LATAM Group announced the order of ten Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with an option for five additional aircraft, strengthening its position as the largest operator of this model in Latin America. The company plans to increase its fleet to 52 units by 2030, focusing on the 787-9 variant for long-haul flights. Currently, LATAM operates with ten 787-8s and twenty-seven 787-9s.
“The Boeing 787 is a much more efficient aircraft, allowing us to continue growing sustainably and reduce our carbon footprint as we drive the growth of our operations. This order will enable us to receive at least two planes of this model each year from 2025 until the end of the decade,” said Ramiro Alfonsín, Chief Financial Officer of LATAM Airlines Group.
According to Boeing, the 787 family offers fuel efficiency that reduces consumption and emissions by 25% compared to the aircraft it replaces. The 787-9 variant, capable of carrying more passengers and cargo, is ideal for the longer-distance routes in LATAM’s network.
Currently, 41.9% of LATAM’s flights operated by 787 Dreamliners depart from Santiago (SCL), followed by São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU) with 24%, and Lima (LIM) with 5.5%, according to data from the Cirium platform.
The retirement of LATAM’s passenger Boeing 767s
The new order will modernize LATAM’s fleet, replacing the nine Boeing 767-300 (ER) aircraft that primarily operate from Lima. The lack of wide-body aircraft has limited LATAM’s capacity to open new routes, affecting its route between Bogotá and Madrid, launched earlier this year. Additionally, it will strengthen its existing routes in Brazil and continue expanding its long-haul destination network.
This order will be complemented by the future delivery of A321XLR aircraft, expected in 2026, which will cover routes currently operated by Boeing 767s and 787s, allowing the latter to be reoriented towards longer-range services.
