I was heading across the ditch—as we like to say in Australia and New Zealand when hopping between the two countries. The flight from Sydney to Auckland is a short one, blocked at just over three hours, but when I spotted a business class fare for only $200 more than economy, I was instantly sold! (Well, technically, the ticket was sold—to me.) I flew with LATAM Airlines, which operates a fifth freedom route between Australia and New Zealand as part of its longer service to Santiago, Chile. Given the timing of the flight (departing at 11:50am) I’m guessing it doesn’t attract a ton of business travellers, which might explain the great fare. All up, I paid just $635 for this one way Premium Business ticket!

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1. LATAM Airlines
2. The Lounge
3. The Seat
4. Entertainment
5. Amenities
6. Food and Beverage
7. Conclusion

LATAM Airlines

LATAM operates the Boeing 787-9 on this route, with two different versions in their fleet. Today, I’m flying on the older configuration, but I was aware of this when I booked my ticket.

The aircraft operating today’s flight, registered CC-BGB, was originally delivered in 2015 to LAN Airlines, the predecessor of LATAM. That makes the aircraft 10 years old at the time of this flight. While it has certainly seen a fair share of service over the past decade, it remains a solid and reliable part of LATAM’s long haul fleet, even if some of the onboard features reflect its age.

The Lounge

LATAM Premium Business passengers have access to the Qantas Lounge at Sydney International Terminal (T1), a lounge I’ve visited several times.

Unfortunately, it remained much the same, with fairly minimal food and drink offerings. It’s one redeeming feature is that you can enjoy a glass of wine before midday, unlike the domestic lounges, where alcohol service doesn’t begin until after 12 noon. I indulged in a pre-departure Grant Burge Chardonnay and snack on some fresh cut fruit.

The Seat

The LATAM Premium Business cabin on this aircraft is still equipped with the older Zodiac Aura Lite seats, arranged in a 2-2-2 layout. They are somewhat dated compared to the more modern Vantage XL seats, retrofitted on some of LATAMs other 787s which offer a 1-2-1 configuration offering improved privacy and direct aisle access.

Despite the aircraft’s age, the 23″ wide seat still looked and felt well maintained and comfortable. Fortunately, the seat next to me was unoccupied, so I could come and go without the awkwardness of climbing over a fellow passenger.

Legroom in business class is quite generous at 75 inches. In fact, with the seat in the upright position, my feet just barely reached the ottoman in front. When fully reclined, the seat extends into a 6’7″ flatbed, offering plenty of space to stretch out and sleep on a long haul flight.

Economy Class

I take a quick walk back to the economy cabin for a look. Having reviewed LATAM Airlines’ economy class before, it appears that the seating and layout remain unchanged from what I previously experienced some nine years ago!

Flying LATAM (LAN) Economy from Sydney to Buenos Aires. Part 1, Sydney to Auckland

Flying LATAM (LAN) Economy from Sydney to Buenos Aires. Part 2, Auckland to Santiago de Chile

Flying LATAM (LAN) Economy from Sydney to Buenos Aires Part 3, Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires

Economy class is equipped with 283 Collins Aerospace Pinnacle seats arranged in a 3-3-3 layout, which is fairly standard for a Boeing 787-9. Seat pitch ranges from 31 to 35 inches, with rows 12 to 17 offering extra legroom. Each seat has a recline of up to 6 inches, providing a reasonable level of comfort.

Entertainment in economy is delivered via a 9-inch seatback screen, presumably the same range of movies, TV shows, and music as in business. The cabin appeared to be quite empty on this flight, allowing passengers the rare luxury of stretching out across empty seats and enjoying a bit more comfort than usual.

Entertainment

Although there’s no Wi-Fi onboard, the 15.6″ screen offers hundreds of entertainment options to choose from. While the screen is technically touch enabled, it’s positioned too far away to reach comfortably, so I relied on the remote tucked into the armrest to navigate instead.

As I settled in, I realised I needed to choose something quickly if I wanted to finish it before landing. I opted for Paddington in Peru, it seemed like a fitting choice given that we’re flying with a South American airline.

The inflight entertainment system includes a map feature that displayed the current location along the flight path. However, unlike the more advanced systems found on some other airlines, this map isn’t interactive, you can’t zoom in, scroll around, or view different perspectives. It provided only basic, static information about our progress.

Amenities

While some of the amenities weren’t necessary for a flight of this length, there was a clear emphasis on sustainability throughout. From the eco friendly materials used in the amenity kit to the thoughtful packaging choices, it’s evident that efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact.

