LATAM Chile: Delays, Cancellations and Baggage Help 2026

Reviewed on October 6, 2026. If your LATAM flight in Chile is delayed or cancelled, or your checked bag has not arrived, start with the airline's official channels and the details of your own booking. Different problems require different records and procedures.

This English guide explains where to look, what to ask and how to organise a case. Passenger rights depend on the journey and applicable rules; an airline policy for one situation should not be treated as a universal compensation promise.

Quick reference: choose the right first action

Official LATAM contact numbers for Chile

The official LATAM contact directory lists Chile customer service as 600 526 2000 and +56 2 2579 8990 for calls from outside Chile. Its United States section lists 1 866 435 9526.

The Chile section also publishes the virtual assistant WhatsApp number +56 9 6825 0850. These are airline assistance channels, not emergency medical services. Check the current directory for the country from which you are contacting LATAM.

The Help Center provides questions, contact options and case tools. Keep your booking reference available, and explain whether you need an immediate travel arrangement or a written response about a past incident.

When your flight is delayed

Check LATAM flight status and your booking messages. Ask staff what changed, whether your connection is affected and what assistance or alternatives apply. A revised departure estimate is different from a confirmed replacement booking.

Keep a simple timeline: scheduled departure, notices received, updated estimates and the answer to your request. Distinguish the airline's explanation from your own assumptions about the cause.

For Chilean passenger rights, consult SERNAC's March 2026 guidance. It covers information duties, delays, cancellations and other protections. Eligibility and consequences must be assessed under the rules applicable to the case; do not infer a universal refund threshold of 31 minutes or automatic cash compensation after every delay.

When LATAM cancels or reschedules a flight

LATAM's official cancellation guidance describes keeping the proposed alternative, choosing a new date or requesting a refund. Its free date-change option specifies the same destination and original class, with conditions for an unused trip.

The page describes up to twelve months from the first original flight purchased for the relevant unused trip, rather than twelve months automatically restarting on the day you call. It also describes refunds of unused flights and services bought from LATAM through My Trips.

Before selecting an option, check every affected leg, connection and additional service. If the new arrangement is unsuitable, explain the practical problem and ask what alternative is available for your booking.

Save the confirmation once you make your choice. Do not assume that discussing an option with an agent has changed the reservation: check the itinerary and any unresolved segment.

Changing plans voluntarily or requesting a refund

A passenger-requested change and an airline cancellation are different triggers. Read the fare conditions attached to your ticket and ask what amount, fee or fare difference applies before confirming a voluntary change.

If you purchased through an agency, identify the seller and ask who will handle the request. Avoid opening overlapping requests without understanding their status. Record the response, requested action and reference so you can follow the same case.

For a refund, ask what is included, how it will be returned and the stated processing period for your payment method. Keep the confirmation and compare it with the actual transaction; do not rely on a single advertised timeframe as a guarantee for every country and payment.

Delayed checked baggage: report and track it

LATAM's official baggage procedure directs passengers to baggage staff for a Property Irregularity Report, or PIR, and formal reporting through the process provided at the airport. Have your identity document, boarding pass and baggage tag, and describe the bag clearly.

Keep the report reference for tracking. The page describes a compensation process if the bag is not located within fourteen days, with a separate seven-day rule for domestic Brazil. This operational timeline should not be confused with every legal notice or claim deadline.

As a practical record, note the bag's colour, brand, distinctive marks and tag number. Confirm the contact details and delivery location you provide, especially if you will move between hotels before the bag is located.

Damaged baggage and missing contents

The same baggage page provides reporting options at the airport and, for damage discovered after leaving, contact through its published WhatsApp procedure within seven days after the trip, with individual evaluation. Leaving arrivals does not automatically invalidate every damage report.

Photograph the damage and keep relevant records. Identify whether the issue concerns the suitcase, missing contents or an item left behind, so you follow the matching procedure rather than treating all three as a missing checked bag.

Compensation depends on applicable liability rules, the facts and supporting evidence. Do not treat a fixed US-dollar figure as a guaranteed payment for every domestic or international baggage problem. Ask which rules and calculation the airline is applying to your case.

Missed connections at Santiago airport

Bring both itineraries to the airline and explain how the disruption affected the onward flight. Ask who is handling the connection and whether another carrier or separate booking is involved.

Do not assume that one booking reference resolves every liability question, or that separate tickets remove all rights relating to the disrupted flight. These distinctions help identify the problem but do not replace the applicable conditions and law.

Our Santiago airport guide helps you locate the airport information you need. Check the actual route between terminals and required formalities; a generic connection time should not be described as an airline-approved minimum for every itinerary.

Denied boarding and assistance

If boarding is refused, ask for the reason and a record of the decision. Distinguish an invitation to volunteer from involuntary denial and ask what conditions attach to any arrangement offered.

SERNAC's guidance addresses overbooking and related obligations. Identify the proposed alternative, assistance and any compensation separately, then review the rules that apply to your journey.

For journeys involving Europe, consult the European Commission's official passenger-rights information. For another jurisdiction, use its competent authority. A Chilean domestic flight does not acquire European or US compensation rules simply because the traveller is foreign.

Medical issues and special assistance

For an immediate emergency onboard, alert the cabin crew; at the airport, seek staff assistance. A booking contact number is not a substitute for urgent help.

For a medical impediment to travel, SERNAC describes modification or refund rights subject to the requirements of Chile's Aeronautical Code. Ask for the applicable procedure and necessary evidence; do not treat every illness or family bereavement as an automatic unrestricted refund.

If you need mobility assistance or another accommodation, explain the need directly to the airline and ask for confirmation for each relevant leg. Keep that confirmation with your itinerary and raise any discrepancy before boarding.

How to organise a written complaint in Chile

Prepare a short chronology, identify the flight and seller, state the problem and specify the solution requested. Attach relevant records through the official channel and retain the case reference.

SERNAC's information on its agreement with JAC identifies the SERNAC complaint platform for airline consumer queries and complaints. Use the current consumer complaint instructions rather than assuming JAC is a separate mandatory appeal stage.

An example request you can adapt is: «My original flight was [flight and date]. I received [notice] at [time]. I requested [solution] and received [answer]. Please confirm the applicable option and the status of case [reference].» Keep unknown facts labelled as unknown.

Interested in an aviation career in Chile?

For the professional side of aviation, read our LATAM cabin-crew application guide and DGAC airline transport pilot licence guide. They explain different roles and licensing routes; passenger assistance procedures do not substitute for professional training.

We recommend studying DGAC theory using the official study material and the current rules for your intended licence. Aerotest helps you practise questions and review mistakes, alongside the training and assessments your route requires.