LATAM Airlines Flights

From Australia, LATAM flies nonstop from Sydney and Melbourne to Santiago, and frequencies vary by season. From the United States, LATAM and its affiliates fly from cities including Miami, New York and Los Angeles to hubs such as Lima, Santiago, São Paulo and Bogotá.

Before comparing fares, we start with your must-do places and fixed dates, such as a cruise, trek or tour departure, then build the flights around them. We look for a route that avoids doubling back and compare flying into one city and home from another with a return through the same gateway.

Qantas flies Sydney to Santiago, and LATAM flies nonstop from both Sydney and Melbourne. From Sydney, we compare LATAM and Qantas on your dates: the total price with bags and seats, the actual cabin, departure and arrival times, and the onward connection.

We start with where you live and where you're going after Santiago. If you're based in Melbourne, a suitable nonstop from Melbourne may be worth more than a small saving that involves positioning to Sydney, and the same applies in reverse. We only suggest changing your departure city if the saving or better cabin justifies the extra flight, a possible hotel night and the added connection risk.

If Qantas Points or status matter, we check the flight number and fare eligibility rather than assume both tickets earn the same benefits. Where possible, we price the journey through to your final destination on one ticket.

Your first day in Santiago

Keep the first day light. Don't plan a major excursion or a long drive straight after landing; arrange an easy transfer, check when your hotel room will be available, and leave room to rest. Read every arrival and departure date in local time, because crossing the date line makes it easy to book a hotel or connecting flight for the wrong day.

Cheaper fares can leave out a checked bag, seat selection or an overhead cabin bag, while more flexible fares include more and cost more upfront. Don't assume a checked bag is included just because it's a long-haul flight.

We compare the cheapest fare plus the bags and seats you need with a fare that already includes them. The headline price can look attractive until you add luggage for everyone, in both directions. That full trip cost is the useful comparison.

The same applies in Premium Business. You may be buying the same seat with different rules if you change or cancel. A common mistake is assuming an expensive Business ticket must be fully refundable, or hearing 'no change fee' and thinking there's nothing more to pay, when a fare difference can still apply.

LATAM began flying a new Premium Business suite with a privacy door in April 2025 on refurbished Boeing 787s, and is fitting it across its Dreamliner fleet. Other aircraft still carry earlier lie-flat seats, including layouts where not every seat has direct aisle access, meaning some passengers step past a neighbour to reach the aisle.

It can be worth it on a long overnight flight, particularly if you find sleeping upright difficult or need rest before an important day. We recommend it mainly for the bed and personal space rather than the food or lounge, and we wouldn't stretch your budget for it.

We check the exact flight and date, the scheduled cabin configuration and the seat map, not just whether the aircraft is a 787. We can help you book a flight scheduled to have the newer suite, but no one can guarantee the aircraft or seat won't change. If the door is your main reason for booking, we discuss that risk before payment.

Business on the long flight only

We usually price Business on the long flight and Economy on the shorter connections first, because that puts the money towards the part where a bed may help most. Sometimes keeping the higher cabin throughout costs only a little more, so we compare both. A mixed-cabin ticket doesn't automatically mean separate tickets.

The LATAM Premium Business guide covers the suite, fare conditions, lounges and which direction to fly Business.

LATAM sells Premium Economy on regional flights within South America. It is Economy-style seating with the middle seat blocked and preferential service, not the larger recliner you might expect from a long-haul Premium Economy cabin.

LATAM has announced a separate long-haul Premium Comfort cabin for its Boeing 787s, planned to start in 2027. We check what is actually being sold on your exact flight and date rather than book based on an announcement.

Until then, travellers who find long-haul Economy hard but can't justify Premium Business can compare an extra-legroom seat, Business in one direction only, or nearby dates. Extra legroom can help, but it isn't a substitute for a bed.

The LATAM Premium Economy guide explains what regional Premium Economy includes and the alternatives on long flights.

The partnership with Delta matters most for journeys between North and South America, but it doesn't make a LATAM flight a Delta-operated flight. You can earn Delta SkyMiles on eligible LATAM flights, and Medallion status can bring benefits, but don't assume everything works exactly as it does on Delta.

LATAM is still a Qantas partner. Qantas says Qantas Points can be earned on eligible LATAM flights, while Status Credits need an eligible LATAM-operated flight booked on a Qantas (QF) flight number. Qantas lounge access on codeshare routes also depends on being booked on a QF flight number.

The misunderstanding we flag most is: 'They used to be oneworld, so my benefits must still apply.' They don't carry over automatically. Someone with American Airlines status, for example, doesn't get the benefits a Qantas partnership gives Qantas members. We check your programme, status, flight number and cabin before promising seats, baggage or lounge access.

The LATAM partners guide explains points, status, lounges and baggage across Delta, Qantas and former oneworld partners.

LATAM publishes a personal item of up to 45 x 35 x 20 cm and 10kg, and an overhead cabin bag of up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm, weighing 12kg in Economy or 16kg in Premium Economy and Premium Business. Whether your fare includes the overhead bag and any checked bags depends on the fare and route, so check the allowance shown for your ticket.

The mistake we warn about most is assuming one allowance covers the whole holiday. Your long-haul ticket may include a suitcase, while a separately booked flight within South America doesn't. The LATAM baggage allowance guide explains the limits and when bags must be collected and rechecked.

