Azul Announces New International Routes To The US & Uruguay

The Brazilian carrier Azul Linhas Aéreas has recently announced a new route from Recife International Airport (REC) to Uruguay and the future resumption of a route to the United States. Azul will operate flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital city, strengthening its international connectivity.

New services

While participating in the 49th edition of the ABAV Expo International, the company founded by David Neeleman announced new routes departing from Recife, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, to Montevideo, Uruguay, and Orlando, Florida. The services to Montevideo will begin in November, with one weekly flight. In December, Azul will add a second flight between both cities. This winter season, Azul is heavily increasing its capacity in time for the Southern Hemisphere’s summer.

Meanwhile, Azul will have two weekly flights between Recife and Orlando by the time of the Recife Carnival, celebrated between February 17 and 22, 2023. The company will add three new frequencies in July, jumping from two to five flights per week. The airline will announce more details, such as the days of each operation, the flight schedules, and the aircraft it will employ soon. By January, Azul will have 90 daily take-offs from Recife International Airport. John Rodgerson, Azul’s CEO, said,

“We were looking forward to resuming our international flights in Recife, our main connectivity hub in the Northeast. The capital of Pernambuco has always received Azul with open arms, and northeasterners’ affection for our company is reflected in our operations at the Recife airport. We have worked hard with the State Government, which is already a partner of Azul since the implementation of our hub in Recife, to start this new international operation, besides maintaining the entire regional network that Azul already operates today.”

Azul is looking to increase its capacity on international routes. Photo: Azul.

More connectivity to the United States

As of October 2022, Azul operates around 21 weekly flights between Brazil and the United States. It has two active routes from Campinas Airport (VCP) to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Compared to October 2019, the airline is offering 16% fewer flights and four fewer routes. Pre-pandemic, Azul also flew from Belém and Recife to Fort Lauderdale and from Confins and Recife to Orlando.

Nonetheless, while participating at the ABAV Expo, Azul highlighted the start of ticket sales for the flights that will link Belém and Manaus to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Azul expects to operate around 60 international fights per week by January next year. In some, it will deploy its new Airbus A350 fleet. Photo: Azul.

As of December 15, both Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, and Belém, the capital of Pará, will have a direct flight to Fort Lauderdale. The passenger services will be operated on Airbus A320neo aircraft, with a capacity for 174 customers. From Belém, the trips will take place four times a week, while from Manaus, the trips will take place three times a week.

By January, Azul expects to operate around 60 international flights per week, still below the pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Azul served around 103 weekly international services on 22 routes across the Americas and Europe.

Have you traveled with Azul between Brazil and the United States? How was the experience? Let us know in the comments below.