Latin America is more than beaches and jungles – it’s vibrant cities, hidden corners, rich cultures, and authentic experiences waiting for you. And when you fly with LATAM Airlines, you’re not just going from point A to B – you’re unlocking a region’s soul.
In this guide, you’ll discover how to turn a typical vacation into living like a local – with insider tips, regional secrets, and smart travel moves. Whether you’re planning your first trip or returning to Latin America, you’ll learn how to travel deeper, smarter and with the right partner: LATAM.
1. Why LATAM is your ideal gateway
Before we dive into destinations and experiences, let’s talk about why LATAM Airlines is a smart choice for truly experiencing Latin America.
- With over 140 destinations across Latin America, Europe, North America and beyond, LATAM enables you to fly seamlessly into and across the region.
- Their official site (visit latam.com) highlights that when you choose LATAM, “we’ll accompany you at every stage” of your journey.
- Local presence: LATAM is active in the major domestic markets – Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador – meaning the airline is rooted in Latin America, not just passing through.
- Modern fleet and connectivity mean you can reach not just the big tourist hubs, but also lesser‑known places, opening the door to authentic experiences.
Bottom line: Flying LATAM gives you access, flexibility and a platform to travel like someone who knows the region – rather than just seeing it from afar.
2. Choose your route like a local
Many travellers arrive in a headline city such as Rio or Buenos Aires – and then visit the same tourist spots. Here’s how to choose a route that leads to local flavour.
Pick a gateway city with regional links
Let’s say you arrive in Santiago (Chile) or Lima (Peru) or Bogotá (Colombia). These hubs serve as logical launch points into the culture, nature and lesser‑travelled corners.
For example: LATAM’s Colombian unit is increasing the number of flights from Bogotá to Lima and São Paulo, making inter‑Latin‑America travel easier.
That means you could land in one country, then hop to another with ease – staying off the obvious tourist lanes.
Mix a major city + a smaller local destination
Once you land, spend a couple of nights in the big city (to acclimate, rest, explore major sights) – then switch to a smaller town or region where locals live, work, eat, celebrate.
For example:
- Start in Lima: explore Miraflores, Barranco, sample street food.
- Then fly with LATAM to Cusco or Arequipa or a smaller coastal town to live slower.
- Or begin in São Paulo, then move to a beach town or Amazon region.
Multi‑stop logic: don’t just fly in and out
Rather than flying in to one city and out of the same, consider booking a “multi‑city” or “open‐jaw” itinerary: land in one city, depart from another. With LATAM’s network, you can arrange this without large extra cost.
This allows you to experience different corners of Latin America – the urban, the rural, the culturally deep.
3. Live like a local – 5 immersive travel tactics
Here are five actionable ways to experience Latin America as locals do – while flying with LATAM makes it easier.
Eat what the locals eat
Tourist restaurants have their place – but the best experiences happen at neighborhood cafés, markets and street‑food stalls.
- In Lima, skip the fancy “destination restaurants” for one night and dine in Barranco at a local cebichería.
- In Bogotá, join the lunchtime rush at a “corrientazo” – a set‑menu local lunch.
- Use LATAM flights between major cities to gain access to neighbourhood restaurants in smaller places that tourists often skip.
Stay in non‑tourist neighborhoods
Instead of the hotel district, pick a local barrio:
- In São Paulo, stay in Vila Madalena rather than just Paulista Avenue.
- In Santiago, choose Bellavista or Ñuñoa for more local life.
By staying local, you’ll walk to shops, cafés, chat with neighbours, hear music in the streets.
Use regional flights as part of the experience
One of the perks of flying LATAM is that you can integrate flights as part of your cultural immersion rather than just transport.
For example: fly with LATAM from Lima to Cusco, or from Bogotá to Cartagena, or from Santiago to northern Chile – and the flight itself becomes part of the journey. The change of landscape, altitude, people gives context.
Because LATAM connects many domestic and regional routes in Latin America, you can link these experiences seamlessly.
Participate in local traditions
Look up local events, festivals, markets.
- Visit a Sunday ‘Mercado’ in a smaller city.
- Attend a dance night in Bogotá or Buenos Aires.
- Join a weekend “asado” or gathering with locals if you make new friends.
When you fly with LATAM, you can arrange to be in region during these times by checking destination flight schedules and adjusting your stay.
Use local transport & explore on foot
Once you’re air‑landed and settled, ditch the big tourist bus: use the metro, local bus, bicycle, walk the streets. Eat with locals, ask for their favourite places.
Your flight into the region becomes the start of a deeper journey.
4. Which destinations deliver the “local” experience best?
Here are three destination picks (you can certainly extend) that deliver variety – and which are well‑served by LATAM.
Peru: Lima + the Andes + coast
- Land in Lima. Soak up colonial history in the centre, taste street‑food and fine dining alike.
- Fly with LATAM to Cusco (or Arequipa). Spend time among the Andes, sample local cuisine, meet artisans.
- Then perhaps a coastal detour: Paracas or the northern beaches.
Why it works: rich culture, compact enough to see several micro‑regions, flights with LATAM connect the dots.
Colombia: Bogotá + Caribbean coast + interior hills
- Arrive in Bogotá. Walk La Candelaria, enjoy the Café scene, get a feel for the city.
- With LATAM’s increased frequency from Bogotá to the coast (Cartagena, Santa Marta) and São Paulo, you can explore coast then fly onwards.
- Then choose a smaller interior town: Villa de Leyva, Salento, etc, for coffee country or hill towns.
Why it works: contrast between high‑altitude city, tropical coast, coffee hills. Local culture everywhere.
Chile: Santiago + wine regions + Patagonia
- Land in Santiago. Explore neighbourhood cafés, street art, local markets.
- Take a short flight (with LATAM) to a nearby wine region (e.g., Casablanca) for day‑trip feeling.
- Then either head north (Atacama) or south (Patagonia) for nature, local lodging, fewer crowds.
Why it works: Chile offers extremes – desert, sea, mountains – and LATAM’s network supports efficient travel.
5. How to book smart with LATAM for local‑style travel
Booking with intention makes all the difference. Here are actionable tips:
- Use the official site: latam.com is the direct channel where you’ll find full network details and offers.
- Look for multi‑city/open‑jaw options: instead of “Return to same city”, try “Fly in City A, depart City B”.
- Book regional flights ahead of time: your internal flights may cost less if booked early, especially with local airlines or the regional LATAM variants.
- Check local language versions of the website: sometimes regional pricing is better when you view the local country site.
- Use the frequent‑flyer programme: LATAM’s “LATAM Pass” allows you to earn and redeem miles, giving you flexibility, upgrades, and even local perks.
- Choose travel dates around local festivals, but book early: local events attract both domestic and international travellers, so early booking can save money.
- Pack light for regional hops: internal flights may use smaller aircraft or domestic airports – travel lighter so you can move with ease.
- Use the airline’s connectivity: For example, if you land in Lima and later fly to Cusco, use LATAM’s network to integrate your journey rather than switching carriers mid‑trip.
- Consider travel insurance and flexibility: Especially when mixing cities and modes of transport, flexibility helps you adjust if plans change.
Are you ready for more than just sightseeing?
With LATAM Airlines, you’re not merely “passing through” Latin America – you’re stepping into it.
Visit latam.com now, choose your destination, map your route from major city to off‑beat town, pack your curiosity, and take off on a journey that will stay with you long after you’ve returned home. Because when you travel like a local, you don’t just see Latin America – you live it.
