Which Card to Get: Choosing the Right LATAM Airlines Credit Card for You

With elevated earning rates and extra perks, there’s a clear winner for frequent flyers
Cardless
January 3, 2023

The content below is meant to be informational in nature. It is not a recommendation of any product or service offered by Cardless, nor does it guarantee credit approval. Before applying for a credit card, be sure to consider your own specific financial situation, objectives, and needs.

Thinking about booking a trip to South America? With easy connections from the U.S. and hundreds of daily flights throughout South America, LATAM Airlines can get you where you want to go.

Now, it’s even easier to earn LATAM Pass Miles for a redemption flight, with the LATAM Airlines Mastercard and LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard, helping you build your mileage balance whenever you spend, with bonus miles on purchases at restaurants, on ground transportation services like rideshare and local transit, and, of course, whenever you book a flight with LATAM Airlines.

Both LATAM Airlines credit cards offer opportunities to earn sign-up bonuses, access special perks and accrue valuable rewards. Read on for a closer look at which card may be right for you.

A big bonus on LATAM Airlines purchases via LATAMAirlines.com

Cardholders can earn up to 4 miles per dollar on LATAM Airlines flight purchases. (Photo by LATAM Airlines)

Both the LATAM Airlines Mastercard and LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard offer bonus LATAM Pass Miles whenever you book a flight directly through LATAM Airlines. With the LATAM Airlines Mastercard, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent on LATAM Airlines flights, while the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard offers a total of 4 miles per dollar on LATAM Airlines flight purchases. That’s in addition to the miles you’ll earn as a LATAM Pass member, plus any bonuses you may be entitled to as an LATAM Pass Elite member, as outlined on LATAM Airlines’ website here.

Extra miles on dining, rideshare and more

It isn’t just LATAM Airlines flights that’ll earn you extra miles. Anytime you spend at restaurants, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar with the LATAM Airlines Mastercard or 3 miles per dollar with the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard. Ground transportation purchases qualify for the same bonus increments as well, including taxis, rideshare, and local transit, like city bus tickets and subway rides.

A generous sign-up bonus

Both cards can help give your LATAM Pass balance a big boost, with the potential to earn enough miles to redeem for an international flight. With the LATAM Airlines Mastercard, new customers can earn 15,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, while new LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard customers can earn 40,000 miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months.

No foreign transaction fees Rates & Fees

Many credit cards come along with foreign-transaction fees, charging customers up to 3% of the purchase price for any purchases made abroad. Thankfully, Cardless has an entirely different approach, so regardless of which card you may qualify for, you won’t have to pay any foreign-transaction fees.

Great perks for frequent flyers to South America

With an opportunity to earn up to 4 miles per dollar spent, annual Courtesy Segments, LATAM Airlines Lounge Passes and a shortcut to LATAM Pass elite status with Qualifying Points multipliers (more about this below), the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard is one of the most enticing airline credit cards on the market. Even occasional travelers can get outsized value from the $99 annual fee, bringing valuable redemptions within reach with the purchases you already make today. Read on for a closer look at some of the card’s most valuable perks.

Upgrade to LATAM Airlines Business Class

Upgrades clear prior to departure, and can give customers access to the full business experience. (Photo by Zach Honig/Cardless)

Flights in LATAM Airlines’ Premium Business cabin can easily run into the thousands of dollars, but customers with the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard are eligible to upgrade from economy using one of the card’s most valuable perks. Each year, you’ll receive two Courtesy Segments — one for flights within South America and one for flights outside of South America. These space-available upgrades clear prior to departure, and can give customers access to the full business experience, including extra space, multi-course meals and, on certain flights, comfy lie-flat seats. LATAM Pass elite members may not be eligible to receive additional Courtesy Segments. Learn more about eligibility and how to redeem Courtesy Segments here.

Reach a higher LATAM Pass elite tier with more Qualifying Points

Both cards can make it easier to reach a higher LATAM Pass elite tier with bonus Qualifying Points. You’ll accrue Qualifying Points twice as quickly with the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard, and you’ll earn more LATAM Pass Miles for many of your purchases, too, with this card. We explain how Qualifying Points work and how you’ll earn them right here.

Which LATAM Airlines card should you get?

Still not sure which card is right for you? Take a look at our side-by-side comparison below, and learn more about the LATAM Airlines Mastercard and LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard perks right here.

ProductLATAM Airlines MastercardLATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee$0$99
Sign-up bonus15,000 miles after $1,000 in first 3 months40,000 miles after $2,500 in first 3 months
LATAM Airlines purchases3x LATAM Pass Miles4x LATAM Pass Miles
Restaurants, ground transportation2x LATAM Pass Miles3x LATAM Pass Miles
Everything else1x LATAM Pass Miles1x LATAM Pass Miles
Qualifying Points1 per 10 miles earned2 per 10 miles earned
Courtesy SegmentsN/A2*
VIP Lounge vouchersN/A2

* Customers with certain LATAM Pass elite status will not receive additional Courtesy Segments. See the LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard Rewards Program Agreement for details.

Click here to learn more about the LATAM Airlines Mastercard and LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard, including rewards, card benefits and more.

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Cardless is not the administrator of the LATAM Pass program. To check your LATAM Pass status, or to learn more about how to achieve certain status levels, please refer to https://latampass.latam.com/en_us/.

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