LATAM Orders More Boeing 787s, Plans On 52 Dreamliners By 2030

LATAM Orders More Boeing 787s, Plans On 52 Dreamliners By 2030

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LATAM has announced plans to expand its long haul flights, as the airline is beefing up its Dreamliner fleet.

LATAM orders up to 15 additional Boeing 787-9s

LATAM is purchasing up to 15 additional Boeing 787-9s, with a firm order for 10 jets, plus options for five more. With this order, the airline is expected to take delivery of two new 787s per year, starting in 2025.

The airline is already the largest Dreamliner operator in Latin America, as it currently has a total of 37 787s, split between the -8 and -9 variant. LATAM took delivery of its first 787 back in 2012. While most were acquired new, the airline also picked up some secondhand jets that first operated for Norwegian.

LATAM expects to operate a fleet of 52 Boeing 787s by 2030. The airline states that this latest order will allow it to maximize capacity on popular routes, and launch new routes, including nonstop flights to Sydney (SYD).

LATAM plans to have over 50 Boeing 787s

I’m curious how LATAM’s fleet strategy evolves

It’s interesting to consider how LATAM’s wide body fleet has evolved over time. Currently LATAM’s wide body fleet consists of Boeing 767s and Boeing 777s, in addition to the Boeing 787s mentioned above. The 777s are an average of around 14 years old, and are based in Brazil, while the 767s are an average of around 17 years old, and are based primarily in Peru and Chile.

Also keep in mind that LATAM used to fly Airbus A350s, but in 2021 the airline made the decision to retire its entire A350 fleet. These were intended to be based in Brazil, but they just turned out to be too costly for the airline. Of course since they were fairly new planes, they quickly found new homes, including at joint venture partner Delta, which also owns a stake in LATAM.

There’s something to be said for the efficiency of LATAM going primarily for one long haul aircraft type, in terms of fleet commonality, etc. I guess LATAM just hasn’t discovered that the A350-1000 is the greatest plane ever built… too bad Delta didn’t let LATAM know. 😉

Anyway, I’m curious for how long LATAM ends up flying its 767s and 777s. If there are no plans to retire existing planes, then LATAM is looking at significant growth. Then again, I have to imagine that the 767s will be retired by 2030 or so (or be converted into cargo planes), in which case many routes will simply be upgraded to larger jets. That might also explain why LATAM partly describes this order as allowing the airline to “maximize capacity on popular routes.”

LATAM Boeing 787-9 business class

Bottom line

LATAM has just ordered up to 15 additional Boeing 787-9s, with 10 of those being for firm orders. These will be delivered slowly, as two should join the fleet per year, starting in 2025. LATAM really is going all-in on the Dreamliner, after having dumped its A350s a few years back.

What do you make of LATAM ordering more Boeing 787s?

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  1. LAXLonghorn Guest

    I'm loving Julie's comments.

  2. StevieMIA Guest

    they already operate non stop flights to Sydney, they have for some time now.

  3. StevieMIA Guest

    Will they ever consider Latam Colombia and Latam Peru as 787 operators? with these new up and coming aircraft they could grow their network, they lack the vision, they could be flying international long haul from BOG and LIM, perfect for the 787-9, if they're going to be an all boeing narrobody airline, they should bet on other Latam hubs.

    Latam will never be an A350 operator again, I don't see it the A350 being...

    Will they ever consider Latam Colombia and Latam Peru as 787 operators? with these new up and coming aircraft they could grow their network, they lack the vision, they could be flying international long haul from BOG and LIM, perfect for the 787-9, if they're going to be an all boeing narrobody airline, they should bet on other Latam hubs.

    Latam will never be an A350 operator again, I don't see it the A350 being ordered by any latin carrier, is way too big for latin american airlines, it never worked for TAM, let alone Azul. Never gonna happen, not in these coming decades.

  4. Roberto Guest

    “I guess LATAM just hasn’t discovered that the A350-1000 is the greatest plane ever built… too bad Delta didn’t let LATAM know. ”

    Hahahahaha, this wins the internet today! Bravo, Ben!

