The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's Colombia travel advice currently lists La Nubia, Matecaña, El Edén, El Caraño, Santa Ana and Gerardo Tobar López airports as closed following the earthquake.
Avianca's newer airline-specific notice instead identifies Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Cali and Armenia as restricted airports where its flight operations remain suspended.
Travelers should not interpret the difference between these lists as confirmation that an airport has reopened.
Operational conditions can change quickly, and airline restrictions may also differ from a broader airport closure notice. Check your individual flight and the latest airport or airline announcement before traveling to the terminal.
Is Cali Airport closed after the earthquake?
Travelers using Cali's Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) should pay particular attention to the latest airline information.
Cali is not included in the six-airport closure list currently shown in the FCDO Colombia travel advisory.
However, Avianca's latest disruption notice specifically includes Cali among the airports where its flight operations remain suspended while structural assessments continue.
If you have a flight through Cali on August 11, check your individual flight status directly with your airline rather than relying on an older or more general airport list.
Flying to Pereira, Armenia or Colombia's Coffee Region
The disruption is particularly important for travelers heading to Colombia's Coffee Region.
Pereira (PEI), Armenia (AXM) and Manizales (MZL) are all affected by the current restrictions.
Avianca also has a specific warning for passengers with flights to or from Pereira on or after August 12. The airline says it is monitoring operational conditions and will contact passengers with updates and available options when conditions allow.
If you are due to travel to Pereira, Armenia or Manizales over the next 24 to 48 hours, avoid making new non-refundable transport arrangements that depend on your flight operating on schedule.
Switching automatically to a long-distance road journey may not be a straightforward alternative either. Reuters reports that dozens of roads were affected after the earthquake.
What should travelers with flights today do?
If your itinerary involves an affected airport on August 11 or August 12:
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Check your individual flight before leaving for the airport. Do not rely on the original departure time in your booking confirmation.
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Check for airline notifications. A flight may remain cancelled or delayed even if airport conditions begin improving.
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Allow flexibility for connections. Disruption at regional airports can affect aircraft rotations and connecting itineraries elsewhere in Colombia.
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Confirm ground transportation separately. Roads have also been affected in parts of western Colombia.
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Keep essential travel information available offline. Communications and electricity have been disrupted in some of the hardest-hit areas.
Travelers should also follow instructions from Colombian authorities and stay away from damaged buildings. The FCDO's current earthquake guidance warns of possible aftershocks and continuing disruption to roads and wider infrastructure.
Can Avianca passengers change their flights?
Yes, some affected Avianca passengers have additional flexibility.
According to Avianca's earthquake travel policy, passengers with confirmed Avianca tickets on direct or connecting domestic flights scheduled for August 10 or August 11, 2026 may be eligible for changes at no additional cost.
The options include:
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Changing the travel date by up to 15 days after the original departure date, without change fees or fare differences, subject to availability in the same cabin.
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Changing the itinerary using common points within Colombia, subject to availability.
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Applying the same flexibility to an Avianca-operated return journey in qualifying cases.
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Requesting a refund for unused flight segments under Avianca's existing refund policies.
Avianca says these options are available across fare types, but changes remain subject to seat availability and the policy does not include compensation for missed connections.
Travelers booked with another airline should check that carrier's disruption and rebooking rules separately.
Is all travel in Colombia affected?
No. The current airport closures and flight suspensions should not be interpreted as a nationwide shutdown of air travel in Colombia.
The most serious operational disruption is concentrated in western Colombia and around the cities and airports directly affected by the earthquake.
Travelers using airports elsewhere in Colombia should still monitor their flights for possible knock-on delays or schedule changes, particularly if their aircraft or itinerary connects through an affected airport.
What happens next?
The key development for travelers will be the completion of structural inspections and the reopening of affected airports.
Because different authorities and airlines may update their information at different times, the safest approach is to check both your specific flight status and the latest operational notice shortly before leaving for the airport.
Travelers flying through Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Cali, Armenia, Cartago or Buenaventura on August 11 or August 12 should continue checking for updates.
If you're traveling to Colombia, you can also review our Colombia eSIM options before departure so you have mobile data available after arrival.
