The Details

• Flight: LA2699
• Aircraft: B767-300ER
• Class: Premium Business
• Seat: 5E
• Route: Miami (MIA)-Lima (LIM)
• Distance: 2,658miles
• Duration: 5hrs 15min
• Departure: 12:45AM
• Arrival: 6:00AM

The Preflight

Our journey with LATAM Airlines to Easter Island was an adventure from the start. As the sole carrier offering flights to this remote Polynesian paradise, we knew we were in for a unique experience. Our itinerary involved an overnight flight from Miami to Lima, a brief layover, and then onward to Santiago. From there, we’d spend the night before catching the once-daily flight to Easter Island.

To kick off our journey, we flew from Indianapolis to Miami with American Airlines, touching down at 7:15 PM. With a five-hour layover ahead of us, we had ample time to navigate Miami International Airport. After disembarking at gate D60K, we trekked through the North Terminal, leaving the secure area, and eventually finding our way to the South Terminal. It was about a 20-minute walk to reach the LATAM check-in counters in the South Terminal J concourse. Although the check-in counters were closed at the time (they typically open three hours before departure), we checked in via a self-serve kiosk since we didn’t have any checked luggage.

Miami is home to one of five LATAM VIP Lounges worldwide (the others being in Santiago, Bogota, Buenos Aires, and Sao Paulo). The lounge, adjacent to gate J6, was open from 5:30 to midnight daily. Access was granted to a range of travelers, including LATAM Black and Platinum elites, Premium Business passengers, and Delta Air Lines Gold, Platinum, and Diamond members flying on LATAM.

Upon entering the lounge, we were greeted by a rather sterile atmosphere. To the left, a small TV area offered a spot to relax on a few sofas.

Moving deeper into the lounge, there were a variety of sofas arranged in groups of two and four. The harsh white lights did not give a relaxing or cozy feel to the lounge.

In the heart of the lounge, a buffet spread awaited, boasting an array of cold and hot dishes, packaged snacks, beverages, and alcoholic options.

Drink options included bottled water, sparkling water, Coke products, as well as canned beer. There were self-serve espresso machines as well as a fresh orange juicer.

There was also a decent selection of both wines as well as self-serve liquors.

Cold food options included a variety of cheese, sliced meat, a salad bar, wraps, and cold-cut sandwiches.

Hot options included roasted potatoes, lasagna, and roasted vegetables. There was also a variety of bread available.

For dessert, the options included cheesecake, fresh fruit, cookies, as well as ice cream.

Additional snacks included Boulder potato chips and cookies. 

My lounge experience took an unexpected turn as I started feeling nauseous and developed cold sweats, likely due to food poisoning from the boxed dinner on my previous American Eagle flight as I had not eaten anything in this lounge. Just as we were preparing to depart the lounge, severe stomach cramps hit, leading to two episodes of vomiting.

Boarding for our flight was slated to commence an hour before departure at 11:35 PM. As Business class passengers, we were assigned to Group 1 for boarding. However, upon reaching the gate area, we encountered a bit of chaos, with a mass of passengers crowding around. Unfortunately, by the time we navigated through the crowd, Group 2 had already been called. Boarding proceeded through door 1L which meant all passengers would pass through the business class cabin.

The B767-300ER we were flying, registered as CC-CXH, was a fifteen-year-old aircraft. Originally delivered to LAN Airlines in December 2008, it became part of LATAM’s fleet following the merger of LAN and TAM in 2010, and was formally transferred to LATAM in 2016.

The Flight

LATAM Airlines currently operates a fleet of nine B767-300ERs, all based at the LATAM hub in Lima, Peru. On our flight, we were greeted with a total of 20 Premium Business class seats arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration across five rows. In this arrangement, the odd rows of middle seats were closer together in the middle, while even rows were closer to the aisle.

Settling into seats 5E and 5F in the last row of the business-class cabin, we found ourselves in Thompson Aero Vantage XL seats, each roughly 20 inches wide with a generous pitch of 45 inches.

The seatback boasted mood lighting, a coat hook, a built-in literature pocket, and a small storage cubby.

Entertainment options were abundant, with each seat featuring an impressive 18-inch HD touchscreen.

For convenience, a small open storage area held the headphones, water bottle, and amenity kit, with an additional storage bin nearby.

Underneath the tabletop, the small IFE remote was neatly stowed, accompanied by a few seat controls.

Plus, each seat came equipped with a 110V outlet and a USB-A port.

We appreciated the refined feel of the granite countertop finish and the inclusion of a personal reading light.

A large and sturdy bi-fold tray table was stowed beneath the granite countertop, unfolding easily for dining or work purposes.

Prior to takeoff, we were provided with a small amenity kit containing essentials like an eye mask, socks, dental kit, and earplugs, along with a bottle of water and headphones.

Comfort was further enhanced with a mattress topper, pillow, and blanket at each seat.

The menus were also waiting at the seat.

Once boarding was completed at 12:22 AM, we pushed back five minutes later, taking off from Miami at 12:45 AM for our five-hour and 15-minute flight to Lima. Despite originally planning to enjoy the LATAM catering, my GI symptoms left me with no appetite. Instead, I made use of one of the lavatories at the front of the cabin, which, while lacking in amenities, served its purpose.

Returning to my seat, I reclined and made my bed, quickly drifting off to sleep thanks to the incredibly comfortable bedding.

I awoke just as flight attendants were serving orange juice 35 minutes prior to landing.

We touched down in Lima 15 minutes earlier than scheduled at 06:00 AM.

Deplaning via stairs into buses, we were met with a slight inconvenience as there were no dedicated business-class buses, leading to a packed bus ride to the terminal, where we arrived 18 minutes later.

LATAM Airlines provided an exceptional business class service on this relatively short five-hour flight from Miami to Lima. Thanks to the comfortable bedding and fantastic seat, I was able to sleep comfortably for a few hours, despite having experienced food poisoning from American Airlines’ catering. By the time we were deplaning, I was already feeling better and regaining my appetite.