The South American carrier will switch to Terminal 4 at JFK, home to Delta's hub at the airport, on Feb. 1, LATAM said Thursday. The move from Terminal 8, which is home to LATAM's former partner American Airlines, will facilitate connections with Delta as the two carriers build out their partnership.
Passengers booked in business class on LATAM, as well as Black Signature, Black and Platinum elite members in LATAM's loyalty program will have access to Delta's lounge in Terminal 4.
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LATAM flies from JFK to four cities: Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE); Lima (LIM); Santiago, Chile (SCL); and São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU), according to Cirium schedule data.
Delta and LATAM's Colombia, Ecuador and Peru operating subsidiaries plan to begin codesharing in the first quarter, Delta president Glen Hauenstein said during the airline's 2019 earnings call on Tuesday. Tie ups with LATAM's Brazilian and Chilean subsidiaries — its largest operations — are expected later in 2020.
“Moving LATAM’s operations at JFK marks another important milestone in our journey towards offering the best connectivity and customer experience in the Americas,” said Roberto Alvo, commercial chief at LATAM, in a statement. “We are committed to providing a seamless transition for customers... and are working tirelessly to deliver the benefits of the framework agreement with Delta as soon as possible.”
Related: LATAM to begin Delta codeshare, drop American early in 2020
Delta and LATAM surprised most in the airline industry when they announced their partnership in September. The deal pivoted LATAM away from its long-time partner American and out of the Oneworld alliance, and into a new pact with Delta. As part of the agreement, the U.S. carrier bought a 20% stake in LATAM and took 14 of its Airbus A350s.
American has responded with additional flights to LATAM's hubs in Lima, São Paulo, and Santiago.
Related: LATAM introduces Premium Economy on Latin America flights
