TAM Airlines, officially TAM Linhas Aéreas, merged with LAN Airlines in June 2012 to form LATAM Airlines Group and now operates as LATAM Airlines Brasil (IATA code: JJ). The TAM brand has been fully rebranded as LATAM, and all flights are managed under LATAM’s policies. Therefore, the cancellation policy for TAM Airlines is no longer applicable; instead, LATAM Airlines’ cancellation policy governs all bookings. Below is a concise overview of LATAM Airlines’ current cancellation policy, with references to historical TAM issues where relevant, based on the latest information from latamairlines.com and reliable sources, accurate as of June 25, 2025.
24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation:
- You can cancel any LATAM flight within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to the original payment method, provided the flight departs at least 7 days (168 hours) later, per U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for U.S. bookings. This applies to all fare types (Light, Plus, Top, Premium Economy, Business Plus, Business Top) booked directly through latamairlines.com, the LATAM mobile app, or customer service.
- No cancellation fees are charged, and refunds are processed within 7–20 business days for credit cards, though delays up to 2–12 months have been reported, echoing historical TAM refund issues (e.g., Tripadvisor posts from 2012 noting 60-day delays for TAM refunds). Refunds for cash or other methods may take longer.
- Exclusions: Group bookings (10+ passengers), codeshare flights operated by other carriers (e.g., Delta), or promotional fares may not qualify for the 24-hour policy.
After 24-Hour Window:
- Refundable Fares:
- Top and Business Top Fares: Fully refundable, with no cancellation fee if canceled before departure.
- Plus and Business Plus: Refundable with a cancellation fee (typically $99–$200, depending on route and timing).
- Non-Refundable Fares (e.g., Light)**: Non-refunded after 24 hours, except for taxes and fees. Cancellation fees range from $99–$200 per segment, and no travel credit or voucher is issued unless specified by fare rules. If fees exceed the ticket value, no refund is provided.
- Cancellation Deadline: Cancellations must be made before departure to avoid a no-show, which voids the ticket with no refund or credit, even for taxes.
- Service Fees: Cancellations via the Contact Center or LATAM sales desks incur a $50–$100 service fee per ticket, deducted from any refund. Online cancellations avoid this fee.
- LATAM Pass Award Tickets: Cancellations return miles to the account, minus a processing fee ($50–$100). Taxes are refunded via an online form.
Cancellation Process:
- Phone: Call LATAM’s customer service at +1-877-240-6770. A service fee may apply, and hold times average 5–10 minutes, with Monday being the busiest day.
- In-Person: Visit a LATAM ticket counter or airport kiosk.
- Refunds are credited to the original payment method within 7–20 days days for credit cards, up to 30 days days for debit cards, and longer for cash. Vouchers, if offered, are issued instantly and valid for 1 year.
