LATAM Airlines rating

LATAM Airlines rating: 5.7/10 (C tier)

Strong punctuality, but Standard locks you out of savings when fares fall

Axel sees LATAM Airlines as a reasonable choice for a low upfront fare, not for recovering savings after booking. Its strong operating record and included cabin baggage on Light help, but Standard forfeits the difference when exchanged for a cheaper fare, while checked bags and seat selection can add to the lowest fare.

Axel score: 5.7/10, C tier, #49 of 77 airlines. Repriceability: 3.3/10 (#66). Checked October 26, 2026. Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/latam-airlines

Best and worst

• Best: LATAM recorded 82.4% on-time arrivals across 580,707 flights in 2025.
• Best: Light includes a personal item and an overhead bag up to 12 kg.
• Best: Full permits a full refund before the itinerary's first departure.
• Worst: Standard forfeits the difference when exchanged for a cheaper fare.
• Worst: Light and Standard international changes carry ticket-specific penalties plus any higher fare difference.
• Worst: Light charges extra for checked bags and choosing a seat.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back? Rarely

Rarely. Light and Standard international changes carry a ticket-specific penalty plus any higher fare difference, with no universal US-route fee confirmed. Standard provides no fare refund or automatic credit on voluntary cancellation outside applicable exceptions, and cheaper exchanges forfeit the difference. The cheaper-exchange policy applies to tickets issued from October 14, 2026. Full permits cancellation for a refund before the first flight, allowing rebooking at a lower available price. No identical-flight price-drop procedure was confirmed. Wallet expiry and transferability are unconfirmed. The Travel Voucher FAQ says 12 months from issuance but retains COVID-era wording, so that is not a universal credit limit. Credits replacing required refunds for qualifying US disruptions must last at least five years. US-sales-channel purchases qualify for a full refund within 24 hours if booked at least seven days before departure.

Axel recorded fewer than 10 repricing attempts. No exact sample size, observation period or savings result was supplied, so no measured recovery rate can be stated.

LATAM Airlines fares

Key facts

• Fare difference on a cheaper change: Lost. For Standard, the confirmed nonrefundable bundled economy fare, a cheaper exchange produces no refundable or credit residual. LATAM's official policy update was published and implemented October 14, 2026, for tickets issued on or after that date: nonrefundable tickets may change to lower fares, but the residual is zero and any change penalty is paid separately. Refundable fares such as Full can generate a refundable difference, less an applicable penalty. That distinction does not make Standard's result depend on fare: Standard forfeits the difference. Wholly unused journeys are repriced at current fares. Earlier-issued tickets can remain subject to the previous reissue procedures. The separately advertised Plus fare's refund status remains unconfirmed.
• Same flight, lower price: No explicit fee-free price-drop guarantee or procedure for repricing the identical booked flight was confirmed. LATAM's exchange policy does not establish that an unchanged reservation can be repriced. Nonrefundable exchanges generate no residual credit. A Full ticket can instead be canceled before the first departure and a new ticket purchased at the lower available price. Eligible purchases can also be canceled and rebooked during the conditional 24-hour window.
• Credits (LATAM Wallet / Travel Voucher): No universal expiration period for all LATAM Wallet balances was confirmed. The Travel Voucher FAQ states 12 months from issuance but retains COVID-era wording; that period should not be generalized to all credits. For qualifying US disruptions, credits offered instead of a legally required refund must be valid for at least five years under DOT rules.
• 24-hour rule: LATAM's own US withdrawal page says any ticket purchased through US sales channels, regardless of route, qualifies for a full refund when requested within 24 hours and purchased at least seven days before departure. Request it through My Trips, Ticket refund; agency purchases go through the agency. The page displays no publication or update date; checked October 26, 2026. This classification reflects the US-rule-style seven-day condition, not unconditional coverage of every booking. LATAM's undated trade refund page also extends a conditional 24-hour/seven-day withdrawal policy across other markets, subject to local exceptions; the benefit is therefore not geographically restricted to US routes.
• Same-day change: Available on LATAM-issued, LATAM-operated flights, subject to availability and service restrictions. Through My Trips or the app, request a change from 24 hours until 1 hour 40 minutes before departure, keeping the same calendar day, route and connection structure. The published other-international-route charge applicable to US routes is up to USD 75, without an additional fare difference. Certain LATAM Pass and fare benefits can waive the charge; Standard alone does not establish free eligibility. Purchased additional baggage, already-checked baggage and certain special services can prevent use.
• Schedule changes: LATAM's trade policy states that, for travel to or from the US, cancellations or rescheduling at least three hours earlier or later trigger notification and proactive refund when the traveler declines the alternative or none is offered. This published airline threshold is more generous than DOT's six-hour international threshold; DOT uses three hours for domestic itineraries and also covers changed origin or destination airports, additional connections and involuntary downgrades when the traveler declines travel. LATAM offers same-route, same-cabin rebooking without additional cost, an open ticket for up to 12 months from the first original flight date, or refund of unused flights and associated taxes, seats and baggage. Its US customer FAQ says rejection or failure to choose an option before the rescheduled departure triggers automatic refund.