    1. Tim Dunn Diamond

      We all know that Ben wants to drive readership so throws in comments like this but what is surprising is how many of the same people that complain about the content and volume of what I write carry my comments from one article to another. It is hard to argue that anyone in the airline social media space has succeeded at getting their message across any better than I have.

      Ben hopefully knows that,...

      We all know that Ben wants to drive readership so throws in comments like this but what is surprising is how many of the same people that complain about the content and volume of what I write carry my comments from one article to another. It is hard to argue that anyone in the airline social media space has succeeded at getting their message across any better than I have.

      Ben hopefully knows that, at one time, TAM had the A350-1000 on order before the LAN/TAM merger when the SCL based management group decided to centralize around the 787 as their new generation widebody. So, yes, they did know what they were giving up - or at least they acquired a management team that did.

      The 35K is a large ultralong haul capable aircraft. LA has the ULH capability in the 787 but not the large part - that is the job of the 777W.

      Just as with AA and UA, it isn't a surprise that LA has centralized around the 787 - but that decision comes by sacrificing the "large" part of the ULH component which the 35K offers.
      Given that the 777-9 is still likely 2 years away and maybe longer and it will take the 777-8, whenever it appears, to challenge the range of the 35K, airlines are making very conscious decisions about what they want.

    2. Julie Guest

      "content and volume of what I write carry my comments from one article to another"

      Yes. I think everyone is aware you write the same drivel across the internet with no new ideas or thoughts.

      "It is hard to argue that anyone in the airline social media space has succeeded at getting their message across any better than I have."

      1. Anyone with an actual blog has. You reside in their comment section
      ...

      "content and volume of what I write carry my comments from one article to another"

      Yes. I think everyone is aware you write the same drivel across the internet with no new ideas or thoughts.

      "It is hard to argue that anyone in the airline social media space has succeeded at getting their message across any better than I have."

      1. Anyone with an actual blog has. You reside in their comment section
      2. You remain an absolute joke and laughing stock. You do have a brand, no doubt, but it's simply as an absolute joke and delta schill

    3. Tim Dunn Diamond

      and yet you carried my comments from one article to another before I ever participated in the article.

      YOU are your own worst enemy and incapable of seeing that Ben plays you like a fiddle

    4. Julie Guest

      "and yet you carried my comments from one article to another before I ever participated in the article."

      Not sure what planet you're living on, but this is the only article I've been on. And, in case you can't read clocks or time hacks, I hadn't commented, at all, on this article until after you.
      Learn how clocks work. It'll save you a lot of self-imposed embarrassment.

      "YOU are your own worst...

      "and yet you carried my comments from one article to another before I ever participated in the article."

      Not sure what planet you're living on, but this is the only article I've been on. And, in case you can't read clocks or time hacks, I hadn't commented, at all, on this article until after you.
      Learn how clocks work. It'll save you a lot of self-imposed embarrassment.

      "YOU are your own worst enemy and incapable of seeing that Ben plays you like a fiddle"

      Amusing words from the guy Ben baited who then responded like a starving fish jumping on the lure. ;)

      Your sense of reality sure is a distorted place. You amusingly accuse others of what's actually happening to you, time after time after time...

    5. Eskimo Guest

      Tim, hate to break this to you, again.

      It's not us that Ben plays. It's YOU Tim.
      A simple test. Remove Tim and Ben loses around 25 paragraphs from you and 80 comments from everyone else.

      Oh and
      Tim hopefully knows that, at one time, NW had the 787 on order before the DL/NW merger when the MSP based management group decided to centralize around the 787 as their new generation widebody.

      ...

      Tim, hate to break this to you, again.

      It's not us that Ben plays. It's YOU Tim.
      A simple test. Remove Tim and Ben loses around 25 paragraphs from you and 80 comments from everyone else.

      Oh and
      Tim hopefully knows that, at one time, NW had the 787 on order before the DL/NW merger when the MSP based management group decided to centralize around the 787 as their new generation widebody.

      Did Richard Anderson foresee Airbus developing and redesign the A350 from an updated A330 to XWB so he ditched the 787?

