The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved the joint venture between Delta Air Lines and Latam, first announced in September 2019, the carriers said Friday. The JV will allow passengers access to more than 300 destinations between the U.S. and Canada and the South American countries of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Latam filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2020, but noted at that time that the filing would not negate the group’s planned agreement with Delta. Latam expects to exit Chapter 11 during the fourth quarter of this year, according to the carrier.
Regulators in Brazil approved the JV in September 2020, and regulators in Chile approved it in October 2021. While waiting for U.S. partnership approval, the two carriers began to offer mutual frequent-flyer accumulation and redemption; reciprocal elite frequent-flyer benefits; shared terminals at some hub airports, including New York-JFK, São Paulo and Santiago; and mutual access to 53 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five Latam lounges in South America, according to the carriers.
In addition, Delta and Latam in 2020 began codesharing in South America, and in 2021 expanded those to 20 U.S.-South American routes plus connections to domestic and regional destinations from their hubs in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Santiago, Lima, Bogota and São Paulo, according to the airlines.
[email protected] (Donna M. Airoldi)
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