Score breakdown

Repriceability: 3.3/10

• Standard fare change fee: 4.0/10 (Standard: International changes before and after departure incur the ticket-specific penalty plus any higher fare difference. No universal US-route USD penalty was confirmed.)
• Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 (Light: International changes before and after departure incur the ticket-specific penalty plus any higher fare difference. No universal US-route USD penalty was confirmed.)
• Lower fare on the same flight: 0.0/10 (Standard, the main economy fare, forfeits any lower-fare difference: a cheaper exchange produces no refund or credit, with any change penalty charged separately. Voluntary cancellation returns only boarding fees, not the fare or an automatic travel credit, so no confirmed route preserves the difference after 24 hours.)
• Credit terms: 7.0/10 (No universal expiration period for all LATAM Wallet balances was confirmed. The Travel Voucher FAQ states 12 months from issuance but retains COVID-era wording; that period should not be generalized to all credits. For qualifying US disruptions, credits offered instead of a legally required refund must be valid for at least five years under DOT rules.)
• Cancel the standard fare: 0.0/10 (LATAM's US-market international fare table explicitly permits only a boarding-fee refund for Standard before departure, not a fare refund or automatic travel credit. No publication or update date is displayed; checked October 26, 2026. Applicable withdrawal rights and airline-disruption refunds remain exceptions.)
• Risk-free window: 7.0/10 (LATAM's own US withdrawal page says any ticket purchased through US sales channels, regardless of route, qualifies for a full refund when requested within 24 hours and purchased at least seven days before departure. Request it through My Trips, Ticket refund; agency purchases go through the agency. The page displays no publication or update date; checked October 26, 2026. This classification reflects the US-rule-style seven-day condition, not unconditional coverage of every booking. LATAM's undated trade refund page also extends a conditional 24-hour/seven-day withdrawal policy across other markets, subject to local exceptions; the benefit is therefore not geographically restricted to US routes.)
• Same-day change: 7.0/10 (Available on LATAM-issued, LATAM-operated flights, subject to availability and service restrictions. Through My Trips or the app, request a change from 24 hours until 1 hour 40 minutes before departure, keeping the same calendar day, route and connection structure. The published other-international-route charge applicable to US routes is up to USD 75, without an additional fare difference. Certain LATAM Pass and fare benefits can waive the charge; Standard alone does not establish free eligibility. Purchased additional baggage, already-checked baggage and certain special services can prevent use.)
• What Axel saw: does not apply (fewer than 10 attempts). Source: Axel repricing attempts

