LATAM-Delta JV Adds Los Angeles-Sao Paulo Route

LATAM Airlines Group and joint-venture partner Delta Air Lines have launched a nonstop route connecting Los Angeles International and Sao Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil, with flights commencing in July 2023.

The thrice-weekly flights will be operated by Chile-based LATAM using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Passengers arriving in Sao Paulo will be able to connect to destinations in LATAM’s South American network, and those arriving in Los Angeles will be able to connect to Delta's West Coast destinations, including San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle, LATAM and Delta say.

LATAM will be the only carrier operating Los Angeles-Sao Paulo flights, tickets for which are now on sale at LATAM and Delta's websites. American Airlines was the last carrier to offer Los Angeles-Sao Paulo flights. The Fort Worth-based carrier ceased operating the route in April 2020.

In addition to their Los Angeles-Sao Paulo route, the JV partners have increased frequencies for several routes they operate individually, including Atlanta to Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru; New York and Atlanta to Sao Paulo; Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Miami to Orlando and Los Angeles; Santiago-Los Angeles; Sao Paulo-Orlando; and Lima to Miami, New York and Los Angeles.

The US Department of Transportation in September 2022 gave final approval to Delta's joint venture with LATAM. Delta had in September 2019 invested $1.9 billion in LATAM for a 20% stake, four months after American Airlines' attempt to forge a joint venture with LATAM was blocked by a Chilean court.

LATAM in May 2020 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA after the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out demand for air travel. It emerged from its Chapter 11 restructuring process in November 2022.