Passengers on the right side of that coin will find customized versions of Thompson Aero Vantage XL seats similar to those found on such other airlines as Qantas, SAS, and South African Airways. They’re 23 to 24 inches wide and recline to 79-inch beds that flight attendants will dress with temperature-regulating mattress pads and full-size pillows. Among the sophisticated style upgrades are textured backboards, granite countertops, and 18-inch HD monitors.
Good luck booking them, though. So far, just five aircraft have the new seats—and they’re not scheduled regularly on any specific routes. (Earn your bragging rights by digging around and checking seat maps.) We’ve recently spotted the upgraded 777s on routes from Sâo Paulo to Madrid and Miami.
Book it with miles: LATAM is a member of Oneworld—at least for now. A recent $2.25 billion deal with Delta means this is sure to change eventually. Until then, use American Airlines AAdvantage miles to book awards on the airline. It’ll cost 57,500 miles each way between the U.S. and Brazil, or 87,500 between Brazil and Europe.
Not-So-New but Notable
Delta’s suites are some of the hottest tickets in the sky—and their continued rollout is making them easier to find. Now, in addition to the fleet’s A350s and Boeing 777s, you’ll find them on new A330-900neos, which fly from Seattle to Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo Narita (starting on Oct. 27).
Book it with miles: The airline has been pricing award tickets for Delta One Suites at exorbitant levels. (We’ve seen redemptions as high as 360,000 miles.) It’s more affordable to use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles—a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards—which charges just 60,000 miles each way.
Qantas also has been updating its Airbus A380 superjumbos with its latest business-class design, now officially installed on its Boeing 787-9s and A330s. These planes and subsequent refits will be deployed all around the network, rather than on specific routes, touching down in Singapore, London, and various U.S. gateways. Just focus eagle eyes on that trusty seat map.
Book it with miles: Your best bets are to redeem either 55,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles or 80,000 American AAdvantage miles each way between the U.S. and Australia.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.