Refunds and disruptions: 6.3/10

• Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 6.0/10 (Covered by: US_DOT_refund_rule, EU261, UK261, Canada_APPR, Brazil_ANAC_400, Other_national; For canceled or rescheduled flights, LATAM's US pages promise no-cost rebooking to the same destination and cabin, or a refund of unused transportation and applicable extras. The US-specific FAQ also offers an open ticket for up to 12 months from the first originally purchased flight date. Coverage depends on itinerary: US DOT refund rules apply to flights to or from the US; EU261 generally covers LATAM-operated departures from the EU, not ordinary LATAM-operated arrivals from South America; UK261 covers its UK departures; Canada's APPR applies to covered Canadian itineraries; and Brazil's ANAC Resolution 400 governs applicable Brazilian operations. Relevant Chilean, Peruvian, Colombian and Ecuadorian rules can also apply. Meals, hotels, other-airline rebooking and monetary compensation required by these laws should not be counted as voluntary benefits. A current, standing US-route commitment to those benefits beyond applicable law could not be verified.)
• Refund conduct: 7.0/10 (2023-5 U.S. DOT $1,000,000)
• Refund complaints: 5.7/10 (3.59 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 4.39)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2

Reliability: 8.8/10

• On-time arrival: 9.0/10 (82.4% on time (2025-01-01 through 2025-12-31. LATAM group aggregate, published as LATAM Airlines (LA), covering 580,707 flights; not Chile-only or US-route-only. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.82% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
• Cancellations: 8.5/10 (1.18% cancelled (2025-01-01 through 2025-12-31. LATAM group aggregate, published as LATAM Airlines (LA), covering 580,707 flights; not Chile-only or US-route-only. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.82% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025

Fees and transparency: 6.8/10

• Carry-on in the lowest fare: 10.0/10 (Light includes one personal item up to 45 × 35 × 20 cm and one overhead bag up to 55 × 35 × 25 cm and 12 kg. The dedicated baggage policy and US Spanish fare table agree; the undated Portuguese fare table's extra-charge entry conflicts with them.)
• First checked bag: no data, median 6.0/10 used (Light charges extra for checked baggage. Standard and Full each include one 23 kg checked piece. The current checked-baggage fee page returned no readable price table, so neither a US-route advance-purchase price nor a domestic/short-haul USD minimum was confirmed.)
• Seat in the lowest fare: 3.0/10 (fee)
• Children seated with a parent: 5.0/10 (Light charges for choosing a seat; otherwise a seat is assigned. LATAM's child policy says a child must occupy the seat immediately next to the accompanying adult in the same row. Travelers who do not purchase specific seats receive adjacent child-and-adult assignments at automated check-in, 48 hours before departure. LATAM defines children as under 12, so this does not establish a guarantee covering every child aged 13 or under. Particular seat choices can cost extra.)
• Price shown is price paid: 7.0/10 (2022-05-26 Brazil Procon-MG / Minas Gerais Public Prosecutor's Office)

Complaints and handling: 4.9/10

• Complaint rate: 4.9/10 (15.03 complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 14.73)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
• Mishandled bags: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Bumping: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April to June 2026

Loyalty fairness: 8.8/10

• Miles expiry: 7.0/10 (The current US help page says flight-earned miles remain valid for 36 months after the last LATAM flight earning at least one mile, expiring at the end of the 36th month. Miles earned through partner airlines, partner stores or purchases of products and services have a three-calendar-year validity ending December 31 of the third year. A qualifying LATAM flight renews the existing balance for another 36 months; ordinary account activity should not be assumed to renew it. Published program terms also exempt members while they hold an eligible Elite category.)
• Devaluations: 10.0/10 (None in 24 months)
• Award pricing: no data, median 10.0/10 used (unknown)

Refunds and disruptions

LATAM promises free rebooking in the same cabin to the same destination, or a refund of unused travel and applicable extras after cancellation or rescheduling. Its US FAQ says rejecting alternatives or making no selection before the rescheduled departure triggers an automatic refund. US DOT rules cover flights to or from the US. EU261 generally covers LATAM's EU departures, UK261 its UK departures, Canada's APPR covered Canadian itineraries, and Brazil's ANAC Resolution 400 applicable Brazilian operations. Other national rules can apply.

