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Peru’s role as a regional air hub is entering a period of rapid change as United Airlines prepares to end its long-running nonstop between Newark and Lima while LATAM Airlines Peru adjusts its network and responds to new connection charges at Jorge Chávez International Airport, shifting how travelers link North America, South America, and the Caribbean through the capital.
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United Shifts U.S.–Peru Focus From Newark to Houston
Published coverage indicates that United Airlines plans to discontinue its nonstop Newark–Lima route in 2027, ending a long-standing link between Peru and the New York metropolitan area. Reporting from aviation-focused outlets describes the move as part of a broader reshaping of United’s South America schedule, with aircraft and gate capacity at Newark redirected toward an expanded transatlantic network. According to these reports, United aims to redeploy widebody capacity on routes with higher demand and yields, reducing direct options for travelers between the U.S. Northeast and Peru.
At the same time, schedule data cited in industry analysis suggests that United will increase service from its Houston Intercontinental hub to Lima, with plans for twice-daily frequencies during the northern summer of 2027. This refocus on Houston reinforces the carrier’s hub-and-spoke strategy, positioning Texas as United’s primary U.S. gateway to Peru. For many travelers in the eastern United States, however, the loss of a nonstop from Newark means an additional connection will be required to reach Lima on United metal.
Earlier timetable snapshots for the northern winter 2024–2025 season showed United experimenting with capacity on the Newark–Lima route, including temporary increases to daily service in peak periods before the longer-term withdrawal surfaced in 2026 network discussions. Industry observers interpret this as testing demand ahead of a more structural shift toward Houston, where United already operates extensive connectivity across the U.S. interior and to other Latin American destinations.
For Peru-bound passengers, the change will reshape typical itineraries. Business travelers from New York and nearby markets who once relied on the nonstop will likely route via Houston, Washington Dulles, or other Star Alliance hubs. At the same time, competing airlines with strong New York–South America networks may look to capture a share of premium demand that previously used United’s Newark–Lima service.
LATAM Consolidates Lima Hub While Trimming Select International Routes
While United rebalances its U.S.–Peru operations, LATAM Airlines Peru is fine-tuning its role as Lima’s dominant hub carrier. Corporate updates and annual reporting from LATAM Group show that the airline has added new international routes in recent years, including long-haul and regional services, while using Lima as a connection point between North America, South America, and the Caribbean. One example highlighted in these documents is the launch of new leisure-oriented destinations and the expansion of connectivity across Spanish-speaking South America.
At the same time, Lima Airport Partners, the concessionaire that operates Jorge Chávez International Airport, has publicly confirmed that LATAM will discontinue its Lima–Havana route, citing information from the airline about its schedule review. Airport statements emphasize that carriers have the flexibility to adjust or cancel routes in line with commercial performance and passenger load factors. Local media reports further indicate that LATAM has evaluated other international routes from Lima in light of evolving cost structures and demand patterns.
Network adjustments around Cuba and the Caribbean appear against a wider backdrop of LATAM consolidating strengths on core trunk routes, including high-demand services within South America and to the United States. This strategy aligns with LATAM’s use of Lima as a connecting hub for flows between North America and secondary South American markets, often in partnership with other members of the LATAM group. Travelers may see more capacity on these key corridors even as thinner routes such as Havana are reduced or removed.
LATAM has also invested in the on-the-ground experience at Lima’s new passenger terminal. Group reporting describes the introduction of dedicated spaces for its loyalty customers and enhanced services for connecting passengers. These upgrades seek to reinforce Lima’s status as a competitive regional hub at a time when several international airlines, including new European entrants, are weighing or expanding operations at Jorge Chávez.
New Airport Connection Fee Adds Cost Pressure to Lima Transfers
An additional factor shaping Lima’s role as a transfer point is the introduction of a new charge for international connections. In late 2025, a fee known as the Unified Airport Use Fee for transfers is scheduled to take effect at Jorge Chávez International Airport, following a decision by Lima Airport Partners as concessionaire. According to information posted on LATAM’s trade portal for travel agents, the charge will apply to passengers making international connections in Lima and will increase the overall cost of itineraries that use the airport as a hub.
