LATAM Airlines plots long-haul expansion with flights to Amsterdam, Brussels and Cape Town
November 17, 2025
Emboldened by positive third-quarter results that it released last week, LATAM Airlines has announced major long-haul expansion for 2026. The carrier will be launching brand-new routes to Amsterdam, Brussels and Cape Town, signifying continued confidence in its transatlantic markets and rising demand.
Using its fleet of Boeing 787 planes, the new routes will also cater to strengthening European demand for travel to the South Atlantic, in part driven by uncertainty in the United States.
LATAM’s new long-haul routes
The South American company announced three new routes in its press conference on Monday. They are listed as follows with the flight times as confirmed to this publication by the airline.
| Route | ETD | ETA | Inaugural flight | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRU → AMS | 18:00 | 10:50 | 29/03/2026 | 3× weekly | Boeing 787 |
| AMS → GRU | 13:10 | 20:20 | 30/03/2026 | ||
| GRU → BRU | 18:00 | 10:50 | 01/06/2026 | ||
| BRU → GRU | 13:10 | 20:20 | 02/06/2026 | ||
| GRU → CPT | 22:45 | 10:55 | 02/09/2026 | ||
| CPT → GRU | 15:50 | 20:20 | 03/09/2026 |
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jerome Cadier, says that it is the “focus on efficiency and our loyal customer base” that allows it to “continue investing judiciously in sustainable markets.”
“The new routes we are announcing have undergone responsible analysis and make sense for both real travel demand and our business strategy,” he continued. Indeed, demand from Amsterdam is quite considerable. KLM currently flies 9x per week with a Boeing 777-300ER, dropping to daily during the summer of next year.
Demand from Brussels is much lower, though the launch of a non-stop connection will inevitably stimulate the market. The Belgian community in Brazil is located primarily around the São Paulo area. Both European routes will benefit from a mix of leisure and higher-yielding corporate traffic.
Cape Town is currently served by South African Airways with a twice-weekly Airbus A330-300. Both SAA and LATAM already serve the Johannesburg-São Paulo market, operating 2x and 4x per week, respectively.
Sales open on Wednesday, November 19, the company told Aerospace Global News.
The carrier’s third-quarter results were very positive
LATAM’s operating margin shot up to 18.1% for the third quarter of 2025, an increase of about 4% compared to the previous year. A “strong macroeconomic backdrop” facilitated the result, including a 17% rise in revenue to US$3.9 billion.
The group expanded capacity in its Brazilian affiliate by about 12%, responding to strong demand to, from and within the country. It noted positive performance in its domestic markets, except for Chile, but that impact was offset by a “focus on delivery execution and a higher premium product offering.”
“Meanwhile, the international segment continued to operate with high load factors, reflecting the relevance of the network and LATAM Group’s role as the main connector in the region with a diversified network,” Chief Financial Officer Ricardo Bottas explained in the company’s earnings call.
“Looking ahead, LATAM Group continues to focus on maintaining a sustained trajectory of discipline and profitable growth.”
The airline anticipates full-year revenues to total between US$14.4 and US$14.5 billion, approximately US$400 million higher than its predictions at the end of July. Its adjusted operating margin is expected to rise to at least 16%, it says, while its EBITDAR margin will eclipse 28%.
Featured image: Thiago Trevisan | adobe.stock.com