LATAM can charge for choosing a particular seat, depending on the fare and any status benefits. For families, LATAM says children under 12 are seated next to at least one adult without buying seats in advance, but that isn't a promise the whole family sits in one row. If sitting together matters, compare paying for seats with a fare that includes seat selection. The LATAM seat selection guide explains extra-legroom seats, exit rows and seat fees.

On journeys such as Sydney to Santiago followed by a flight within Chile, or Miami to Lima to Cusco, plan to collect your checked bags at the first South American airport, clear customs and hand them back to LATAM for the domestic flight. That applies even when everything is on one booking and the bag tag shows your final destination.

• Allow time for immigration, baggage collection, customs, rechecking and reaching the domestic gate or terminal.
• Choose a comfortable connection over the shortest one available.
• If the onward flight is separately ticketed, the last service of the day, or connects to an expensive tour or cruise, consider an overnight buffer.
• Continuing within Chile is different from connecting internationally to Argentina. Don't apply one rule to every connection.
• Request wheelchair or mobility assistance for every flight, including the connection.

Where practical, we keep important connecting flights on one ticket. Separate tickets can make sense between longer stays, provided you understand the baggage costs, change rules and missed-connection risk.

From Australia

• Sydney to Santiago
• Melbourne to Santiago

From the United States

• Miami to Lima
• New York to Santiago
• Los Angeles to Lima
• Orlando to Bogotá
• Boston to São Paulo

Galápagos

Choose the island airport around your cruise or accommodation, not just the cheapest flight; Baltra and San Cristóbal aren't interchangeable. We normally suggest arriving in mainland Ecuador at least a day before the island flight, with more buffer for a cruise you can't afford to miss. Allow time for the Transit Control Card and biosecurity checks, and check baggage limits on every flight. Our How to get to the Galápagos guide covers the details.

Machu Picchu

You fly to Cusco and continue by ground transport and train, or trek. Cusco is at high altitude, so don't plan a strenuous excursion straight after landing. Build in easy days and get individual altitude advice from a travel-health clinician. Match flights to confirmed train, entry and tour arrangements. Our How to get to Machu Picchu guide covers the details.

Easter Island

We allow a night in Santiago before flying out, and at least an overnight buffer after returning before an important international departure. Check flights for your exact dates before committing to hotels and tours, and don't assume there'll be another convenient flight if yours is disrupted. Our How to get to Easter Island guide covers the details.

Patagonia

For Torres del Paine, Puerto Natales is closer, while Punta Arenas can offer more flight options but adds a longer road transfer. El Calafate is in Argentina, so combining it with Chilean Patagonia needs border-crossing and transport planning. Wind, winter conditions and seasonal services can affect the plan, so arrive before a fixed trek or cruise and leave spare time afterwards. Our How to get to Patagonia guide covers the details.

How would you plan a multi-country South America trip?

We start with your must-do places and fixed dates, then build the flights around them. A cruise, trek or tour departure needs a sensible buffer, not a tight connection straight off the international flight.

Then we check entry requirements for each passport, airport changes, local dates and time for rest. We'd rather remove one stop than turn the holiday into a series of rushed airport days.

What's your advice for travellers over 55 planning a bucket-list trip?

Build the trip around what you most want to experience, then give yourself time to enjoy it. Fewer stops, longer stays and a quiet day after a long flight can make the holiday much more comfortable.

We ask about walking distances, stairs, altitude and luggage rather than assume what you can manage based on age. Then we arrange any airport assistance across each flight, sensible connections and straightforward transfers.

For insurance, check cover for every country and activity, cancellation costs, medical treatment and evacuation from remote areas. Disclose medical conditions accurately and confirm any altitude or trekking restrictions with the insurer.

Before departure, we want you to have a clear itinerary, confirmed assistance requests, emergency contacts and a plan if a flight changes. You shouldn't spend the whole trip worrying about making the next connection.

• Fare conditions confirmed for changes, refunds and no-shows, especially if your dates could move
• Checked baggage allowance confirmed for every flight, including separate tickets
• Operating airline and flight number (LA, QF or DL) confirmed for every flight
• Scheduled cabin and seat map checked for Premium Business bookings
• Connection times allow for collecting and rechecking bags
• Passport validity and entry rules checked for every country
• Seats: who needs to sit together, and whether the fare includes seat selection
• Frequent-flyer number added, and the LATAM, Qantas or Delta earning checked
• Total payable amount confirmed, including any agency service fee

Many travellers book LATAM directly without difficulty. Help from a travel expert tends to matter most for Premium Business trips, multi-country itineraries with tours or cruises, Qantas or Delta members checking their benefits, and travellers who need assistance across several flights.

The Fare Disclosure explains how prices are presented, and the independent-agency disclaimer explains the boundary between agency assistance and airline control.

Voluntary changes and refunds must be handled by whoever issued the ticket: LATAM for tickets bought directly, Qantas or Delta if they issued it, or the travel agent or website that sold it. For a LATAM-operated flight, you'll generally use LATAM for check-in and operating details, even if your ticket shows a QF or DL flight number.

The Manage Booking guide explains references and agency or partner tickets, the check-in guide covers automatic check-in and airport timing, and the changes and cancellations guide covers change costs, refunds and disruption.