LATAM Airlines will relaunch the Sydney to Santiago direct flight today, which will see 1,200 passengers a week transported from Sydney to the gateway to Latin America in under 13 hours, offering Aussie travellers improved connectivity to get to their destination faster and commence their adventures sooner.
Based on available travel data of Australians’ outbound travel for holidays and other purposes, travel to South America has increased by 34 per cent (JAN-JUN 24 vs JAN – JUN 23) with Brazil, Chile and Argentina seeing the biggest increase.
LATAM’s Country Manager, Chris Ellis spoke to Travel Monitor for an insider scoop on the significance of this re-introduced route.
What do direct flights from Sydney to SCL mean for LATAM and Australian travellers?
In a nutshell, the return of our direct Sydney to Santiago route makes travelling to South America easier than ever. Travellers will love that this route will slash their travel time by four hours, getting them to Santiago in just under 13 hours (on the same day!). The service will also be operating four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), offering travellers increased flexibility when booking their travel dates. This is on top of the six SYD – SCL via Auckland that LATAM will continue to operate.
For LATAM, this relaunch signifies a big step in our commitment to growing our presence in the Australian market. The route is a gateway into the Latin continent for Australian travellers and gives them access to our extensive network of over 140 bucket-list-worthy destinations to explore. Ultimately this new route is key to putting South America back on top of Australian travellers’ holiday itineraries.
How can agents better sell these flights?
The key selling point for agents is that this direct route will better connect their customers with South America. Between the reduced flight time, the increased frequency and the convenient schedule, Australians will experience renewed flexibility and comfort in their travels, which is always something that is top of mind when booking flights. The convenient midday departure from Sydney (12:35pm) allows passengers to avoid the early-morning rush, making the start of their journey more relaxed. Arriving into Santiago at 11:20am local time, means that travellers have ample time to seamlessly connect to other key South American destinations such as Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, minimising downtime at the airport.
How are you working with the travel industry to promote these flights?
We are collaborating closely with the travel industry through several targeted initiatives to promote the direct Sydney to Santiago flights. Our approach includes partnerships with travel agents, tour operators, and online travel platforms to ensure that this route is featured prominently in travel packages and flight options. We also provide detailed training sessions to educate agents about the benefits of the direct Sydney to Santiago route including our South American Airpass which allows travellers to see more of South America for less.
What can guests expect to find in the reinvigorated business class?
Guests flying in LATAM Airlines’ newly revitalised business class will immediately feel at home, thanks to the warm hospitality of our attentive cabin crew. From the moment you board, our team is dedicated to providing a welcoming and luxurious experience.
Passengers can look forward to several key upgrades designed to enhance comfort and privacy. The new business class offers a more exclusive feel, featuring fully reclining ergonomic seats that lie flat at 180 degrees, paired with larger pillows and mattress toppers crafted with NASA-developed Spacer Fabric technology. This innovative material helps regulate temperature, promotes airflow, and relieves pressure points, ensuring a restful journey.
In addition to improved seating, guests will enjoy a range of modern amenities, including advanced in-flight entertainment systems and premium cabin materials. The exceptional service extends to gourmet meals and a selection of premium beverages, all curated to elevate the dining experience on board.
These enhancements are part of LATAM’s commitment to reinvigorating its business class offerings, ensuring a refined and comfortable travel experience for all our guests.
What is LATAM’s commitment to sustainability?
Sustainability has always been at the heart of LATAM’s operations. We are proud of our South American homeland and heritage and are privileged to be able to welcome travellers from all around the world to experience our natural treasures and biodiversity. But with that privilege comes the responsibility to preserve and protect it, which is why we have implemented our sustainability strategy which we fittingly call a “necessary destination”. As South America’s largest airline, we aim to use our position to promote the social, environmental and economic development of the region and look to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework to guide our actions.
LATAM’s strategy is built on three foundational pillars: climate change, circular economy, and shared value. The highlights of our sustainability commitments include:
1.Climate Change: LATAM aims to offset 50% of its domestic emissions by 2030. This initiative includes adopting innovative technologies, such as the AeroSHARK technology for its Boeing 777 aircraft, which reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
2. Circular Economy: LATAM has set a goal to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2027. This involves improving waste management practices and increasing recycling efforts across our operations including reducing the use of plastic film by 80% in our domestic cargo facility in Chile, incorporating reusable trays for dining on our internal flights and increasing the diversion of plastic and wood.
3. Shared Value: LATAM is focusing on creating shared value with the communities we operate in. This includes working collaboratively with various stakeholders to drive sustainable development and social impact.
This kind of work saw us eliminate more than 1.7 tons of single-use plastic in all operations in 2023, the equivalent of 96% of the baseline which we’re really proud of. But the work does not stop here; we are constantly looking to make even more improvements that will get us closer to our goal.