SkyTeam member Aerolineas Argentinas has been a bit of a mess — the airline has been government owned since 2008, and lost money for 18 consecutive years. The company was given enough support to stay alive, but not enough of an investment to actually succeed.
Amazingly enough, in the past couple of years, the airline has turned profits — we’re talking about $56.6 million in 2024, and $112.7 million in 2025, so things are really looking up for the airline. 2025 was also the first year since being nationalized where the airline didn’t receive any government support.
In late 2025, we learned how Aerolineas Argentinas planned to make a major investment, including new planes, and an improvement to the passenger experience. We’re now learning more about what this will look like, and the timeline with which it will happen. The airline will also finally offer a competitive business class product!
In this post:
Aerolineas Argentinas to acquire 20 Airbus & Boeing jets
Aerolineas Argentinas’ fleet currently consists of around 80 planes, including Airbus A330s, Boeing 737s, and Embraer E190s. The airline is now planning on adding 20 modern planes to its fleet, by way of lease agreements:
- Aerolineas Argentinas will acquire six Airbus A330-900s, which will complement the fleet of 10 A330-200s; these will start to be delivered as of the first half of 2028
- Aerolineas Argentinas will acquire 14 additional Boeing 737 MAXs, including six 737 MAX 8s and eight 737 MAX 10s, which will complement the fleet of 15 737 MAX 8s (plus four 737-700s, and 28 737-800s); the additional 737 MAX 8s will arrive as of the first quarter of 2027, while the 737 MAX 10s will arrive as of 2028 (assuming the planes get certified soon, which they should… hopefully)
It’s exciting to see Aerolineas Argentinas finally modernizing its fleet in this way! The expectation is that all of these planes will be delivered by 2031.
Aerolineas Argentinas investing in passenger experience
Not only is Aerolineas Argentinas acquiring new planes, but the airline also finally plans to update the cabins of its existing aircraft, as part of a $65 million investment.
For one, Aerolineas Argentinas plans to retrofit the cabins of its Airbus A330s, including introducing a new business class product. The idea is that the passenger experience will be harmonized between the A330-200s and the A330-900neos. For what it’s worth, the carrier currently has angled seats in business class that are in a 2-2-2 configuration, so that’s mighty uncompetitive nowadays.
We now also know what we can expect onboard the new A330-900neos. The planes will have 291 seats, including 30 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 237 economy seats. So expect an identical configuration to ITA Airways’ Airbus A330-900neos, including the same staggered Vantage XL seats in business class.
As of 2027, Aerolineas Argentinas also plans to introduce Wi-Fi throughout the fleet, starting with A330s, and followed by 737s and E190s. The airline has selected Intelsat to provide multi-orbit connectivity, using its new electronically steered array antenna.
Bottom line
For the first time in a long time, Aerolineas Argentinas is making a big investment in its passenger experience. The airline is acquiring 20 new planes (Airbus A330neos and Boeing 737 MAXs), retrofitting its long haul aircraft (including with a new business class), and introducing Wi-Fi throughout the fleet.
While we first learned about these general plans late last year, the details are finally all coming together, in terms of the timeline for the deliveries, what the new cabins will be like, etc.
What do you make of these Aerolineas Argentinas developments?
An experience with getting a refund for a fully paid ticket a few years ago what a sick joke. You used WhatsApp to send a message as the Miami office refused to answer their phone. I love Argentina and its people, but this airlines has been a disgrace. Good news on the horizon.
Garbage airline, garbage plane, garbage lipstick on garbage-eating pig.
Tell us how you REALLY feel.
That interior might not be the actual seats they use. If you zoom in on the picture you’ll see the ITA logo in the bottom corner of the headrests, especially on the premium economy seats. The seat covers are also ITA design. It seems they just photoshopped AR headrests. Or is it actually confirmed that they picked those interiors?
Will they keep their fax service they offered a long time ago?
