[2] The airline was founded on 2 October 1980 as AIRES, starting operations on 23 February 1981, with a few small planes, until they acquired some Embraer 110 Bandeirante and Fairchild F27.

With the rise of competition with AeroRepública in November 1992, AIRES made small expansions, mostly adding service to the neighboring countries of Venezuela and Ecuador.

In November 1998, the airline began its coverage in the Caribbean Region, opening a base of operations in Barranquilla, from where flights began to: Cartagena, Santa Marta, Valledupar, Corozal among other cities in the north of the country.

In 2009, with the beginning of the trunk routes, a new era began and thus rubbed shoulders with Avianca and AeroRepública, and this was done by incorporating Jet aircraft and breaking the tariff scheme by becoming a low-cost airline.

On 3 December 2011, AIRES was renamed and started operations as LAN Colombia, becoming a member of the aeronautical holding LATAM Airlines Group.