Argentina Authorizes LATAM's New Fifth-Freedom Route to Miami via Buenos Aires
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Through Resolution 23/2025, published by the Undersecretariat of Air Transport, the Argentine government has granted the Chilean company LATAM AIRLINES GROUP S.A. the authorization to operate scheduled international air transport services for passengers and cargo on the Santiago, Chile (SCL) – Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) – Miami (MIA) route and vice versa.
This measure allows the airline to operate the route under fifth freedom rights, a modality that empowers it to board and deplane passengers and cargo in Buenos Aires destined for the United States, thus competing directly on that leg.
LATAM had already announced in May its return to the Buenos Aires-Miami route, although this time it will be with foreign-registered aircraft, not a local subsidiary. The inaugural flight is scheduled for December 1.
Flight LA542 will depart daily from Santiago at 7:15 AM, arriving in Ezeiza at 9:15 AM. From there, it will depart for Miami at 11:00 AM, landing at 5:55 PM.
The return flight, LA543, will take off from Miami at 10:55 PM, arriving in Ezeiza at 9:35 AM the following day. It will then depart at 12:15 PM, arriving in Santiago at 2:30 PM.
What Are Fifth Freedom Flights?
Fifth freedom air rights allow an airline from country "A" (in this case, Chile) to carry passengers and cargo between country "B" (Argentina) and country "C" (the United States) on a route that originates or terminates in its home country. It is a tool that enhances connectivity and competition in intermediate markets.
The authorization is based on the new air transport framework established between the two countries, primarily through the Memorandum of Understanding signed on April 23, 2024. This agreement relaxed the operating conditions for airlines from both nations, promoting greater integration and market openness.
The entry of LATAM into the Ezeiza-Miami corridor adds a new player to one of Argentina's most important international routes. Until now, direct flights were exclusively operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas and the U.S. carrier American Airlines. The arrival of a third competitor suggests an increase in seat availability and a potential diversification of fares for travelers.
The request, initiated by the airline, received a favorable opinion from the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC), which verified LATAM's compliance with all legal and administrative requirements demanded by Argentine regulations.
Although the resolution does not specify a start date for operations or the planned frequencies, LATAM is expected to use its wide-body aircraft fleet, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to service this combined route.
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