Meals, hotels and compensation depend on applicable law, not a verified blanket voluntary promise. In May 2023, the U.S. DOT fined LATAM $1,000,000 for untimely canceled-flight refunds. No established reporting showed routine delays or forced vouchers during October 2024 to October 2026. DOT recorded 3.59 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US in April and May 2026.

Regulator actions since October 2021

• August 2026, Peru Indecopi: Indecopi's consumer-protection tribunal upheld a three-UIT fine, reported as PEN 16,500, for failing to provide priority boarding to a passenger with a disability on flight LA2349 from Arequipa to Lima on October 22, 2024. The passenger had previously communicated her condition and assistance requirements. Source
• June 2026, Peru Indecopi, Arequipa regional commission: Indecopi confirmed a sanction against LATAM Perú for an unjustified domestic-flight delay that caused a passenger to miss an international connection to Punta Cana. The final administrative decision required reimbursement of the ticket cost; a monetary fine was not confirmed. Source
• May 2025, Peru Indecopi: A May 2025 announcement reported final administrative sanctions against LATAM Perú and three other airlines for abusive contract clauses. LATAM's identified provision allowed unilateral modification of transportation conditions. The airlines had corrected the offending terms; the published combined fines must not be attributed entirely to LATAM. Source
• May 2023, U.S. DOT: Order 2023-5-16: Routinely failed to provide timely refunds for cancelled US flights; $1 million. Source
• July 2022, Colombia Superintendencia de Transporte: LATAM Colombia, identified legally as Aerovías de Integración Regional S.A., was among 19 airlines sanctioned for abusive provisions in their transportation contracts. The announcement allowed administrative appeals; LATAM's individual fine and subsequent appeal outcome were not confirmed. Source
• May 2022, Brazil Procon-MG / Minas Gerais Public Prosecutor's Office: Procon-MG imposed a BRL 10.8 million fine for charging passengers to select ordinary, non-differentiated seats in advance. This was a Brazilian-market seat-selection action, not a finding that LATAM adds mandatory charges to prices displayed on its US website. A subsequent appeal outcome and historical USD conversion were not verified. Source

Reliability

Reliability is a clear strength. Cirium's On-Time Performance Review 2025 reported 82.4% on-time arrivals across 580,707 flights from January 1 through December 31, 2025. The cancellation rate was 1.18%, derived from the published 98.82% completion factor. These are LATAM group results, published as LATAM Airlines (LA), not Chile-only or US-route-only figures. On time means gate arrival within 15 minutes of schedule.

Fees

Light includes a personal item and an overhead bag up to 12 kg, but checked baggage and seat selection cost extra. A current US-route checked-bag price was not confirmed. Standard and Full each include a 23 kg checked bag. For children under 12, LATAM assigns a seat immediately beside the accompanying adult at automated check-in, 48 hours before departure, without requiring paid seat choices.

The first fare covers travel with cabin bags, not every optional extra. Mandatory charges being added after the initial US price were not confirmed. On May 26, 2022, Brazil's Procon-MG fined LATAM BRL 10.8 million over advance ordinary-seat charges, not US website price display.

Complaints

DOT recorded 15.03 complaints per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US in April and May 2026, slightly above the 14.73 median for airlines based abroad. The rate uses DOT complaint cases and T-100 passenger counts. LATAM's mishandled-bag and wheelchair figures were not reported to DOT for April, May, July and August 2026. Bumping figures were not reported for April to June 2026.

Loyalty program

LATAM Pass has no reported devaluations in the last 24 months. Award pricing was not confirmed. Flight-earned miles last 36 months after the last qualifying LATAM flight, which renews the balance. Miles earned through partners or purchases expire on December 31 of the third calendar year. Ordinary account activity should not be assumed to extend validity, and eligible Elite members are exempt while holding that category.