    6. Tim Dunn Diamond

      and yet **I** get the attention (which I may or may not want but I certainly note what happens)

      and you yourself prove what I have said - I generate volume for every site on which I participate.

      and the 787 order was postponed because the early build 787s were overweight until DL cancelled it and converted it to 737-900ERs

      and Delta pushed for a re-engined 330 which DL bought while other carriers...

      and yet **I** get the attention (which I may or may not want but I certainly note what happens)

      and you yourself prove what I have said - I generate volume for every site on which I participate.

      and the 787 order was postponed because the early build 787s were overweight until DL cancelled it and converted it to 737-900ERs

      and Delta pushed for a re-engined 330 which DL bought while other carriers led the push early on to redefine the 350. Delta waited to place an order for a new generation widebody which not only gave them a better bargaining position but also allowed DL to consider a much better designed A350 - since Airbus consistently follows Boeing in developing a comparable product and does a better job.
      They did it with the A350 which is why the -900 is a larger, more capable aircraft than the 787-9 while Boeing cannot turn the 787 into anything comparable to the 35K - and the only thing that Boeing has to compete with the 35K's CASM is the 777-9 at much larger capacity so that it is too big for many airlines including UA which loves to tout its international network - but which can't support a 400 seat widebody any more. and it will take the 777-8 if it EVER comes to match the 35Ks range.

      Latam wants none of it and is apparently setting up to have the 787-9 as its largest and most capable new generation widebody.

    7. Julie Guest

      You really are amusing for a loser in the comment section fired by delta

      But I’m glad you’ve found your own sense of glory in the comment section. It’s nice to have a low ceiling to hit for your life goals

      You sure do make others laugh with your weird sense of self worth

    8. Tim Dunn Diamond

      feel free to post my termination letter.

      YOU are the loser that can't accept reality so engages in an endless series of attacks on the messenger.

      Since you are on pins and needles to hear it, Delta has a superior fleet plan including getting its aircraft from a supplier that can actually deliver.
      American has no desire to improve its international lot and Boeing is staying true to AA's goals.
      OTOH, United...

      feel free to post my termination letter.

      YOU are the loser that can't accept reality so engages in an endless series of attacks on the messenger.

      Since you are on pins and needles to hear it, Delta has a superior fleet plan including getting its aircraft from a supplier that can actually deliver.
      American has no desire to improve its international lot and Boeing is staying true to AA's goals.
      OTOH, United has visions of flying to even more little villages in the world just to impress mental midgets (no names needed) and so has resorted to 737s on a less than daily seasonal basis since they can't get widebodies from Boeing.

      So, there. You happy now?

    9. Roberto Guest

      “YOU are the loser that can't accept reality”

      Tim… THIS IS YOU.

    10. Julie Guest

      Tim
      You forget about your time on a.net and many and current fake names ;)
      So many delta employees didn’t like you there either
      Your legacy is well documented.

    11. Julie Guest

      You constantly run from your current when always proven wrong and attempt to misdirect from your own stupid statements.
      You can’t run from your own past. People don’t forget the village idiot.
      But feel free to link to the “Tim Dunn” linkedin profile with this illustrious (yet fake) career and name you now claim.

    12. Tim Dunn Diamond

      no, Jules,
      you and others HAVE MADE my history and repeated it so often that you believe it.

      Problem is that it is nowhere near reality.

      none of which changes that you fundamentally are triggered every time I show up to participate in a conversation.

      Are you incapable of seeing that you and your ilk have turned a discussion about a new fleet order into 50% of the comments are about me?

      You and...

      no, Jules,
      you and others HAVE MADE my history and repeated it so often that you believe it.

      Problem is that it is nowhere near reality.

      none of which changes that you fundamentally are triggered every time I show up to participate in a conversation.

      Are you incapable of seeing that you and your ilk have turned a discussion about a new fleet order into 50% of the comments are about me?

      You and others moan about how much I post on here and then you spew drivel incessantly that has nothing to do the topic Ben started.