Shame on you, Ben, for never fullfilling your dream of faxing from 35,000 feet.
https://onemileatatime.com/trying-to-take-things-one-fax-at-a-time/
The government has money to buy new planes even though their currency and economy is in the dumpster? Let's not forget that they also need to pay FIFA and Infantino for all the bribes they made to get a finals spot to only lose.
Hmmm, it’s like something major happened in Argentina that changed things for the better…
They won the World Cup! Oh… wait… still a failed state with an mediocre elite at best.
I bet there will still be a fax in these neos lol
First, AR does feature some aircraft (albeit a minority) with a staggered lie-flat seats (with an altering 1-2-1 and 1-2-2 layout).
Second, Argentina
Flew them earlier this year, and honestly not much has changed since I flew them over a decade ago. Yay for ‘consistency.’ Flight delayed; no announcements. Did not honor lounge access (no, no, this Aerolineas lounge is just for local credit cards; ignore the fact you’re flying international on AR with SE+). Barely honored complimentary seat selection (had to wait for 24-hours). Anyhoo, new planes, WiFi, sounds nice. No clue how they can afford any...
Flew them earlier this year, and honestly not much has changed since I flew them over a decade ago. Yay for ‘consistency.’ Flight delayed; no announcements. Did not honor lounge access (no, no, this Aerolineas lounge is just for local credit cards; ignore the fact you’re flying international on AR with SE+). Barely honored complimentary seat selection (had to wait for 24-hours). Anyhoo, new planes, WiFi, sounds nice. No clue how they can afford any of that. But, cool. Congrats on the World… oh, nevermind.
There's no Aerolíneas lounge at AEP. I'm sure you would have had access at EZE.
Throwawayname, oh, come now, there is very much *an Aerolíneas Argentinas lounge* at AEP, just with notoriously restrictive access rules. And, I think we should call them out for it.
As many travelers (including myself) learn first-hand, the "Aerolíneas Argentinas VIP Lounge" at Aeroparque is heavily gatekept, shutting out business class tickets and those **filthy** SkyTeam Elite Plus members, alike.
Access is restricted strictly to top-tier Aerolíneas Plus Diamante (which, I presume, means 'diamond') members...
Throwawayname, oh, come now, there is very much *an Aerolíneas Argentinas lounge* at AEP, just with notoriously restrictive access rules. And, I think we should call them out for it.
As many travelers (including myself) learn first-hand, the "Aerolíneas Argentinas VIP Lounge" at Aeroparque is heavily gatekept, shutting out business class tickets and those **filthy** SkyTeam Elite Plus members, alike.
Access is restricted strictly to top-tier Aerolíneas Plus Diamante (which, I presume, means 'diamond') members flying on an Aerolíneas Plus-issued ticket (ooh lala). Even lowly Platino (platinum?) members are left out in the cold at AEP (though, as you noted, they get into Salón Cóndor down at EZE... 20 miles away).
Well-aware that airlines can 'legally' gatekeep domestic or secondary facility spaces (like AEP) by classifying them under proprietary frequent flyer program tiers (Aerolíneas Plus Diamante) rather than as official alliance network lounges, but I'm not going to celebrate the fact that they leave alliance partners and business class passengers out in the cold.
You know, on second thought, AEP does have an Outback Steakhouse, airside, international departures, so, maybe everything is alright after all. I recommend the, “Una cebolla gigante tallada a mano y cocinada hasta dorar” aka Bloomin’ Onion.
My only experience on their service was in J from SYD to AKL and the wine was served with a chunk of cork in it which was ignored. Hilarious in hindsight.
Any chance you may review AR longhaul J (MAD, FCO...)? Reviews of this product are incredibly hard to find.
MIA also is a pretty long flight.
You have it totally wrong. The cut off of welfare from the government forced them to become efficient in order to stay in business.
Correct. Socialism is poison.
Yeah, public roads, schools, the fire department and the military, are sooo overrated… we just need to lift ourselves up by our bootstraps. Rugged individualism (inevitably leading to corporate feudalism) is the one true path to freedumb! /s
bUt wIlL tHe NeOs hAVe FaX mAchIneS?!?!?!
