The bottom line: Avianca's 787-8 business class — 28 seats in 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration on the Safran Cirrus platform — provides direct aisle access from every seat across a 5-row forward cabin and a 2-row rear mini-cabin behind door 2. The platform is competitive on hardware against LATAM Premium Business and Aeromexico Clase Premier in the South American carrier set. The Abra Group ownership structure underwrites the network strategy from the BOG hub.

Avianca’s 787-8 business class operates with 28 Safran Cirrus reverse-herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. The cabin splits across a 5-row forward cabin and a 2-row rear mini-cabin located behind door 2, delivering direct aisle access from every seat. The Safran Cirrus platform is a long-running reverse-herringbone seat used by multiple operators globally and provides fully flat bed mode for long-haul sleep.

This piece is a 2026 configuration analysis of the Avianca 787-8 business class — the cabin specification, the BOG hub operational context, and how the cabin sits in the South American carrier peer set.

The 787-8 Cabin Configuration

The Avianca 787-8 business class cabin contains 28 seats arranged in a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration on the Safran Cirrus platform. The cabin splits into two zones:

  • Forward cabin: 5 rows containing the principal business class footprint
  • Rear mini-cabin: 2 rows located behind door 2, configured identically on the same seat platform

The reverse-herringbone layout positions window seats against the windows with passengers facing the aisle, and the centre pair in each row faces the centreline with passengers facing each other. Every seat has direct aisle access — a structural advantage over older paired-seat business class configurations (such as the 2-2-2 layouts that still operate on some legacy Asia-Pacific and African carriers’ Dreamliner fleets).

The Safran Cirrus Platform

The Safran Cirrus is a long-running reverse-herringbone business class seat platform produced by Safran Seats (formerly Zodiac Aerospace’s seating division). The platform has been deployed by multiple operators globally including Cathay Pacific (on portions of the wide-body fleet) and various other carriers. The Cirrus delivers reliable hardware quality on the principal business class metrics — bed length, seat width, IFE display, and direct aisle access — without the closed-suite features of newer-generation platforms.

The platform does not include a sliding privacy door. This places the Avianca 787-8 cabin behind the closed-suite competitive products on the closed-door cabin hardware differentiator that has become the principal feature shaping the 2026 business class competitive set.

Avianca Business Class in the 2026 South American Carrier Set

In 2026, Avianca Business Class on the Safran Cirrus-equipped 787-8 is one of three principal South American business class products operating with 1-2-1 direct-aisle-access seating. The peer set:

  • LATAM Premium Business on the Vantage XL-equipped 787-9: 30 seats in 1-2-1 staggered configuration on the Thompson Aero Vantage XL platform.
  • Aeromexico Clase Premier on the 787-9: 36 seats in 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration on the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond platform.

All three carriers operate direct-aisle-access 1-2-1 business class on their wide-body platforms in 2026. The structural differentiators are hub geography (BOG for Avianca, GRU/SCL/LIM for LATAM, MEX/NLU for Aeromexico), loyalty programme economics (Avianca LifeMiles via Star Alliance, LATAM Pass plus Delta JV, Aeromexico Club Premier plus Delta JV), and the onward regional network depth at each principal hub.

The BOG Hub Operational Logic

Avianca’s principal Bogotá El Dorado hub is the operational anchor of the carrier’s network. BOG’s geography — sitting at 8,360 feet elevation, with access constraints on certain aircraft performance — shapes the carrier’s fleet decisions and route choices. The 787-8 is the principal long-haul wide-body in the Avianca fleet and is the platform on which the carrier operates its premium long-haul international rotations.

For travellers building Colombia-bound or South America-via-Bogotá premium programmes, Avianca Business Class on the 787-8 is the principal in-house business class product. The Star Alliance linkage and LifeMiles loyalty programme provide the redemption infrastructure for travellers with American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, or Capital One Miles balances that transfer to LifeMiles.

Sources

Public reporting tracked for this analysis includes Live and Let’s Fly, Upgraded Points, One Mile at a Time, SeatMaps.com, and Aerolopa.

Frequently asked questions

How many business class seats does Avianca operate on the 787-8?
28 seats arranged in a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration on the Safran Cirrus seat platform. The cabin splits between a 5-row forward cabin and a 2-row rear mini-cabin located behind door 2.
What is the Safran Cirrus seat platform?
The Safran Cirrus is a long-running reverse-herringbone business class seat platform produced by Safran Seats (the former Zodiac Aerospace seating division). The Cirrus has been deployed by multiple operators globally and delivers direct aisle access from every seat. The cabin reclines to a fully flat bed for sleep on long-haul rotations.
Does Avianca offer closing-door suites in business class?
Not currently. The Safran Cirrus platform on Avianca's 787-8 does not include a sliding privacy door. The closed-suite competitive products (Delta One Suite, Flagship Suite, Polaris 2.0, JetBlue Mint Suite, BA Club Suite, Qatar Qsuite) sit one tier above the Avianca Cirrus configuration on the closed-door cabin hardware feature.
How does Avianca Business Class compare to peer South American carriers?
On hardware, Avianca's Safran Cirrus 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone is structurally comparable to LATAM Premium Business on the Vantage XL-equipped 787-9 and to Aeromexico Clase Premier on the 787-9 (Collins Super Diamond reverse herringbone). All three South American carriers operate direct-aisle-access 1-2-1 business class on the wide-body platforms. The differentiators between them are scheduling, hub geography, loyalty programme economics, and onward connecting network — not the principal cabin hardware.
What is the Abra Group?
Abra Group is the holding company that controls Avianca and Gol Linhas Aéreas (the principal Brazilian domestic operator). The Abra structure was finalised in 2023 following the post-Chapter 11 restructuring of both carriers. Abra provides the strategic and financial framework that underwrites the BOG hub-and-spoke network and the broader Avianca fleet plan.