Travel between Australia and South America has been given a massive boost with the announcement that LATAM Airlines will resume nonstop Sydney-Santiago flights.
Commencing 28 October 2024, the new service will run four times per week and enable up to 1,200 weekly passengers to fly from Sydney to Latin America in under 13 hours (12 hours and 50 minutes).
The latest Australia-Chile link will complement LATAM Airlines’ current three-times-weekly Melbourne-Santiago service, which recommenced in September 2023.
Daily flights
With the reintroduced route, Latin America’s largest carrier will operate daily flights between the continents from October, with over 200,000 seats a year on offer on its B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Flight LA810 will depart Sydney on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday at 12.10pm and touch down in Santiago at 11am (same day).
Return flight LA809 will leave the Chilean capital on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sundayat 1.40am and land in Sydney at 6.30am (+2).
Initially launched in 2019, the Sydney-Santiago route was paused due to the pandemic. LATAM resumed Sydney-Santiago flights via Auckland in March 2022, starting with three weekly flights and expanding to daily by December 2022.
LATAM Airlines Country Manager for Oceania Chris Ellis said the announcement brings “a wealth of options for our customers” flying to South America.
“We’re thrilled to restart our direct flights from Sydney to Santiago to meet the demand of travellers in Australia,” he said.
“This significant milestone for LATAM Airlines brings Latin America closer to Australians, whether they’re flying for business, leisure, or cultural exploration.
“From October, passengers can choose from daily direct services between Australia and Chile, including four direct flights from Sydney and three from Melbourne every week, in addition to our flights via Auckland.”
And beyond
Ellis said Santiago-bound passengers can also connect to more than 144 destinations globally with the airline.
“Our direct flights provide a seamless and efficient travel experience, inviting travellers to discover the immense beauty and diversity of Latin America,” he added.
“Exploring the region just got even easier, and we’re excited to welcome you aboard.”
Earlier this year, LATAM Airlines was revealed as one of the world’s most punctual carriers.
In 2023, LATAM scooped South America’s best airline accolade at the Skytrax World Airline Awards.
