Summary
- Azul is launching a fifth freedom service between Curacao and Fort Lauderdale on an A320neo.
- The route will be an add-on from Belo Horizonte to Curacao.
- This provides a unique vacation option for tourists to visit Curacao and then shop in Fort Lauderdale.
Brazilian carrier
Brasileiras S/A (more commonly known as Azul) will launch a fifth freedom service between the Dutch Caribbean and Florida on December 9 with an
. The route will be served four times weekly by an Airbus A320 aircraft.
The new flight will double the current connections between Belo Horizonte/Confins–Tancredo Neves International Airport (CNF), Brazil, and Curaçao International Airport (CUR), increasing from two to four flights per week. As a result, there will be onward flights to Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Four times a week
Azul initiated the route between Belo Horizonte and Curaçao last June, with just one service per week. By October 2023, this was increased to two flights per week, and has seen a good level of demand. A strong backing to ensure the success of the route has been commended to the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), Curaçao Airport Partners (CAP), Curaçao Airport Holding (CAH) and Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA).
Source: GCMap
The Institutional Relations Manager at Azul, Mr. César Grandolfo, indicated that the increase in services is the result of strong demand:
“Curaçao is already a highly desired vacation destination; it is an island with a pleasant climate and can be visited at any time of the year. Now, we will additionally include a connection to the flight, allowing, for example, tourists to visit Curaçao and then go shopping in Fort Lauderdale using the same ticket.”
Related
Azul Begins Selling Tickets For Belo Horizonte-Curaçao Flights
The new route will begin in June, operated by Azul’s Airbus A320neo aircraft.
Schedule details
The Brazilian carrier will have the following schedule:
- AD8786, departing from Belo Horizonte at 10:40, arriving in Curaçao at 15:40 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
- AD8786, departing from Curaçao at 16:55, arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 19:00 – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
- AD8787, departing from Fort Lauderdale at 08:00, arriving in Curaçao at 11:55 – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- AD8787, departing from Curaçao at 13:10, arriving in Belo Horizonte at 20:10 – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays
While the introduction of this route will reduce direct services from Belo Horizonte to Fort Lauderdale and decrease capacity from the Airbus A330neo to the A320neo, the overall schedule will increase from two services a week to six, four of which are via Curaçao.
Tickets on sale
Those eager to book a ticket on this unique
fifth freedom flight
are in luck. The schedule is already bookable on Azul’s website or via your travel agent, and the Curaçao Tourist Board is already working with public and private sector partners to ensure your ground plans are taken care of.
Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying
Last year, according to Aviancionline, 26,000 Brazilians visited Curaçao, and since the commencement of services, Azul has operated 167 flights between the two ports. Azul’s Grandolfo further noted:
“The results have been wonderful, we are going to double the numbers. From December there will be four flights from Belo Horizonte to Curaçao. From Curaçao we will have flights to Fort Lauderdale with the same ticket.”
For those on the hunt for a unique stop-over point between Brazil and the US, you’ve just found it!
