LATAM Airlines Group confirmed on 11 April 2026 the addition of three long-haul routes from its São Paulo/Guarulhos hub: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium) and Cape Town (South Africa). The flights will start in August with three weekly Boeing 787-9 rotations to each destination, ramping up to five by Northern-winter 2026/27. For corporate mobility teams, the Amsterdam and Brussels sectors plug a long-standing network gap for Dutch and Benelux multinationals with operations in Brazil’s life-sciences and agribusiness corridors. Cape Town, meanwhile, provides Brazil’s tech and energy companies with a one-stop alternative to Johannesburg for Southern African projects, reducing total journey time by up to six hours. The carrier negotiated fifth-freedom traffic rights that allow passengers originating in Lima or Santiago to connect through São Paulo without back-tracking, bolstering the city’s role as LATAM’s pan-regional super-hub. Introductory fares start at US$ 749 return in economy and R$ 9 800 in business class; an ‘unlimited date-change’ policy applies during the first six months. LATAM estimates the new services will add 320 000 international seats to Brazil’s supply in 2026 — a 4 % uplift versus 2025 — and support about R$ 1.2 billion in trade and tourism flows. Companies that rely on Rotterdam’s port, NATO and EU institutions in Brussels, or mining projects in Namibia and Botswana stand to benefit most. Travel buyers should note that the flights will depart the older Terminal 2 until the airline completes its move to the refurbished Terminal 3 satellite in November. Corporate contracts are being repriced now; firms with high volumes on the Amsterdam route may qualify for combinable discounts with cargo allotments on LATAM Cargo’s 767 freighters.
Source: Travel and Tour World
