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You are standing in the departures hall of Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado in Bogotá. It is 5:30 AM. The terminal is already humming - families with rolling suitcases, businesspeople in suits typing on phones, backpackers checking overhead screens. A voice echoes through the hall: "Pasajeros del vuelo AV9425 con destino a Cartagena, favor dirigirse a la puerta de embarque número 24." (Passengers on flight AV9425 to Cartagena, please proceed to boarding gate number 24.) You check your phone. That is your flight. But you have not checked in yet, you are not sure which counter to go to, and you cannot find your passport. Welcome to airport Spanish.
Los aeropuertos colombianos funcionan igual que cualquier aeropuerto internacional - pero en español. (Colombian airports work just like any international airport - but in Spanish.) The procedures are the same: check in, go through security, find your gate, board. The difference is that every sign, announcement, and interaction happens in Spanish, and the staff at domestic terminals may have limited English.
In this lesson, you will learn the vocabulary and phrases you need to navigate Colombian airports confidently - from check-in (registro) to boarding (embarque) to baggage claim (reclamo de equipaje). By the end, you will understand every announcement, read every sign, and handle every interaction in Spanish.
Colombia has a well-developed domestic flight network. The main airports are:
| Airport | Code | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado | BOG | Bogotá | Colombia's largest; handles most domestic and international flights |
| José María Córdova | MDE | Medellín (Rionegro) | 45 min from the city center by car |
| Olaya Herrera | EOH | Medellín (downtown) | Smaller; some domestic flights |
| Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | CLO | Cali | Main Pacific coast airport |
| Rafael Núñez | CTG | Cartagena | Caribbean coast hub |
| Simón Bolívar | SMR | Santa Marta | Gateway to Tayrona and the Sierra Nevada |
| Matecaña | PEI | Pereira | Coffee Region hub |
The major domestic airlines are Avianca (Colombia's flag carrier), LATAM, Wingo (low-cost), JetSMART (low-cost), and Satena (serves remote regions). For budget travelers, Wingo and JetSMART offer Bogotá-to-Cartagena flights for as little as 80,000-150,000 pesos one way.
Whether you check in online or at the counter, here is the vocabulary:
Online check-in (registro en línea):
At the Avianca Counter
You approach the Avianca check-in counter. "Buenos días. Tengo un vuelo a Cartagena a las 8:15." The agent asks: "¿Me regala su cédula o pasaporte?" You hand over your passport. She types, then asks: "¿Va a documentar maleta?" (Are you checking a bag?) You say: "Sí, una maleta para bodega y llevo un morral de mano." (Yes, one checked bag and I have a carry-on backpack.) She places your suitcase on the scale: "Está bien, está en veinte kilos. El límite es veintitrés." She prints your boarding pass: "Aquí tiene su tarjeta de embarque. Puerta 24. Embarque a las 7:45. Buen viaje."
Key check-in phrases:
After check-in, you move through security (seguridad) and to your gate (puerta de embarque).
Signs you will see:
| Spanish Sign | English | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Seguridad / Control de seguridad | Security checkpoint | After check-in |
| Zona de embarque | Boarding area | Past security |
| Puerta / Gate | Gate | At your departure point |
| Sala VIP | VIP lounge | For premium passengers |
| Baños / Servicios | Restrooms | Throughout the terminal |
| Tiendas / Duty Free | Shops / Duty Free | In the boarding area |
| Información / Info | Information desk | Throughout the terminal |
| Salidas / Departures | Departures | Main terminal signage |
| Llegadas / Arrivals | Arrivals | Ground floor / arrival area |
Announcements you will hear:
The PA system is your lifeline. Here are the standard announcement patterns:
"Pasajeros del vuelo [flight number] con destino a [city], favor dirigirse a la puerta de embarque número [number]."
"Último llamado para pasajeros del vuelo [number] con destino a [city]."
"Se informa a los pasajeros del vuelo [number] que hay un retraso de [time]. Nueva hora de salida: [time]."
The Gate Announcement
You are sitting near Gate 24, drinking a tinto from the terminal cafe. The PA crackles: "Señores pasajeros del vuelo AV9425 con destino a Cartagena, iniciamos el proceso de embarque. Les solicitamos tener su tarjeta de embarque y documento de identidad en mano. Primero pasajeros con asistencia especial, familias con niños, y clase ejecutiva." You understand: boarding has started, have your boarding pass and ID ready, and priority passengers board first. You wait for: "Ahora invitamos a todos los pasajeros restantes." (Now we invite all remaining passengers.)
Once aboard, the flight crew (tripulación) will make announcements in Spanish (and sometimes English on international routes). Key in-flight vocabulary:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tripulación | crew |
| cinturón de seguridad | seatbelt |
| chaleco salvavidas | life jacket |
| salida de emergencia | emergency exit |
| abrocharse el cinturón | to fasten your seatbelt |
| modo avión | airplane mode |
| despegue | takeoff |
| aterrizaje | landing |
| turbulencia | turbulence |
| conexión | connecting flight |
Common flight attendant phrases:
After landing, you need to collect your bags and get to the city.
Baggage claim (reclamo de equipaje):
Getting from El Dorado to Bogotá city:
| Option | Spanish | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | Taxi autorizado del aeropuerto | 25,000-40,000 COP | 30-60 min |
| TransMilenio | Portal Eldorado + ruta troncal | ~3,000 COP | 45-90 min |
| Ride-share app | App de transporte | 20,000-35,000 COP | 30-60 min |
| Hotel shuttle | Transporte del hotel | Often free | Varies |
Important: At El Dorado, use only authorized airport taxis from the taxi desk inside the terminal. A dispatcher gives you a slip with the fare estimate based on your destination. Do NOT accept offers from random people outside the terminal saying "¿Taxi? ¿Taxi?"
Getting a Taxi from El Dorado
You exit baggage claim and see a booth labeled "Taxis Autorizados." You approach: "Buenas tardes. Necesito un taxi a Chapinero, por favor." The dispatcher types your destination: "El valor estimado es treinta y dos mil pesos. Aquí tiene el comprobante." He hands you a slip and points to the taxi line outside. You walk to the designated area, hand the slip to the next available driver, load your bags, and get in. "Buenas tardes. A Chapinero, como dice el comprobante." The driver nods: "Perfecto, vámonos."
Where to book:
Booking vocabulary:
Daily Actions for This Week
Monday-Tuesday: Memorize the check-in dialogue. Practice aloud: "Buenos días. Tengo un vuelo a Cartagena a las 8:15. Sí, una maleta para bodega. ¿Me puede dar asiento de ventana?"
Wednesday-Thursday: Visit avianca.com or wingo.com. Search for a domestic flight in Spanish. Identify all the booking vocabulary: vuelo de ida, fecha, hora, tarifa, equipaje incluido.
Friday: Practice understanding airport announcements. Say aloud slowly, then at natural speed: "Pasajeros del vuelo AV9425 con destino a Cartagena, favor dirigirse a la puerta de embarque número 24."
Weekend: Watch a YouTube walkthrough of El Dorado airport. Follow the signs in Spanish and test yourself: can you read salidas, llegadas, seguridad, puerta de embarque, reclamo de equipaje without pausing?