Nicaragüense de Aviación (also known as NICA) was an airline based in
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
. Its main hub was the
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport () , or ACS, is the main joint civil-military public international airport in Managua, Nicaragua. It is named after Nicaraguan revolutionary Augusto Nicolás Sandino (1895–1934) and is located in the ...
. The commercial airline was a full associate member of the
Grupo TACA
Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano, S.A. (Spanish for "Air Transport of the American Continent"), known and formerly branded as TACA International Airlines), and operating as Avianca El Salvador, is an airline owned by Kingsland Hold ...
alliance of
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
.
History
NICA was founded in 1992 from the remains of
Aeronica and commenced operations from
Managua
Managua () is the capital city, capital and largest city of Nicaragua, and one of the List of largest cities in Central America, largest cities in Central America. Located on the shores of Lake Managua, the city had an estimated population of 1, ...
to
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. In 1994, the
Grupo TACA
Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano, S.A. (Spanish for "Air Transport of the American Continent"), known and formerly branded as TACA International Airlines), and operating as Avianca El Salvador, is an airline owned by Kingsland Hold ...
acquired 49% of NICA and reorganized the airline without government intervention.
In 2004, the airline ceased operations and merged into
TACA International Airlines
Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano, S.A. (Spanish language, Spanish for "Air Transport of the American Continent"), known and formerly branded as TACA International Airlines), and operating as Avianca El Salvador, is an airline owned ...
. Its domestic flights were given to Nicaragua's domestic flag carrier,
La Costeña, an airline that joined the
TACA Regional
Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano, S.A. (Spanish for "Air Transport of the American Continent"), known and formerly branded as TACA International Airlines), and operating as Avianca El Salvador, is an airline owned by Kingsland Hold ...
alliance.
Destinations
*
San José (
Juan Santamaría International Airport
Juan Santamaría International Airport () is the primary airport serving San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The airport is located in Alajuela Province, northwest of downtown San José. It is named after Costa Rica's national hero, Juan ...
)
*
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
(
El Salvador International Airport
El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (), , previously known as Comalapa International Airport () and as Comalapa Air Base () to the military, is a joint-use civilian and military airport that serves San Salv ...
)
*
Guatemala City
Guatemala City (, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate), is the Capital city, national capital and largest city of the Guatemala, Republic of Guatemala. It is also the Municipalities of Guatemala, municipal capital of the Guatemala Depa ...
(
La Aurora International Airport
La Aurora International Airport (, ) serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua Guatemala. It is administered by the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (Guatemala), General Directora ...
)
*
Managua
Managua () is the capital city, capital and largest city of Nicaragua, and one of the List of largest cities in Central America, largest cities in Central America. Located on the shores of Lake Managua, the city had an estimated population of 1, ...
(
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport () , or ACS, is the main joint civil-military public international airport in Managua, Nicaragua. It is named after Nicaraguan revolutionary Augusto Nicolás Sandino (1895–1934) and is located in the ...
) Hub
*
Bluefields
Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Reg ...
(
Bluefields Airport)
*
Puerto Cabezas
Puerto Cabezas (; also known as Bragman's Bluff in English language, English, or Bilwi in Miskito language, Miskito) is a municipality and city in Nicaragua. It is the capital of Miskito people, Miskito nation in the North Caribbean Coast Autonom ...
(
Puerto Cabezas Airport)
*
Corn Island (
Corn Island Airport
Corn Island International Airport is a civil-military public International Airport that serves Great Corn Island in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua and located in the island's downtown area known locally as ''Brig Bay,' ...
)
*
Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
(
Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport () is the primary international airport serving Panama City, the capital of Panama. The airport serves as the homebase for Copa Airlines and is a regional hub to and from the Caribbean, South, North and Central Ame ...
)
*
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
(
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary international airport serving Miami and its Miami metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Florida. It hosts over 1, ...
)
Fleet
NICA formerly operated the following aircraft:
*2
Boeing 737-200
The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton factory in Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retained the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating ...
*1
CASA C-212 Aviocar
The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium cargo aircraft designed and built by Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). It is designed for use by both civil and military operators.
The C-212 was ...
See also
*
List of defunct airlines of Nicaragua
References
External links
Airliners.netSearch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicaraguense de Aviacion
Defunct airlines of Nicaragua
Airlines established in 1992
Airlines disestablished in 2004
Companies disestablished in 2004
Grupo TACA