Placed on each Premium Business seat was a doona, likely unnecessary for a short daytime flight, but, I am sure, appreciated by those continuing on to Santiago. What stood out to me was the cotton bag it came in, printed with the message: “When we reuse this bag, we are taking care of our planet. Help us to achieve this by leaving it on your seat.” It’s a thoughtful, environmentally friendly gesture. At the same time, it likely discourages passengers from taking the bag with them, despite how convenient and reusable it might be while travelling.

The noise cancelling headphones are of decent quality although certainly not on par with say Bose, but perfectly adequate. They also come in a cotton bag featuring the same eco-friendly message encouraging passengers to leave it onboard for reuse.

The amenity kit showcases printed designs by Peruvian artist Mariella Agois, celebrated for her unique geometric artwork, adding a culturally meaningful and artistic flair to its presentation. Inside, the kit includes all the usual essentials, but with a sustainable twist. The bag is crafted from recycled plastic bottles, the toothbrush is made of bamboo, and both the eye mask and socks are made from soft, recycled materials, an eco conscious approach that’s both practical and thoughtful.

Food and Beverage

There was no pre-departure beverage and service didn’t start till we were in the air. Given the timing of the flight, a lunch service is provided.

Menus were handed out, and they read as follows:

Appetizer:
Crab rillette with cucumber and capers.

Mains:
Grilled tenderloin with mushroom sauce, creamy polenta and vegetable caponata.
or
Mushroom filled fresh pasta, with tomatoes and sun-dried tomato sauce.

Desserts:
Fresh seasonal fruit.
or
Cream cheese mousse with rhubarb compote and a crunchy cookie.

The first drink service was offered shortly after takeoff, though the selection was relatively limited. I opted for the Gran Reserva – Viña Viu Manent 2023, which was quite nice. The wine list featured four options, two reds and two whites, all sourced from Chile or Argentina, along with Volleraux Brut Champagne. For spirits, there was Absolut vodka, Chivas Regal Scotch, and Baileys Irish Cream. A range of nonalcoholic choices were also available, including soft drinks, juices, still and sparkling water, as well as tea and coffee.

The meal was served all on one tray, including the appetiser of crab rillette with cucumber and capers, a side salad, and dessert. For the main course, I chose the grilled tenderloin with mushroom sauce, creamy polenta, and vegetable caponata. For dessert, I went with the cream cheese mousse topped with rhubarb compote and a crunchy cookie.

I thought the crab appetizer was an unusual choice, especially if some don’t eat seafood. Fortunately, I do, but I found it rather bland overall. There wasn’t much flavour to it, apart from a slight zing from the capers.

The leaf side salad was fresh, and I particularly enjoyed the Las Doscientas extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing. The olive oil, sourced from Chile, where olives are grown and cold-pressed, had a mild, almost fruity flavour that was enjoyable.

The main course, though presented more like a home cooked meal, was actually quite enjoyable. The tenderloin was cooked to perfection and I really liked it. I would have appreciated a bit more mushroom sauce, as it seemed to have evaporated. The polenta was flavourful but slightly dry, and while the caponata was pleasant, it didn’t particularly stand out.

For someone who doesn’t usually get too excited about desserts, the cream cheese mousse with rhubarb compote and a crunchy cookie was a pleasant surprise. Both sweet and tart, it was a perfectly balanced and satisfying end to the lunch service.

There was also a bread basket service, and for some reason, I opted for crackers instead of a roll, perhaps subconsciously expecting some cheese to follow…

After the meal, another drinks round is offered, and I happily enjoyed another glass of the Gran Reserva – Viña Viu Manent 2023. It was accompanied by a piece of Whittaker’s dark chocolate. Yes, I know dark chocolate is best paired with a bold red, but I couldn’t resist, either.

Conclusion

LATAM’s Premium Business offers a solid, if slightly dated, experience. While the older 2-2-2 seat configuration lacks the privacy of newer designs, the seat itself is spacious, comfortable, and reclines fully flat. Service is warm and attentive, and the meal, though simply presented, was enjoyable, with thoughtful touches like regional wines and sustainable amenity kits. Entertainment options are broad, though the system feels a bit behind the curve. Despite some signs of age, LATAM’s Premium Business still delivers comfort and convenience, especially for those continuing on longer legs of the journey. It’s a reliable option, with room for modernisation.

Would you have paid an additional $200 to fly Premium Business?

Looking for great airfares like the one I found on LATAM to Auckland? Click here!