Interesting to see AR commit to the A330neo with Vantage XL staggered seats — same config as ITA's A330-900neos. The staggered layout is a divisive one: better direct aisle access than 2-2-2, but still not as private as a reverse herringbone or 1-2-1 suite. For a flag carrier that's been flying ancient 737s and A340s, this is a solid step forward. Curious if they'll go with the same seat pitch as ITA or try to squeeze in an extra row.
@Jordan - I don't know when you were there last, but Buenos Aires is no longer "dirt cheap". Restaurant prices now equal most US restaurants (not high end places though).
Last time I flew AR was on a 747 out of MIA with a business colleague. When we asked for a second glass of wine, F/A brought the bottle and put it on the tray table and said "enjoy." She then went to sit in the galley and smoke for the remainder of the flight.
As a huge fan of Buenos Aires, this is a great update.
The carrier has one of my Top 5 favourite liveries. Bold and very beautiful in person, on any of their aircraft.
AA is dominant on EZE - US flights, where I sometimes see 5 or 6 777's on the ground at the same time. In the past, there was even a 787 nonstop to LAX.
Argentina has been in a major free...
As a huge fan of Buenos Aires, this is a great update.
The carrier has one of my Top 5 favourite liveries. Bold and very beautiful in person, on any of their aircraft.
AA is dominant on EZE - US flights, where I sometimes see 5 or 6 777's on the ground at the same time. In the past, there was even a 787 nonstop to LAX.
Argentina has been in a major free fall since 2001. If you have never been, GO, Buenos Aires is amazing amazing. Looks like Paris, is dirt dirt cheap, great food and shopping, and lovely lovely people.
I wish them well!
Argentinians have been through alot and BA indeed is a beautiful city.
It is more notable that, although they are part of SkyTeam, DL has expanded its joint venture with Latam to Argentina. LA now operates MIA-EZE while DL operates JFK and ATL-EZE, the latter of which is double daily during the peak holiday periods.
It's no longer dirt cheap, it just hasn't become ridiculously expensive yet. Up until 2023, I could stay in a junior suite for about €35 per night, nowadays that's barely sufficient for lunch at a parilla de barrio.
Definitely no longer dirt cheap. During my most recent visit last year I was shocked that the prices seemed more in line with many European cities (but not London, Paris, etc). I can’t imagine how the majority of Argentinians are able to survive given the average monthly wage in the country could barely cover the cost of a nice dinner out in BA.
“…seats in business class that are in a 2-2-2 configuration, so that’s mighty uncompetitive nowadays.”
Hey, a 5 star Skytrax German airline has the majority of its business fleet in this format.
Worse! Lufthansa's 747s have a cabin in 2x3x2 for its business class.
And we're flying one of their old crates in December to SIN. We settled on Premium Economy and at least managed to avoid the middle 4 seats.
I think Skytrax recently took one star off, so LH is now a 4-star airline.
What and I and all other readers want to know is whether passengers in first class will still be able to send faxes from the sky?
There are so few reviews of Aerolineas Argentinas business class out there...
Though it seems like 1 or 2 of their A330s have the TAP Portugal business class product?
That's another airline I would love for you to review!
At least their long-haul product desperately needs an upgrade. The short-haul is actually quite pleasant, in particular their Premium Economy which features US-style first class seats.
I flew them in C to PUJ, proper overnight long haul flight, a few months ago and didn't have any complaints. They really aren't as bad as some people seem to think.
Knowing the political stance Argentina has, I wouldn't be surprised to see if this influences them going for Starlink, which would be a major upgrade to the passenger experience, as when I flew them between Buenos Aires and Santiago the experience left a lot to be desired up in premium economy.
At least AR’s Premium Economy is usually an actual recliner (2-2 like on a 737), whereas LATAM’s is 3-3 a321 middle seat blocked.