LATAM: Direct Melbourne to Santiago de Chile, South America from 1 September 2023

South Americabn airline LATAM plans to reinstate its direct Melbourne to Santiago de Chile route, three times a week from 1 September. The airline paused its Melbourne flights three years ago due to the pandemic.

You will soon be able to fly one of the airlines 787 Dreamliners out of Melbourne to Santiago, and then on to over 120 destinations across South America, including the favourites of Buenos Aires, Lima in Peru and the carnivale city of Rio De Janeiro. This will replace the via Auckland service, with the direct route cutting 3 hours from the trip making it 13 hours. The only other direct service is with Qantas, which resumed flying a 787 to South America in October of 2022.

• LA804 – 12:25 pm ex Melbourne on T,Th, Sat arrives Santiago 11:20 am same day
• LA805 – 12:55 am ex Santiago M, W, F arrives Melbourne 4:30 am +1 (changes to 5:30 am for daylight saving)

Comfort

The LATAM 787 Business Class seats are lie-flat, and a little old-fashioned now, in a 2-2-2 layout. It means not all seats have direct aisle access, but the seats are comfortable and spacious, and the service is great.

LATAM has refreshed its Santiago lounge, doubling its size to 4,000 sqm, the largest in South America.

Sydney Service

If you are departing out of Sydney, then you still go via Auckland with LATAM

• LA800 – 11:25 am daily via Auckland (4:35 pm) arrive Santiago, Chilean 1:15 pm
• LA801 – 12:45 am, via Auckland (5:20 am) arrive Sydney 9:20 am

2PAXfly Takeout

South America is fantastic. I spent six weeks there for my honeymoon a few years ago. The Carnivale in Rio is a once-in-a-lifetime event that you should definitely attend. Santiago itself is worth the visit for lots of reasons, and Lima has the outstanding Mario Testino Museum.