OREANDA-NEWS. American Airlines announces the launch of a new codeshare agreement with Bogota-based LAN Colombia, adding new service to key destinations in Colombia and further strengthening American's relationship with LATAM Airlines Group. Customers can begin booking travel on the codeshare flights Aug. 1 for travel beginning Aug. 8.

The new codeshare agreement will give American's customers seamless connecting service within Colombia and provide LAN Colombia's customers access to new destinations in the United States. The two airlines will codeshare on flights between the U.S. and Colombia and provide American's customers access to four new destinations in Colombia - Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena and Pereira, while giving LAN Colombia's customers access to 12 new cities in the U.S. from Miami, including Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and New York.

“Forming strategic partnerships with other airlines is a key component of our network expansion efforts and our longstanding relationship with LATAM has proven to be extremely beneficial to our respective customers,” said Kurt Stache, American's Vice President - Strategic Alliances. “Through this new codeshare agreement with LAN Colombia, American is able to further enhance our network footprint in Latin America and strengthen our partnership with the region's largest and most premier airline group.”

“This new codeshare with American demonstrates LAN Colombia's strategy to expand its offer outside of Colombia in 2013, since access to international destinations is strengthened not only with new routes, but also through agreements with other airlines of the magnitude and international recognition of American Airlines,” said Maria Lara, Director of Corporate Affairs for LAN Colombia. “Furthermore, strengthening our international network is important for the continued growth of our network and flights in Colombia.”

In addition, LAN Colombia plans to join the oneworld® alliance in the fourth quarter of this year. LAN Colombia operates more than 990 weekly flights to cities throughout Colombia as well as destinations in Brazil and the U.S. From its Bogota hub, LAN Colombia offers 125 daily flights, including service to 20 Colombian cities.

Through the codeshare agreement, members of the American Airlines AAdvantage® program will be able to earn and redeem miles on flights operated by LAN Colombia, providing another valuable benefit of the enhanced relationship.

In addition to the codeshare agreement with LAN Colombia, later this year American will launch new service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Bogota (BOG), demonstrating its mission to provide customers with expanded options through a growing network footprint in Latin America. American currently operates up to 35 weekly flights from its hub in Miami to Bogota (BOG), Cali (CLO) and Medellin (MDE).

American provides more service than any other airline between the United States and Latin America with more than 900 weekly flights to 61 destinations in 18 countries, including 12 destinations in Mexico served by American Eagle. For more details about American's network in Latin America, please visit aa.com/morelatinamerica.