LATAM’s communication to the trade highlights that the fee may affect travelers’ total trip costs and could contribute to longer processing times during connections. Separate coverage from Peruvian media and aviation commentators notes that some carriers have already cited the forthcoming fee when reassessing the viability of certain routes that rely heavily on connecting traffic. Low-cost operators have been particularly vocal about the impact on price-sensitive leisure itineraries, with at least one airline publicly linking route suspensions from Lima to concerns around future transfer charges.
Lima Airport Partners has responded through public statements stressing that airlines retain full autonomy to define their schedules, but also framing the new terminal and associated investments as part of a long-term modernization strategy. The operator positions the fee as one element in financing upgraded infrastructure intended to support higher passenger volumes and improved service standards, while acknowledging that it changes the economics of connecting traffic.
For travelers who previously used Lima to link multiple international segments, the new fee may gradually shift price comparisons with rival hubs in the region. Depending on how airlines choose to absorb or pass on the additional cost, alternative connections through cities such as Bogotá, Panama City, or Santiago could become more competitive on certain itineraries, particularly in the leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives markets.
Jorge Chávez Expansion Reshapes Competitive Dynamics
The evolving airline strategies are unfolding alongside a major physical expansion at Jorge Chávez International Airport. The Ministry of Transport and Communications and Lima Airport Partners have highlighted the new terminal as a milestone in the modernization of Peru’s air transport system, noting its role in consolidating Lima as a strategic connectivity hub. Official communications describe phased operations beginning with a limited number of international airlines as part of a trial period, with a progressive ramp-up in flights and services.
Airport updates point to significant private investment in additional gates, taxiways, and passenger facilities, designed to handle increased international traffic and reduce congestion that historically affected Lima’s single-terminal configuration. As more airlines transition operations to the new terminal complex, passengers are beginning to experience new layouts for security, immigration, and boarding, as well as expanded commercial areas and lounges.
The infrastructure upgrade has already attracted interest from new entrants. Announcements from Lima Airport Partners highlight the arrival of carriers such as Level, part of International Airlines Group, which has opened long-haul service between Peru and Europe. These new players add competitive pressure on established transatlantic and regional operators that also use Lima as a staging point, potentially broadening options for passengers even as some routes are retired elsewhere.
However, the intersection of higher infrastructure-related fees, route shuffles by major airlines, and increased competition creates a complex environment for network planning. Carriers like United and LATAM are recalibrating their presence in Lima not only in response to demand but also in light of changing cost structures and the opportunities presented by a larger, more capable airport.
What Travelers Can Expect on Future Lima Connections
In the near term, travelers planning to connect through Lima are likely to see a mix of improved facilities and shifting route maps. For United customers, Houston is set to become the primary gateway to Peru, likely offering more schedule choice and onward connections across North America, but at the cost of losing a nonstop option from the New York area. Star Alliance flyers using United and partners may need to consider alternative routings if they previously favored Newark–Lima for time-sensitive trips.
For LATAM passengers, Lima will remain a core hub, but available destinations and frequencies may evolve as the airline focuses on routes with stronger demand and more resilient yields. The cancellation of the Lima–Havana service and the airline’s public guidance about the new connection fee underscore how cost and profitability considerations are influencing decisions about thinner international routes.
From a practical standpoint, the introduction of the Unified Airport Use Fee for transfers in December 2025 means travelers and travel planners may need to pay closer attention to comparative pricing when selecting routings through Lima. Some itineraries that once offered the best balance of schedule and cost could become less competitive relative to connections through other Latin American hubs, especially for multi-stop journeys.
At the same time, the expanded terminal and the arrival of additional international airlines mean that Lima is likely to retain, and possibly strengthen, its role as a major gateway between South America, North America, and Europe. The combined impact of United’s realignment and LATAM’s network recalibration suggests that connectivity through Peru will continue to be robust, but with different patterns of service and a sharper focus on routes and markets that can support the new economics of operating at an upgraded, higher-cost hub.
United Airlines cuts longtime route to Lima
LATAM advisory on new Lima international connection fee