LATAM signs codeshare with Delta in shift away from American

South American carrier LATAM Airlines Group has signed new codeshare agreements with pending-equity owner Delta Air Lines and announced plans to discontinue its codeshare deal with American Airlines on 31 January 2020.

The news from Santiago-based LATAM comes as that carrier progresses with a plan to align closely with Delta.

News broke in September that Delta intends to acquire 20% of LATAM for $1.9 billion, a move that led LATAM to cancel plans for a joint venture with codeshare partner American.

Now LATAM says its affiliates in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador have signed codeshare deals with Delta that will allow connections between those countries and the USA, starting in the first quarter of 2020.

The codeshares remain subject to regulatory approval, LATAM says.

LATAM says it also intends to establish a codeshare agreement linking its subsidiaries in Chile and Brazil with Delta, it said.

During a recent interview with Air Cargo News, the South America-based airline said that its codeshare with Delta included a chapter on cargo.