LATAM to leave Oneworld on 1st May 2020, a few months earlier than anticipated

We had known for some time that LATAM would be leaving Oneworld but the actual date was shrouded in mystery, with rumours of around Q4 this year.

Well now it is confirmed. LATAM will no longer be a member effective – 1st May 2020.

As a slight derogation from normal Oneworld practice, despite their one month overlapping periods of both being full members, LATAM and Royal Air Maroc will not offer nor receive benefits when flying on reciprocal airlines.

No doubt there will be some anxious readers wondering what this means in practice. So here is the thick and thin of it.

• You can redeem your other Oneworld carrier's air miles to book travel on LATAM until 30th April 2020 for travel even beyond this date.
• If you are travelling from 1st May 2020 onwards, you will not be able to use Oneworld reciprocal privileges such as lounge access, and you will not be able to earn air miles on LATAM unless the airline has signed a bi-lateral partnership.

So while there is still time, and if you are a British Airways Executive Club member, don't forget you can do one of the quirkiest Tier Point runs between Madrid and Frankfurt in LATAM's lie-flat business class for as little as £2/TP. I did this last year and you can read the review here.