      You clearly aren't smart. thank you for making it abundantly apparent for all to see

      redeem yourself and summarize what you HAVE ALREADY SAID aobut LA and their 787 order

    13. Julie Guest

      great. You claim Tim Dunn is your real name. Should be easy to prove since everyone knows what it is. And to prove your illustrious career.

      But it isn't and you were fired by Delta as multiple people that knew you there can attest. Don't run away from your very well known alter-egos and incessant posting on website where you're now banned. You fool no one. But again, feel free to post any link...

      great. You claim Tim Dunn is your real name. Should be easy to prove since everyone knows what it is. And to prove your illustrious career.

      But it isn't and you were fired by Delta as multiple people that knew you there can attest. Don't run away from your very well known alter-egos and incessant posting on website where you're now banned. You fool no one. But again, feel free to post any link whatsoever to your true history. Since you claim Tim Dunn is your real name, it shouldn't bother you to post ANY LINK whatsoever to something proving that. And don't bother with your articles. That website is quite explicit they allow writers to use a Nom De Plume with little to no reason.

      "Are you incapable of seeing that you and your ilk have turned a discussion about a new fleet order into 50% of the comments are about me?"
      You dig your own grave, no doubt. Like I said earlier, there is no denying you have created the village idiot brand for yourself with your ignorant comments and enormous and strange sense of pride in yourself.

      "You and others moan about how much I post on here and then you spew drivel incessantly that has nothing to do the topic Ben started."
      You can post as much as you'd like and you do. You only prove your own stupidity. Have you not noticed no one ever agrees with you? you're banned from multiple websites and threatened with being banned by this one. You're own self awareness is severely lacking.

    14. Tim Dunn Diamond

      I keep responding to you to prove the idiocy of your own comments.

      You use a guest single name username while I am a registered diamond user which shows that my email is validated and there are plenty of people that have agreed with what I write.

      And you try desperately to trash me, make up your own reality about me, and complain about how much I write at yet you continue to make me...

      I keep responding to you to prove the idiocy of your own comments.

      You use a guest single name username while I am a registered diamond user which shows that my email is validated and there are plenty of people that have agreed with what I write.

      And you try desperately to trash me, make up your own reality about me, and complain about how much I write at yet you continue to make me the subject of post after post.

      You clearly aren't smart. the fact that you choose to continue arguing even when shown how stupid it is to complain about someone even when you talk about how much less of that person you want to read.

      you lost a long time ago, Julie

    15. Julie Guest

      Again. It's easy to prove your past and your "real name" as you claim it is. Do so. But you won't because it is your past and "Tim Dunn" Is a fake name despite your claims otherwise.

      What is there to lose? Everyone already knows your real name if that's what it is. But it isn't and you try to hide an embarrassing history of getting fired by an airline you love to praise incessantly....

      Again. It's easy to prove your past and your "real name" as you claim it is. Do so. But you won't because it is your past and "Tim Dunn" Is a fake name despite your claims otherwise.

      What is there to lose? Everyone already knows your real name if that's what it is. But it isn't and you try to hide an embarrassing history of getting fired by an airline you love to praise incessantly.

      Your normal response of trashing others mentally when you're cornered is also very well documented. As are your own illogical statements in post after post which you just throw out there then ignore when they're proven wrong time after time.

      Try a new tactic or feel free to prove your real name is "Tim dunn" along with your true history at Delta. Sorry, Tim. I know you don't like your own past, but your history of being banned is well documented.

    16. DTWNYC Guest

      Wait a minute. Tim is the reincarnation of Tommy767!

    17. Timtamtrak Diamond

      “Content and volume.”

      If only the beleaguered readers of the OMAAT content section could receive content of quality from you instead of quantity.

  5. T. Davis Guest

    They will need more than new planes to improve their reputation. They have the be the worse airline I've ever flown. They do not pay for hotels nor food if your inter-continental flight is cancelled, even if you are not at your home airport. In my case, they cancelled two days in a row for a flight to Lima so I was stuck paying for hotels and food for two nights. When I asked about...

