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Delta, LATAM unveil 4 new and expanded routes as part of joint venture partnership

June 16, 2023
4 min read
Delta Hangar LAX Boeing 757
Delta, LATAM unveil 4 new and expanded routes as part of joint venture partnership
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Together with its new joint venture partner LATAM, Delta Air Lines wants to become the leader in connectivity to South America.

To earn that title, the carriers are building and restoring their networks, with the latest big announcement coming Friday morning.

The airlines are adding two new routes, restoring one flight and adding an additional daily frequency in an existing market.

Delta routes in red, LATAM in blue. CIRIUM

To start, LATAM will begin flying between Miami and Medellin, Colombia, on Oct. 29. This new daily service will be operated by an Airbus A320, and it'll go up against existing flights in this market operated by American Airlines and Avianca.

Also on Oct. 29, LATAM will start flying to Delta's Atlanta megahub with its first route to Lima, Peru, operated by a Boeing 767. This three-times-weekly flight (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays) will complement Delta's existing daily service in the market by operating with a different timetable.

Delta's flight leaves Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. and returns to Atlanta as a red-eye flight. Meanwhile, LATAM's flight will leave Atlanta as a red-eye at 10:45 p.m. and depart Lima at 12 p.m. in the afternoon.

Delta will also upgauge the route from a Boeing 767-300 to an Airbus A350-900 that features the airline's outdated 2-2-2 business-class configuration.

Meanwhile, Delta will restore service between Atlanta and Cartagena, Colombia, on Dec. 22, with three weekly flights operating on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Delta last operated this route in March 2020 before suspending it indefinitely due to the pandemic, Cirium schedules show.

Additionally, Delta will add a second daily frequency between Atlanta and Bogota beginning Oct. 29, operated by a Boeing 757-200.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta shocked the industry in September 2019 when it announced it was taking a 20% stake in LATAM, pulling the airline away from the Oneworld alliance. As part of the investment, Delta is working to create a strategic alliance with LATAM, boosting flights in key U.S. gateway airports to Latin America.

The joint venture allows the two carriers to split revenue on flights between the U.S. and Canada and South America. The deal also comes with antitrust immunity, meaning Delta and LATAM can coordinate schedules and fares in those markets.

Delta and LATAM have already rolled out multiple customer-facing enhancements under the joint venture, including reciprocal frequent flyer accrual and redemption, elite perks and lounge access benefits.

To date, the partnership has enabled the two airlines to debut five new routes — Orlando to Bogota, Los Angeles to Sao Paulo, Miami to Medellin, New York to Rio de Janeiro, and Atlanta to Cartagena. More are expected to be in the works.

"We’re grateful for the response from customers who are moving over to Delta and the LATAM Group. These exciting new routes, combined with our loyalty benefits, will provide even more ways to discover and do business in these dynamic markets," Alex Antilla, Delta’s vice president for Latin America, said in a statement.

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Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.