OREANDA-NEWS. Miami International Airport hub carrier American Airlines added two new international destinations to its expansive Miami-based network yesterday when it launched daily service from Miami to Barranquilla, Colombia and six weekly flights from Miami to Monterrey, Mexico. Both new flights will be operated using Airbus A319 aircraft, and both provide MIA customers with an additional service option, joining Avianca and Aeromexico's existing service on the same routes.

Barranquilla, a city of 1.9 million on Colombia's Caribbean coast, is just 2 hours and 45 minutes from Miami. It is Colombia's fourth-largest city by population and serves as the political, commercial and cultural capital of the country's Atlantico Department. Monterrey is the capital of northeastern Mexico's Nuevo Leon state and is one of Latin America's most prosperous cities, serving as a major business hub and home to numerous multinational corporations. Flight time from Miami to Monterrey is 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Also on Thursday, international carrier XL Airways France resumed seasonal service between Miami and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, marking the third consecutive year that the carrier has operated the busy transatlantic route during the summer months. Through June, flights will operate on Thursdays. Beginning in July, Tuesday and Sunday flights will be added with the seasonal service continuing through August 30. XL Airways France will operate the flights utilizing Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a single-class configuration with 408 seats and Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a two-class configuration featuring 343 standard seats and 21 premium seats.

"We welcome American Airlines' new service to Barranquilla and Monterrey, and appreciate their ongoing commitment to making MIA one of their foremost international hubs," said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. "We're equally excited to welcome XL Airways France back for a third consecutive year of seasonal service. Their renewed Miami-Paris service is another sign of MIA's growing strength in key international markets beyond our traditional Latin American strongholds."

Next month, Aruba Airlines begins service from Miami to Aruba, while Aerolineas Argentinas will launch Miami-Cordoba service. This fall, Four-Star carriers Austrian Airlines and Turkish Airlines will begin scheduled service from Miami to Vienna and Istanbul, respectively.