Melbourne Airport will have a daily connection to South America for the first time in its 55-year history when LATAM increases the frequency of its Santiago service from December.
The extra flights will add an additional 1800 seats a week between Victoria and LATAM’s key hub, providing one-stop connections to dozens of destinations across Chile and South America.
LATAM’s expanded offering will initially operate as a seasonal service through the Northern Winter, (Australian summer), season using a Boeing 787-9 with 180 degree lie-flat beds in Premium Business class.
Demand for international travel at Melbourne Airport continues to grow, with the number of international passengers in April up 16 per cent on the previous year.
The 1,026,386 international passengers welcomed through the doors set a new April record and marked the first time that international traveller numbers have surpassed one million in April.
Across the month, a total of 3,110,643 people passed through Melbourne Airport as Australian holidaymakers took advantage of the proximity of the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.
Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said LATAM’s increased commitment to Melbourne would provide benefits to people on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
“South America is an increasingly popular region for Victorian tourists and businesses but we’re also seeing growing interest in Victoria as a destination for education, trade or holidays,” he said.
“LATAM is South America’s largest carrier, and this increase in frequency will mark the first time that Melbourne has had a daily, non-stop connection to the continent, which is incredibly exciting.
“Demand for international travel out of Melbourne remains strong, and LATAM’s growing commitment to Victoria is a sign of confidence in our market.
“To keep pace with demand, we’re working with our airlines to deliver an expansion of the international terminal, and a third runway to ensure our airfield has the capacity to serve Victoria’s growing population.”
Passenger figures for April 2025:
| Passengers | April 2025 | April 2024 | Growth (%)* |
| International | 1,026,386 | 885,365 | +16% |
| Domestic | 2,084,257 | 2,007,786 | +4% |
| Total (excl. transits) | 3,110,643 | 2,893,151 | +8% |
| Passengers | |
| International | 1,026,386 |
| Domestic | 2,084,257 |
| Total (excl. transits) | 3,110,643 |
*Monthly percentage growth compared to April 2024
Passenger figures for Financial Year to April
| Passengers | Financial Year 2024/25 | Financial Year 2023/24 | Growth (%)* |
| International | 10,114,384 | 9,285,103 | +8.9% |
| Domestic | 20,403,117 | 20,338,235 | +0.3% |
| Total (excl. transits) | 30,517,501 | 29,633,338 | +3.0% |
| Passengers | |
| International | 10,114,384 |
| Domestic | 20,403,117 |
| Total (excl. transits) | 30,517,501 |
*Percentage growth compared to FY 2023/24