Latam Airlines announced a new direct route between Asunción and Montevideo, scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027 with five weekly flights. The connection is expected to offer about 7,100 seats per week, although one statement also mentioned 7,500 seats; the difference was not explained.
The announcement was made on September 3, following a meeting between the company’s CEO, Roberto Alvo, and President Santiago Peña at Mburuvicha Róga, the presidential residence of Paraguay. Nelson Mendoza, president of the National Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (Dinac), the agency responsible for civil aviation in the country, Javier Viveros, acting minister of Industry, and Javier Ocampo, Latam’s representative in Paraguay, also attended the meeting.
In addition to the new connection with Uruguay, the company said it would expand its operations from Asunción. The current 26 weekly flights on existing routes are expected to rise to 32 by the end of 2026. With the addition of the five flights to Montevideo, the network will reach 37 weekly flights departing from Paraguay.
Alvo said the route is part of the company’s regional strategy and will enable connections, through Latam’s hubs in São Paulo, Santiago and Lima, to other destinations in South America and beyond. The executive also highlighted the company’s 30 years of presence in Paraguay and said the group feels “proudly Paraguayan” after three decades of operations.
The expansion is expected to strengthen Paraguay’s links with Uruguay and broaden connection options to other destinations through Latam’s hubs. These are expected effects of the strategy announced by the company and supported by the government, while its actual impact on tourism, employment and economic development will depend on the route’s operation and demand.
Mendoza said Dinac would continue supporting the expansion of routes and flight frequencies at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport. He said the meeting addressed the company’s projects for Paraguay and the region, as well as marking 30 years since the company opened its first branch in Asunción.
Viveros linked increased connectivity to tourism, economic development and formal employment. The minister said that “for every person who hires an airline, six jobs are generated.” He also cited the potential of the Tri-Border Area, which, according to his estimate, receives about four million visitors a year, and backed the goal of turning Paraguay into a regional air-connection hub.