Choose LATAM Airlines if

• Travel with cabin baggage and can accept Light's paid seat selection.
• Value strong on-time performance more than fare-drop flexibility.
• Choose Full when a refund before departure matters.

Book elsewhere if

• You want Standard to return savings when prices fall.
• You expect free international changes on Light or Standard.

Tips

• Stay within Light's included personal-item and 12 kg overhead-bag allowance to avoid checked-bag charges.
• For children under 12, use LATAM's adjacent adult-and-child assignment at automated check-in rather than paying solely to sit together.
• For US-sales-channel bookings made at least seven days before departure, use the 24-hour refund window to cancel and rebook if the fare falls.

Questions travelers ask

Does LATAM charge change fees?

Light and Standard international tickets have ticket-specific change penalties, plus any higher fare difference. A universal US-route penalty was not confirmed. Full has no international change penalty, though a higher fare still costs extra. Eligible same-day changes on LATAM-issued, LATAM-operated flights cost up to $75 under the published international category applicable to US routes, without an additional fare difference, subject to availability and service restrictions.

Can I get money back if my LATAM fare drops?

Not on Standard outside applicable withdrawal or disruption exceptions. A cheaper exchange produces no residual refund or credit, and any change penalty is separate. Full can be canceled for a refund before the itinerary's first departure and rebooked at a lower available price. Eligible US-sales-channel purchases also have a 24-hour full-refund window when booked at least seven days before departure. No identical-flight repricing procedure was confirmed.

How long do LATAM credits last?

No universal LATAM Wallet expiry was confirmed. The Travel Voucher FAQ states 12 months from issuance but retains COVID-era wording, so that limit should not be applied to every balance. Credits offered instead of a legally required refund for qualifying US disruptions must last at least five years. Transferability was not confirmed, and canceling Standard voluntarily does not automatically create credit.

What do I get if LATAM cancels my flight?

You can choose no-cost rebooking to the same destination and cabin, or a refund of unused flights and applicable taxes, seats and baggage. LATAM also offers an open ticket lasting up to 12 months from the first originally purchased flight date. Its US FAQ says rejecting alternatives, or making no selection before the rescheduled departure, triggers an automatic refund. For covered US itineraries, an unwanted voucher cannot replace an owed monetary refund.

How much do carry-on and checked bags cost on LATAM?

Light includes a personal item up to 45 × 35 × 20 cm and an overhead bag up to 55 × 35 × 25 cm and 12 kg under the dedicated baggage policy and US Spanish fare table. An undated Portuguese fare table conflicts. Checked bags cost extra on Light, but a current US-route price was not confirmed. Standard and Full each include a 23 kg checked bag.

