1938 | Colombiana Grows Up | Douglas DC-3

In the late-1930s, Colombiana began replacing its ageing Fokker, Ford, Junkers, and Sikorsky airliners with Douglas DC-3s, the new standard in air transport. However, due to the Second World War and the fact that most aircraft production was geared towards military purposes, the airline didn't fully replace its older aircraft with the new Douglas propliners until 1945. The DC-3 proved to be a sturdy and reliable aircraft which was well-suited to the rigors of flying in Colombia.

During this period, the airline moved its main base to the new Las Playas Airport (now Olaya Herrera Airport) in Medellín and also expanded its bases in Bogotá and Cali while entering into cooperation agreements with air carriers from Brazil and the United States to provide international connections. In 1932, the carrier suffered the loss of a Sikorsky S-38 in an accident. Fortunately, most of the passengers onboard survived, but the event prompted the company's management to accelerate the retirement of older aircraft in favor of newer types such as the Douglas Dolphin, DC-2, and DC-3. By the late 1940s, Colombiana was operating a fleet of 15 aircraft to over 20 destinations in Colombia and the surrounding region.