What Classes Of Travel Does LATAM Offer?

For anyone planning travel with South America's LATAM Airlines, knowing the classes of cabin available to book can be a help. Before we get into that though, here is a little information and background on LATAM.

Easily the largest airline in South America, LATAM Airlines Group was founded in 2012 following the merger of LAN Chile and Brazilian airline TAM Linhas Aéreas. In 2015, it was announced that the two airlines would be rebranding themselves as LATAM.

Despite having the same livery and name, LATAM Chile and LATAM Brazil continue to operate as separate entities under the LATAM Group umbrella. Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, with its central hub at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), the LATAM Airlines Group is Latin America's largest airline with a fleet of 296 planes.

LATAM Airlines works closely with Delta Air Lines

The LATAM Airlines Group serves six domestic markets in South America – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. In addition to flights within Latin America, LATAM flies internationally to the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

The airline group employs more than 42,000 people and operates around 1,300 flights per day. Until May 1, 2020, LATAM was a oneworld alliance member, but now prefers to work solely with Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines.

According to the aviation data and statistics website ch-aviation, LATAM has a modern fleet of aircraft that include the following planes:

44 x Airbus A319-100s
133 x Airbus A320-200s
12 x Airbus A320neos
49 x Airbus A321-200s
21 x Boeing 767-300ERs
10 x Boeing 777-300ERs
10 x Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners
17 x Boeing 787-9 Dreamiliers

Classes of service on LATAM Airlines

Unlike many airlines, which still offer a first class cabin, LATAM has done away with the class of service offering what it calls" Premium Business." the next top offering is called "Premium Economy", followed by "Standard Economy."

Premium business

As well as access to all LAYAM's VIP airport lounges, Premium business passengers get the following:

Priority check-in
Priority Boarding
Priority Disembarkation
Priority Baggage

For optimal comfort on long trips, business class offers the best experience. Photo: LATAM

Saying how they are committed to the environment, all LATAM Premium business customers receive the airline's new eco-friendly amenity kits, which include:

Toothbrush made of bamboo and its cap of sugar cane
Lip balm, hand cream, and a refreshing towel from the Feito Brasil brand (cruelty-free and vegan products, made by Brazilian artisans )
Reusable mask and socks.
Earplugs wrapped in kraft paper.

LATAM meals are inspired by South American flavors. Photo: LATAM

LATAM's Premium business class offers deluxe Thompson Vantage XL 22 to 24-inch flat-bed seats with direct aisle access.

Food offerings on LATAM flights include dish options for each time of the day focusing on Latin American cuisine. Inspired by LATAM's passengers, the food offerings are accompanied by some of South America's best wines chosen by Héctor Vergara, the only master sommelier in Latin America.

Premium Business passengers get an 18-inch touch screen monitor with noise-canceling headphones and a selection of more than 300 movies and TV shows.

Premium economy

Passengers traveling with LATAM receive access to VIP lounges when traveling overseas plus the following:

Premium check-in
Premium Boarding

In terms of cabin comforts, passengers opting for premium economy get:

17-inch reclining seats in the first rows of the aircraft
Exclusive compartment for carry-on baggage
Contemporary meals based on the time of day
The latest movies and TV shows

Premium economy doesn't offer a new seat, but does give passengers a better level of service. Photo: LATAM

Economy

For the budget-conscious traveler (and indeed the vast majority of passengers flying with LATAM), economy class is where they will be. But the facilities back there aren't lacking at all. Passengers get:

17-inch ergonomic seats with adjustable headrests
Award-winning dishes with three options inspired by international and local cuisine concepts
12-inch screens with all the latest movies and hit TV shows

Economy class seats on a LATAM Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Photo: Olobos Life via Flickr

The aircraft

Each of LATAM's fleet has a different arrangement and number of seats in each cabin. Only the widebodies feature a business class cabin. The newest and most desirable is arguably the 777-300ER, which has been recently updated to new and very comfortable standards.

Both the 777 and the 767 are being refitted with a very comfortable business class product. Photo: LATAM

The 767 has a great offering too, and indeed these older jets were retrofitted with similar business class to the 777s back in 2019. On the Dreamliners, the 2-2-2 layout leaves some passengers without that all-important direct aisle access, but it's still a comfortable way to travel. In late 2019, the airline began receiving Dreamliners with a newer 1-2-1 layout, so check your seat maps before booking if you're keen to try the new product.

LATA has begun introducing a 1-2-1 product on its 787s. Photo: LATAM

Here's what you can expect on each aircraft:

Boeing 767-300ER

20 Premium business seats configured in a 1-2-1 layout

29 Premium economy seats configured in a 2-3-2 layout

174 Standard economy seats configured in a 2-3-2 layout

Boeing 777-300ER

38 Premium business open suits configured in a 1-1-1-1 layout

50 Premium economy seats configured in a 3-4-3 layout

322 Standard economy seats configured in a 3-4-3 layout

Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

30 Premium business class seats configured in a 2-2-2 layout

217 Standard economy class seats configured in a 3-3-3 layout

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

30 Premium business class seats configured in a 2-2-2 layout (some in 1-2-1)

54 Premium economy seats configured in a 3-3-3 layout

270 Standard economy seats configured in a 3-3-3 layout

Although economy is nothing to write home about, some cabins have been refreshed with new seats and styling. Photo: PriestmanGoode

On the narrowbody side, all LATAM's A320 family jets offer both premium economy and standard economy, with only the number of seats varying between aircraft. Interestingly, despite the A319 being the smallest in the fleet, it is configured in a very premium heavy way, with six more premium economy seats and only 126 standard positions.

Airbus A319-100

18 Premium economy class seats configured in a 3-3 layout

126 Standard economy class seats configured in a 3-3 layout

Airbus A320-200

12 Premium economy class seats configured in a 3-3 layout

162 Standard economy class seats configured in a 3-3 layout

Airbus A321-200