Avianca is giving its long-haul business class an overhaul.
The airline announced a series of upgrades to INSIGNIA by Avianca on September 9. New dining, amenities, and other onboard improvements are all part of the refresh.
Then, starting in 2027, Avianca plans to introduce an entirely new business class cabin to its Boeing 787s with suites offering more privacy.
The new seats are the headline, but they’re only part of what Avianca is upgrading.
New Business Class Suites Are Coming in 2027
Avianca says its new business class cabin will begin rolling out aboard Boeing 787s in 2027.
And based on the first images, this isn’t just a new cover on the same old seat. The new cabin will feature individual pods with much more privacy around each passenger, bringing Avianca closer to the enclosed, personal spaces that have become common in newer international business class cabins.
That’s a meaningful change on the flights where Avianca offers INSIGNIA. Its 787s fly to New York and across the Atlantic to Europe, where a good business class seat can turn an overnight flight into a place to eat, work, and, most importantly, get some sleep.
Avianca hasn’t shared many details yet, but we do know the first suites are scheduled to arrive next year.
The Rest of Business Class Is Changing, Too
A new seat is nice, but there’s quite a bit more to a long-haul business class experience than the few square feet around it.
That’s where many of Avianca’s more immediate changes come in.
The airline is adding new noise-canceling headphones, pajamas and slippers, along with redesigned amenity kits. Meals are changing, too, with new menus from chefs Álvaro Clavijo and Rafael Buitrago that lean into Latin American flavors.
Those details aren’t nearly as flashy as a new suite, but they matter on a long flight. A lie-flat seat might be the biggest reason to book business class, but food, bedding, headphones, and service are what fill the other eight or nine hours onboard.
Avianca is also putting more attention on service. More than 850 flight attendants have completed a business class training program focused on hospitality and etiquette.
So while the suites won’t start arriving until 2027, the experience around them is already getting some attention.
Avianca Wants to Be More Premium
These changes also say something about where Avianca is headed.
Avianca has spent the past several years adopting a much more stripped-down economy model on many of its flights. At the front of the cabin, though, it’s now putting more distance between the basic experience and what customers willing to pay more can get.
Avianca now offers Business Class Américas throughout its network within the Americas. It’s a much simpler product than INSIGNIA, typically using economy-style seats with the middle seat blocked rather than the beds found on the 787. That’s not nearly as exciting as a private suite, but it fits the same broader push to create a more distinct experience at the front of the plane.
The airline is also expanding onboard entertainment, gradually adding Wi-Fi, and renovating lounges, including its International Gold Lounge in San Salvador.
LifeMiles Could Make the New Suites Particularly Interesting
There’s another reason Avianca’s new 787 cabin matters.
LifeMiles are fairly easy to earn thanks to several transferable points programs, and they can be redeemed for Avianca flights. That means the new suites should eventually be bookable with miles rather than a four-figure business class fare.
How many miles they’ll cost and how easy they’ll be to book are questions for 2027.
For now, Avianca is improving the meals, amenities, and service surrounding its long-haul business class seats. Next year, the seats themselves start changing, too.
