LATAM Adds Quito-Santiago Route With 35,000 Annual Seats

LATAM opened ticket sales for a direct Quito-Santiago route, adding a new Ecuador-Chile business and passenger link from December 2026.

El Universo reports that the direct service will reduce travel times by between one and a half and three hours compared with alternatives that require connections.

Route Terms

The airline said the route responds to growing demand for more efficient flights to Chile and other connection markets.

Edgar Andrade, commercial manager of LATAM Airlines Ecuador, said the route gives passengers a direct and efficient alternative to Chile and access to international destinations through a major South American hub.

Connectivity Impact

LATAM will operate the route with Airbus A320neo aircraft. El Universo reports that the model offers operating efficiency, lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions than previous aircraft generations.

Santiago is one of LATAM Airlines Group's main regional connection centers. The source reports onward access to domestic destinations in Chile and Brazil, plus connection to Auckland, New Zealand.

Business Signal

The near-term business relevance is connectivity, not seat volume alone. A direct Quito-Santiago route reduces time costs for corporate travel and creates another regional hub option for passengers and trade-linked travel.

The route also adds a measurable annual-capacity figure: about 35,000 seats.

What to watch

• Whether LATAM maintains four weekly frequencies after launch.
• Load factors during the first operating months.
• Corporate and tourism demand between Ecuador and Chile.
• Whether the Santiago hub improves access to Brazil and Oceania routes for Ecuador-origin passengers.

Source: El Universo