American Airlines and JetSMART, an ultra-low-cost carrier with principal operations in Chile and Argentina, have signed a letter of intent to create a broad network and a rewarding customer offering in the Americas. This proposed partnership would uniquely tie together the full-service, global presence of American with the complementary network of JetSMART in South America to offer competitive fares and expanded travel options for flyers throughout North and South America.
JetSMART is a portfolio airline of Indigo Partners, one of the world’s premier developers of new generation ultra-low-cost airlines. JetSMART operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft and offers short-haul domestic and international service to 33 destinations throughout South America.
Under the proposed transaction, American would invest in JetSMART to facilitate this growth and give American a minority ownership stake in the short-haul South American carrier. Additionally, American and Indigo Partners would jointly commit to provide additional capital to fund potential future opportunities in the region. American can strengthen and grow its South American network through this proposed partnership to attract more travelers in more markets. This proposed partnership, along with others in Latin America, would also give American customers access to more low fares and travel options on a network that is twice as big as other alliances.
The intended investments and codeshare agreements are subject to definitive documentation and any required governmental and regulatory approvals.
