source for China's premium flower market. The Avianca group has long flown flower services from UIO to MIA and LAX, adds frequency around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, and has solid experience in hold temperature and transit time control. The return leg can connect through MIA to Chinese airports.
Machinery, electrical and new energy vehicle parts export
BYD, Dongfeng, JAC and other Chinese brands lead Ecuador's new energy vehicle market. Aftermarket parts, body panels and battery management systems are high-frequency, low-volume, time-sensitive cargo that suits belly movement via MIA or BOG to UIO or GYE for local dealer networks.
Chinese-built project materials and mining equipment
Chinese companies built the Coca Codo Sinclair hydropower station, wind farms and solar plants in Ecuador, and invest in mining projects such as Mirador copper and Lumina Gold. Project spares, drilling parts and small electrical equipment can move as urgent belly shipments; large project equipment still goes by sea, with belly air freight carrying replenishment.
Network map (South America view)
The diagram shows main connecting directions and city nodes only. Actual routings and schedules follow the carrier timings on the day.
FAQ
Avianca Ecuador does not operate freighters. All of its cargo capability comes from the lower holds of its A319 and A320 passenger aircraft. For main-deck freighter tonnage, Avianca Cargo provides Boeing 767 and 787 freighters at the Bogota and Miami gateways, with 2K belly capacity carrying the cargo onward inside Ecuador.
No public information shows 2K flight numbers operating to Chinese points; cargo from China to Ecuador connects through Miami, New York or Bogota. We can recommend routings to match the shipper's transit time target.
Yes. The Avianca group has long carried flowers and cold chain shrimp on the Quito and Bogota to Miami and Los Angeles routes, with established temperature control, packaging and transit time procedures. Capacity back to Chinese airports must be booked ahead, ideally seven to fourteen days in peak season.
Small, time-sensitive aftermarket parts can be loaded at Shanghai Pudong or Guangzhou Baiyun, transit Miami or Bogota, continue on Avianca Ecuador belly capacity to Quito or Guayaquil, and be distributed to local dealers. Cargo containing batteries must comply with the IATA DGR.
The IATA three-digit accounting code is 547, which simplifies rate agreements, air waybill settlement and forwarder system interfacing. Avianca Cargo handles documentation and settlement centrally.
Avianca Ecuador flies domestic services from Quito to Baltra (GPS) and San Cristobal (SCY), and the belly hold can take small quantities. The Galapagos is an ecologically sensitive area with strict entry controls, so Ecuadorian environmental and customs rules must be confirmed in advance.