Every May, millions celebrate their mothers with love, gratitude, and almost always a bouquet of flowers, with this year accounting for 74% of all Mother’s Day gifts in the U.S.
But behind each stem lies a story of a cross-border partnership that’s only grown stronger with time alongside demand, even among heightened tariffs.
This Mother’s Day season, Avianca Cargo celebrated a major milestone in that story. The Colombian-based carrier transported over 20,100 tons of fresh flowers from Colombia and Ecuador to markets in the U.S. and Europe. Marking a 15% increase over last year, setting a new record for the airline.
Numbers that not only speak to the impressive logistical growth, but the deeper impact it has in connecting cultures, with 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. imported, primarily from Colombia. Linking farms and families, fields and florists, and deepening the relationship between Colombia and the United States, with each shipment.
Avianca Cargo operated 300 dedicated flights for this year’s Mother’s Day rush, with the bulk of blossoms flowing through Miami International Airport. From there, the flowers continued on to retailers and distribution centers across the country, eventually landing in the hands of sons, daughters, husbands and grandchildren eager to make a gesture of appreciation.
Diogo Elias, CEO of Avianca Cargo, noted this as a collective effort between everyone involved in the process who pulled together. “Mother’s Day is one of the most meaningful times of the year for the flower industry. Thanks to all our key stakeholders and clients, we recognize each of these 20,100 tons as a shared achievement.” he said.
To handle the seasonal spike, Avianca doubled its cargo capacity, kept its terminals running around the clock, and leaned on decades of experience moving perishables. More than 150,000 tons of flowers passed through the airline’s network in 2024 alone, with Miami receiving over 85% of that volume. For this year’s spring bloom, Avianca also expanded its local team by 30%, a strategic move to help maintain quality control and ensure on-time delivery.
“Nine out of every 10 flowers imported into the U.S. arrive through MIA. And Avianca’s record season is helping us hit new highs for cargo volume overall,” shared Miami International Airport Director and CEO Ralph Cutié.
Beyond the numbers, flowers aren’t just an export for Latin America, and an import for the regions across the world that receive them. They are also a bridge. A connection between the Andes and American homes. Between a farmer in Bogotá and a florist in Boston. Between a first-time father gifting a new mother a dozen roses on her very first Mother’s Day.