    They will need more than new planes to improve their reputation. They have the be the worse airline I've ever flown. They do not pay for hotels nor food if your inter-continental flight is cancelled, even if you are not at your home airport. In my case, they cancelled two days in a row for a flight to Lima so I was stuck paying for hotels and food for two nights. When I asked about getting vouchers or some sort of assistance finding hotels, they literally just laughed and asked "Is this your first time flying LATAM?". Once I finally got on a flight, the food was miniscule, the entertainment options minimal and the service surly. It will take a lot more than new planes to get us to ever fly with them again.

  6. TravelCat2 Diamond

    With all of the aircraft production delays, how is it that LATAM can get new 787s next year? Is Boeing almost current on 787-9 deliveries?

    1. BenjaminGuttery Diamond

      Yeah, I think AA and several other airlines are saying "Ummmmmmm.....sure" about that 2025 delivery timeline.....

    2. ImportViking Gold

      I expect Norse Atlantic to cease operations next year, which will open up a few possible (though used) 789s for the market. I also expect that some airlines will cancel orders before deliveries take place due to several reasons and it seems that some orders are still there for airlines that are no longer with us (looking at you, ghost of Ghana Airways).

      It's the fun thing about aircraft orders: they're always placed years...

      I expect Norse Atlantic to cease operations next year, which will open up a few possible (though used) 789s for the market. I also expect that some airlines will cancel orders before deliveries take place due to several reasons and it seems that some orders are still there for airlines that are no longer with us (looking at you, ghost of Ghana Airways).

      It's the fun thing about aircraft orders: they're always placed years ahead, so there is flexibility in the schedules for adjustments as things happen in the meantime. So it's just about making agreements with the vendor and looking at the possibilities.

      ps. Boeing is producing the 787 in a plant in South Carolina and that one hasn't been hit by strikes yet, as it's a non-union plant. However, the turmoil in the rest of the company will sooner or later hit that outlet as well. The question will be in which degree and how much of a showstopper it will be.

  7. Julie Guest

    "I guess LATAM just hasn’t discovered that the A350-1000 is the greatest plane ever built… too bad Delta didn’t let LATAM know. "

    ain't that the truth... You'd expect someone to start a 1,000 word rant about United's orderbook somehow at this point since it comes up whenever the 787 is mentioned.
    But, I guess someone actually doesn't know much

    1. quorumcall Diamond

      The fact that a DL partner is committing to the 787 over the A350 is breaking his brain I’m sure

    2. Julie Guest

      The amusing part is I’ve been goading him into wasting 1000 words of his day and it worked.
      Took a few comments though, sadly. Not his best work.

  8. Tim Dunn Diamond

    despite the sarcasm, the real question is whether LA consolidates its widebody fleet just around the 787 as the 767s and 777s leave the fleet.
    the 777Ws have far more seats than the 787s for LA... if anything, the question is why they don't see value in the 787-10 esp. for routes to N. America and some to Europe.

    1. Roberto Guest

      Where is your typical order delay rant?! No mention of UA? Are you feeling okay, Timothy?

  9. TravelinWilly Diamond

    This is proof that Delta is experiencing exponential growth and is poised to be the largest carrier by passenger volume, freight volume, international routes to Central and South America, Africa, and everywhere else.

    United and American are drowning in narrow-bodies, and only Delta can grow and sustain such growth, because United and American.

    1. BenjaminGuttery Diamond

      He was being sarcastic Nick. (and probably trolling Timmy a bit).

    2. Mike C Diamond

      You're new around here, aren't you?

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

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Julie Guest

"content and volume of what I write carry my comments from one article to another" Yes. I think everyone is aware you write the same drivel across the internet with no new ideas or thoughts. "It is hard to argue that anyone in the airline social media space has succeeded at getting their message across any better than I have." 1. Anyone with an actual blog has. You reside in their comment section 2. You remain an absolute joke and laughing stock. You do have a brand, no doubt, but it's simply as an absolute joke and delta schill

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Roberto Guest

Where is your typical order delay rant?! No mention of UA? Are you feeling okay, Timothy?

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Roberto Guest

“I guess LATAM just hasn’t discovered that the A350-1000 is the greatest plane ever built… too bad Delta didn’t let LATAM know. ” Hahahahaha, this wins the internet today! Bravo, Ben!

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