After an absence of almost four years, SKY Airline is preparing for its return to Montevideo (MVD), Uruguay. What sets this return apart is the airline’s plan to connect four destinations, spanning Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

SKY previously operated between Montevideo (MVD) and Santiago (SCL), Chile, from September 2016 to April 2019, offering a regular service that varied between 3 and 7 flights per week. Later, due to performance considerations, the route was operated seasonally, returning during the summer months from December 2019 to March 2020.

The airline also briefly operated between Punta del Este (PDP) and the Chilean capital from December 2017 to March 2018, with two flights per week.

SKY Returns to Uruguay with Force

According to the latest update from Cirium and SIROS, the SLOT regulatory body for ANAC Brazil, confirmed by SKY, the low-cost airline plans a significant offer in Uruguay, connecting Montevideo with four destinations: Lima, Santiago, Florianópolis, and Salvador de Bahía starting January 2024.

The destinations will be served through two routes, each with four segments:

•  Lima – Montevideo – Florianópolis – Montevideo – Lima (3 flights per week)
•  Santiago – Montevideo – Salvador de Bahía – Montevideo – Santiago (3 flights per week).

It’s important to note that these operations will be carried out under the framework of the fifth freedom of the air, which will allow the airline to transport passengers, cargo, and mail between the different destinations of each route. Moreover, according to the reserved slots, they will allow smooth connections in Montevideo (with aircraft changes) for travelers wishing to fly Lima-Salvador and Santiago-Florianópolis.

«We are proud to launch our 7th and 8th international destination from Lima, as part of our commitment to South American connectivity. We are betting on routes with high demand and great potential in the Peruvian market. Montevideo is a metropolis with significant tourist and business potential, and Florianópolis is one of the most popular holiday paradises. At SKY, we believe that our low-cost model will be key to motivating more Peruvians to travel to both cities and, likewise, to welcome more Uruguayan and Brazilian tourists to our country,» said José Raúl Vargas, general manager of SKY in Peru.

Schedules and Frequencies of SKY in Uruguay

Starting January 2, 2024:

• Lima-Montevideo flight H8 5585 LIM 23:45 – 06:20 (+1) MVD / Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
• Montevideo-Lima flight H8 5586 MVD 04:45 – 07:55 LIM / Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Once again, both capitals will be connected by two airlines; Avianca and LATAM operated the route until January 2020. Currently, LATAM operates a daily flight, transporting 31,069 passengers during the first half of 2023.

Starting January 3, 2024:

• Montevideo – Florianópolis H8 5585 MVD 07:15 – 09:05 FLN / Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
• Florianópolis-Montevideo H8 5586 FLN 01:50 – 03:50 MVD / Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

With SKY’s entry, two airlines are expected to connect both destinations during the summer season. Azul is scheduled to operate two flights per week from December 2023 to February 2024.

Starting January 2, 2024:

• Santiago-Montevideo H2 640 SCL 05:10 – 07:25 MVD / Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.
• Montevideo-Santiago H2 641 MVD 19:05 – 21:40 SCL / Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

This will be the first time in decades that three airlines operate flights between Santiago and Montevideo. Currently, LATAM and JetSMART conduct fourteen and four weekly flights respectively, transporting 80,899 passengers during the first half of 2023.

Starting January 2, 2024:

• Montevideo-Salvador H2 640 MVD 08:20 – 12:35 SSA / Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.
• Salvador-Montevideo H2 641 SSA 13:30 – 18:10 MVD / Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

This will be a new route, not operated since 2017, when GOL had two weekly flights.

«We are happy to continue growing in the region, in destinations like Uruguay and Salvador de Bahía, which will join the destinations we already operate in Brazil, such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Porto Alegre, and Florianópolis. SKY’s landing will start on January 2, 2024, with 3 frequencies for Montevideo and Salvador de Bahía, and it’s a bet to make the sky accessible to all and be the preferred low-cost airline in Latin America with an accessible, safe, and sustainable model,» said Carmen Gloria Serrat, commercial director of SKY Airline.

Julio Solar, deputy manager of strategic planning at SKY Airline, added that «our network development considers a holistic view of the industry and addresses two key concepts of our strategic map: to be Latin America’s preferred airline and make the sky accessible to all. SKY has today the highest load factors in the industry, which shows a preference for our product. In this regard, these new routes we present today are a unique opportunity for our network expansion.»