American Airlines and Chilean ULCC JetSMART have scheduled their codeshare partnership launch later this month after securing the necessary regulatory approvals.
The first phase of the partnership will cover three domestic routes in Chile from Santiago International Airport (SCL). American previously had a codeshare partnership with LATAM Airlines Group in the country, but the arrangement ended following Delta Air Lines’ investment in the South American carrier.
According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, American will begin placing its code on JetSMART’s service from SCL to Antofagasta (ANF), Concepción and Puerto Montt from June 15. More routes are expected to follow.
The move comes after the U.S. Transportation Department on May 8 approved a request to allow JetSMART to display American Airlines’ AA code on flights operated within Chile and between Chile and third countries.
The two carriers signed a letter of intent in July 2021 to launch a partnership designed to “create the broadest network” in the Americas. They added the alliance would allow both airlines to “grow aggressively and profitably across Latin America.”
At the time of the announcement, Santiago-based JetSMART mainly operated from Chile with a subsidiary in Argentina. Since then, it has expanded to Peru and is in the process of establishing a carrier in Colombia.
OAG data shows that JetSMART operates 22 domestic routes in Chile at present and some 51,800 weekly domestic seats. The ULCC, founded by private equity firm Indigo Partners, also flies to eight international destinations from SCL and one from ANF.
American serves Chile’s capital Santiago daily from Miami and three times per week from Dallas.
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