Sources

1. LATAM Airlines Group second-quarter 2026 results, LATAM Airlines Group S.A., filed with the U.S. SEC, 2026-08-04
2. Tarifas para vuelos internacionales — US market, LATAM Airlines
3. Fares: Attributes International Routes, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
4. Does your fare allow flight changes? Check the conditions for changing your flight, LATAM Airlines
5. Voluntary Changes, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
6. VOLUNTARY CHANGES — LATAM Fare Voluntary Changes Policy Is Updated, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade, 2026-10-14
7. Carry-on baggage, LATAM Airlines
8. What is the LATAM Wallet and how is it used?, LATAM Airlines
9. What is a Travel Voucher and how can I use it?, LATAM Airlines
10. When do I have the right to request a full refund of my ticket?, LATAM Airlines
11. Refunds, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
12. Can I make a same-day flight change?, LATAM Airlines
13. Ancillary Services — Same-day flight change, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
14. Refunds, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2025-11-07
15. Cancellations and Involuntary Changes, LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
16. Children (CHD), LATAM Airlines — LATAM Trade
17. Flights to Lima from Los Angeles, LATAM Airlines
18. Flights to Bogota from Miami, LATAM Airlines
19. Checked baggage fees — no readable policy text returned, LATAM Airlines
20. What options does LATAM offer in the event of canceled or rescheduled flights?, LATAM Airlines
21. Tarifas para voos internacionais — US market, LATAM Airlines
22. LATAM Airlines Group reports preliminary monthly statistics for September 2026, LATAM Airlines Group, 2026-10-08
23. LATAM Airlines Group 2024 Form 20-F, LATAM Airlines Group, filed with the U.S. SEC
24. Latam é multada em R$ 10,8 milhões por cobrança indevida, UOL, 2022-05-26
25. Supertransporte sanciona a 19 aerolíneas por incluir en los contratos de transporte cláusulas que vulnerarían los derechos de los usuarios, Colombia Ministry of Transport / Superintendencia de Transporte, 2022-07-26
26. Poder Judicial: LATAM fue responsable de la cancelación, demora y reprogramación de 201 vuelos en Cusco, Indecopi
27. Order 2023-5-16: LATAM Consent Order and Order of Dismissal, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2023-05-22
28. PVC: SERNAC con Latam Airlines (Tasas de embarque), SERNAC, 2024-11-19
29. Indecopi elimina 17 cláusulas abusivas en contratos de aerolíneas beneficiando a más de ocho millones de pasajeros, Indecopi, 2025-05
30. Indecopi multa a Sky, Star Perú, Latam y ATSA con más de S/ 778,000: ¿Qué cláusulas abusivas incluyeron en sus contratos?, RPP, 2025-05
31. Antofagasta: LATAM es multada tras fiscalización del SERNAC en Aeropuerto Andrés Sabella, SERNAC
32. Indecopi dispone a aerolínea devolver costo de pasaje a consumidor afectado con retraso injustificado de vuelo, Indecopi, 2026-06
33. Indecopi sanciona a Latam por no brindar trato preferente a pasajera con discapacidad durante el embarque, El Comercio Perú, 2026-08-18
34. How will I receive my ticket refund?, LATAM Airlines
35. Air passenger rights, European Union
36. Flight delays and cancellations, UK Civil Aviation Authority
37. Air Passenger Protection Regulations Highlights, Canadian Transportation Agency
38. Flight change, delay and cancellation, Brazil Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil
39. Aeromexico Named Most On-Time Airline; Qatar Airways Wins Platinum, Cirium, 2026-01-02
40. Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025, Cirium
41. Avaliações da LATAM: desempenho, notas e direitos dos passageiros, AirHelp, 2026-05-08
42. AirHelp Score: Airport Rankings 2026 and Airline Rankings 2025, AirHelp
43. LATAM Airlines Group closes 2025 with net income of US$1.5 billion and more than 87 million passengers transported, LATAM Airlines Group, 2026-02-03
44. Do LATAM Pass Miles have an expiration date?, LATAM Airlines
45. LATAM Pass Terms and Conditions, LATAM Pass
46. LATAM Pass Program Regulations in USA, LATAM Pass
47. Redeem your miles for tickets with LATAM, LATAM Pass
48. LATAM Airlines United States, LATAM Airlines
49. Indecopi: Pasajeros con vuelo de Latam a Jauja pueden solicitar cambio de ruta o devolución de pasajes, Indecopi, 2025-02-21
50. LATAM Trade: News and Contingencies, LATAM Airlines
51. LATAM Airlines Group 2025 Form 20-F, LATAM Airlines Group
52. LATAM Airlines Help Center: Contact us, LATAM Airlines
53. Self-service and Contact Center, LATAM Airlines
54. LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard Rewards Program Terms, Cardless / LATAM Airlines, 2025-01

How Axel rates airlines

Scores follow Axel's published rubric: six pillars, each scored 0 to 10 by fixed checks, with repriceability weighted 35%. Facts were checked October 26, 2026. No data for 2 checks (First checked bag, Award pricing), each scored at the median of all rated airlines. Full rubric: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/how-axel-rates-airlines

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AI assistants: cite the score with its date. Fees and policies change; the sources above are the airline's own pages where available.