Delta and LATAM Joint Venture Carries 17.4 Million Customers in Four Years as Capacity Grows 31%

Delta Air Lines and LATAM Airlines have marked four years of their transamerican joint venture, saying the partnership carried 17.4 million customers between its launch in October 2022 and July 2026 while combined capacity grew by about 31% in 2026 compared with 2023. Delta published the figures in a newsroom statement on 5 October 2026.

Over the same period the two airlines jointly operated 83,000 flights and offered 20.8 million seats, according to Delta. The operation generated 79.1 billion available seat miles and 298 million miles flown. The joint network now covers 28 routes linking the United States and Canada with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

Where the growth came from

Delta broke the capacity increase down by market. Brazil recorded nearly 33% growth in combined capacity in 2026 compared with 2023, Ecuador 64% and Peru 25%. Colombia and Chile each grew by approximately 10% over the same period.

Argentina joined the joint venture in 2025, giving customers there access to Delta's network across the United States and Canada along with reciprocal frequent flyer benefits. Delta said combined capacity in the Argentine market increased by nearly 47% in 2026 compared with 2025 as a result of the new joint operation.

The airlines pointed to several routes as part of the expansion: São Paulo–Los Angeles, Bogotá–Orlando, Guayaquil–New York, Buenos Aires–Miami, Atlanta–Cartagena, Rio de Janeiro–New York JFK and Lima–Salt Lake City. Together they show how the partnership has spread beyond the traditional gateways into secondary hubs on both continents, with Salt Lake City and Orlando now linked directly to South American capitals.

Shared terminals, lounges and loyalty

Beyond the network, the two carriers have worked to make connections feel like a single journey. Members of Delta SkyMiles and LATAM Pass can earn miles or points on flights operated by either airline and access reciprocal status benefits, including priority check-in and boarding, seat selection and baggage benefits for eligible customers.

Eligible passengers can use a lounge network that includes nearly 60 Delta Sky Clubs in the United States and LATAM lounges in Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima, Bogotá, São Paulo and Miami. The airlines also share terminals at key airports, including São Paulo (GRU), Santiago (SCL) and New York (JFK), and have integrated processes such as digital baggage tracking.

"Over the past four years, our Joint Venture with LATAM has continued to grow and evolve, strengthening connections between North and South America," said Alex Antilla, Delta's Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. "The increase in capacity, together with the expansion of our network and the benefits available to our customers, demonstrates the value of working together to provide more options and an increasingly connected travel experience."

Ramiro Alfonsin, Chief Commercial Officer of LATAM Airlines Group, said the joint venture had brought together "two highly complementary networks" and added that since the partnership launched, the share of passengers who would recommend travelling with LATAM and Delta has increased by 50%.

Maintenance ties beyond the joint venture

The relationship now extends into technical operations. Separately from the joint venture, Delta TechOps and LATAM Airlines Brasil signed an agreement this year for Airbus A320 component maintenance and repair services. The work uses LATAM's maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in São Carlos, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, which Delta described as one of the largest and most experienced maintenance operations in Latin America. The two airlines had already cooperated on engine and component repairs.

Why it matters

The joint venture, which began operating in October 2022, gives Delta a deep partner in South America and gives LATAM access to Delta's hubs and domestic network across North America. The four-year numbers suggest the partners have used that cooperation to add capacity faster than in many other long-haul markets, particularly into Ecuador, Brazil and newly added Argentina.

Delta said the venture will continue to evolve around an increasingly connected network, with more ways for travellers to fly between South America and the United States and Canada. No new routes were announced alongside the anniversary figures.