Tampa to Bogota Flights Are Coming

One of my favorite cities in the world to visit will soon finally be served by Tampa International Airport. Direct flights to Bogota, Colombia are coming according to a post to social media today by Avianca. Avianca is a popular airline in Colombia. Santa came through for me big time this year!

5 years ago, if you would have asked if I had any interest in visiting Colombia, I'd have looked at you strangely. I don't speak Spanish. And as an 80s kid, the image of South America wasn't one I thought about as a vacation destination. But a friend from Pasco County retired in Medellin, Colombia a few years ago. He'd been bugging me to visit. When an airfare deal made it reasonable, I figured I'd at least give it a shot once. I've been back a half dozen times since.

Long gone are the Pablo Escobar days. While there are definitely neighborhoods you're best to avoid (that's true of any U.S. city), a Colombia trip means getting a big bang for your buck. You'll see some beautiful mountains, become part of fan base at football (soccer) games louder than any Bucs or Bolts game, and enjoy perfect weather... every day of your trip. But the biggest thing that keeps me going back is getting to live like a king for pennies on the dollar.

I usually stay at an AirBnB when I'm in Bogota that's on the 37th floor of a luxury high rise. You have a panoramic view of the city. On the left you are right next to the Andes mountains. The rest of the panorama is the city skyline. Restaurants are a bargain too. There's a steakhouse I go to in Bogota where you get your own private chef who prepares, lobster, steak, appetizers and a dessert and it comes out to about $25 a person in our currency.

At first, it looks like Aviana will only have service from Tampa to Bogota. Bogota is kind of like their New York City. Lots of concrete tall buildings. But Bogota has Monserrate and lots of great day trips. Plus flying within Colombia is cheap and easy. Medellin is probably more of a favorite for Americans. There are more trees and the neighborhoods have more personality. Cartagena is worth at least one visit. It's their beach destination. I don't know if I'd go twice though.

We don't know that yet. The post on social media today was vague. It just said that Bogota flights to Tampa are in the plans. They're also adding service at other Florida airports in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Miami. But it's the Tampa to Bogota part that has me pumped. I once had to take a flight to NYC to get a connection to Colombia. So ridiculous but the fare was cheap. And I really hated having to drive to Orlando to get a direct flight.

Keep an eye on Avianca's social media channels. Usually when airlines launch a new route, the deals are good! A typical flight from Orlando to Colombia on Avianca is around $300 when you find a good deal. But the airfare averages around $400-$500 usually. If you fly right now from Tampa, you usually have to connect in Houston or Miami.

A funny thing happens when I visit Colombia... I eat well. I don't just mean I eat a lot. I do that all the time. When I travel to South America, I tend to eat stuff that's actually good for me. It's not something I do intentionally. It just is more convenient.

Just like how here in America, it's more convenient to hit the drive thru, when I visit Bogota and Medellin in Colombia, you have to go out of your way to find junk food. Everywhere you go there are fresh fruits and vegetables. Meat is sourced locally. And the food is so darn fresh everywhere you go. It's the norm.

I notice a big difference when I get back to the U.S. After a few days of eating heavily processed foods, my mood starts to sour. I get sluggish and fatigued faster. I'm not blaming our country. It's all my fault. Healthier more natural foods are out there. It's just not as convenient. Just as it's not as convenient to find junk food in Colombia.