In November 2022, LATAM announced that it would launch an interesting new route. That route has finally started, so I wanted to take a look at the details.
In this post:
LATAM adds Los Angeles route as of August 2023
As of August 1, 2023, LATAM has launched a 3x weekly service between Sao Paulo (GRU) and Los Angeles (LAX). The flight operates with the following schedule:
LA8086 Sao Paulo to Los Angeles departing 11:20PM arriving 7:35AM (+1 day)
LA8087 Los Angeles to Sao Paulo departing 1:15PM arriving 5:15AM (+1 day)
The 6,156-mile flight is blocked at 12hr15min northbound and 12hr southbound. The northbound flight operates Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while the southbound flight operates Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
LATAM is using a Boeing 777-300ER for this service, featuring 410 seats. This includes 38 business class seats and 372 economy class seats. All LATAM 777s feature the carrier’s new business class.
How this fits into LATAM’s route network
Prior to this new route, LATAM served Los Angeles from Lima and Santiago, so this is the third route to Los Angeles for the South American mega carrier. Meanwhile this is LATAM Brazil’s fifth route to the United States out of Sao Paulo, complementing service to Boston, Miami, New York, and Orlando.
It’s interesting that there was previously no nonstop link between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo:
- Back in the day Korean Air was the only airline to operate this route nonstop, as the airline had this as a fifth freedom flight
- More recently, American flew the route nonstop, but it didn’t last long, and was pulled as American has scaled down its long haul presence at the airport
LATAM is no longer in oneworld, but rather Delta has purchased a stake in the airline. The two airlines have a joint venture, so presumably the airline thinks it can make this route work with connectivity from Delta.
The thing is, there’s a huge amount of demand between Sao Paulo and Los Angeles. The catch is that fares are generally quite low compared to the distance flown (this is as long as some transpacific flights out of the United States), and there are lots of connecting options. LATAM has the advantage of having good connectivity on both ends, though a 400+ seat plane also isn’t exactly easy to fill. I’m curious to see if this route lasts, or if it eventually gets pulled.
Bottom line
As of August 2023, LATAM has launched a new route between Sao Paulo and Los Angeles using a Boeing 777. This is a market that doesn’t otherwise have nonstop service, as other airlines haven’t been able to make this work. For whatever reason, the west coast of the United States to Brazil is tricky. Hopefully LATAM has better luck, especially with the Delta tie-up.
What do you make of LATAM’s new GRU to LAX route?
VARIG used to fly this route using their 747-300/40s, DC-10s and MD-11s. Some planes used to continue to Japan.
Just in time for the Brazilian government to cancel visa free travel for Americans. No thanks. I'll travel to places where I'm welcome.
Just because you need a visa does not mean you are not welcomed. Visas are a fact of life to visit many countries.
He isn’t making a serious statement about feeling welcome. Much like the Brazilian government, who have decided to restart the “you make my people get visas, we’ll make your people get visas” pissing match, he’s grandstanding.
Then you should move from the US. It’s their “unwelcoming” policies that are causing the Brazil/EU to pass reciprocal regulations
Brazil will request an easy e-visa for Americans.
Meanwhile, to renew my american visa, despite having been to the United States 15 times in the last 10 years, I have to wait more than a year and a half for an appointment at a US Embassy that is located more than 2.000 miles from where I live...
Ricardo - Thank you for visiting. The rigor of the process is twofold:
1) we have a terribly inefficient government that is highly fragmented and run by technocrats (for now).
2) citizens of the world want to come to the USA and make a life here. Of course this isn’t a universal truth, but in comparison to every other country it is undeniable that we still have the most freedom despite our beautiful...
Ricardo - Thank you for visiting. The rigor of the process is twofold:
1) we have a terribly inefficient government that is highly fragmented and run by technocrats (for now).
2) citizens of the world want to come to the USA and make a life here. Of course this isn’t a universal truth, but in comparison to every other country it is undeniable that we still have the most freedom despite our beautiful nation having many institutional, societal and economic issues.
I’m happy to hear you’re coming back .
I mean, apart from citizens of Western and a few developed East Asian countries, most of the world's population needs a visa to go pretty much anywhere...
I was on the inaugural flight LAX-GRU on American Airlines a few years ago, so sad to see they cut it during the pandemic. Glad to see theres a direct option, although id rather connect with United in IAH than fly LATAM direct, just my preference.
This is great. American has low fares from LAX GRU although they are long connections and layovers.
Japan Airlines also used to fly LAX to GRU. in fact back in the day there were quite a few flights between LA and Brazil operated by Pan Am, JAL, Korean, VASP and Varig. At one point Rio and Manaus.
Varig had a crew base in LA and also operated from there to Tokyo and Nagoya.
I flew with VARIG 747 on this route. I think that also JAL used LAX to connect São Paulo to Tokio
They are gonna change the airplane to a B789 from November, if I am not mistaken.
Remember that Japan Airlines also flew this route for a few years using 5th freedom. It also used to fly LAX to GIG before switching to GRU. Then it switched to JFK. Varig also flew this route.
And also VASP flew the route. I did a couple flights on this route with Varig back in the early 2000’s on their MD-11. Business class was nothing impressive.
I wonder if Delta can provide onward service from LAX to Tokyo? Or China Airlines to Taipei and beyond?
Did you forget RG use to fly that route and onto NRT using MD11 ? I had even thought about using UA miles to fly RG F for the LAX-NRT portion
Why is everyone talking about connecting to Australia? The flights time don’t even line up for that connection. The connections that work are. ICN,HND,PVG and the whole west coast.
I"m with you that it wont be easy to fill the Y-seats but I'm quite sure the Premium Cabin will never have one free seat in both directions. I'm quite sure that Premium together with Cargo will pay the flight. I doubt you will have any Award seat free in the front as long as they only operate 3 weekly flights.
GRU and LAX are huge businessmarkets.
I flew GRU-LAX-GRU with Varig a few times back in the day.
This will be a very interesting new route to fly to/from from Australia though. If I’m not mistaken it will be shorter than flying via Middle East. I hope LATAM keeps it!
probably easier / quicker just to take LATAM from Sao Paulo to Santiago then connecting straight either to Qantas to Sydney nonstop or Latam nonstop to Melbourne (which I think they're either restarting soon or have restarted). Much quicker to get to Australia that way than to go up to LA or through the middle east
I suggest that you find a globe and take a good look at it. LAX is half a world out of the way if you're traveling from GRU to Australia. Far better to go via SCL (LATAM) or EZE (on Aerolinas Argentinas).
I know to globe very well, I’m not American, I traveled around it many times, including the route to Australia via Argentina and Chile, and even via South Africa. Just check the actual prices with Qantas vs. other alternatives like Middle East and even US/Canada and you’ll know what I mean.
Not a good look for someone named “Marco” (as in “Marco Polo”).
According to the airlines’ press release, the route will be operated by the 787-9 starting in November 2023, reducing capacity to 30/57/213 or a total of 300 seats.
LATAM does have a shortage of widebodies right now (after they retired the A350s and most of their passenger 763s during Covid), that probably explains the odd choice of launching this with a 77W with just 3x weekly flights. A 788/789 with a few more frequencies would be way more convenient but I don't think they have the frames for it.
Varig operated São Paulo - Los Angeles - Tokyo for decades, starting in 1968 until the late 1980’s.
You mean until the early 2000s....