LAN Peru – an affiliate of LAN Airlines - will initiate operations to Peru out of San Francisco. The company will offer four flights per week to Lima on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

LAN Peru’s new service from San Francisco to Lima offers passengers connecting service to multiple destinations in the region including Sao Paulo, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Santiago, Chile.

“The announcement of LAN Peru’s new service between SFO and Lima opens the gateway for an unprecedented expansion of economic and cultural ties between North and South America,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.  “The additional passengers and commerce that this new service brings to the Bay Area is extremely positive news during these challenging economic times.”

San Francisco will become LAN Airlines and its affiliates’ fourth U.S. gateway, in addition to New York, Los Angeles and Miami.

“This announcement represents LAN and its affiliates’ continued commitment to growth in North America and expanding the travel options available to its passengers in this market,” said Pablo Yunis, Vice President of North America and the Caribbean for LAN Airlines.

The new route will continue to support the growth of tourism to the region, considering that it will be the only nonstop flight connecting San Francisco with South America, offering passengers more options for travel to unique destinations like Machu Picchu, Patagonia, as well as Easter Island and Iguazu Falls.

The company will service this route on modern Boeing 767-300s with long-haul reach and a capacity for 221 passengers. These aircraft offer LAN’s Premium Business cabin that includes full flat, 180 degree reclining seats with a completely horizontal sleeping option that only a select group of airlines in the world offer, in addition to a renovated Economy class. In both classes of services, passengers have access to a modern entertainment system that offers one of the most diverse audio and video on-demand programming in the world.