LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class Review: Honest Verdict

LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class Review: A Short Dreamliner Flight With Comfort, Character and a Tired Cabin

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3 out of 5
Expectation Level: Met our expectations
Best For: Travellers wanting a short wide-body Business Class experience between Sydney and Auckland.
Not Ideal For: Travellers expecting a modern, private or luxury long-haul Business Class cabin.
Best Feature: Proper meal service and Chilean wine list.
Biggest Letdown: Tired cabin and slow service.

For this LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class review, we flew from Sydney to Auckland on LATAM flight LA800 in March 2025.

LA800 continues from Auckland to Santiago, but our journey covered the shorter fifth freedom sector between Australia and New Zealand. That gave us the chance to try a long-haul Dreamliner Business Class seat on a short trans-Tasman flight.

We had realistic expectations before boarding. We knew the flight would last under three hours, so we did not expect a full long-haul experience. Even so, we wanted to see how LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class compared with other premium cabins we have flown.

Overall, the LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class met our expectations. The seat worked well enough for the short flight, the food was better than we expected, and the aircraft added some novelty to the journey. However, the cabin looked tired, service felt slow, and the product lacked the polish we expect from a modern Business Class cabin.

Flight Details

Airline	LATAM Airlines
Flight Number	LA800
Route	Sydney (SYD) to Auckland (AKL)
Date	6 March 2025
Aircraft	Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Registration	CC-BGG
Seats	4A and 4C
Cabin	Business Class
Scheduled Departure	11:40
Actual Departure	11:49
Scheduled Arrival	16:50
Actual Arrival	16:27
Flight Time	2 hours 39 minutes

The flight left Sydney 9 minutes late but arrived in Auckland early. That helped the experience feel smooth from an operational standpoint.

A flight time of 2 hours and 39 minutes gave us enough time to try the lounge, seat, entertainment, meal, cabin crew and onboard facilities.

Qantas Business Class Lounge Sydney

Before our LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class flight, we used the Qantas International Business Lounge at Sydney Airport.

The lounge felt crowded and extremely busy during our visit. Seating looked tight in some areas, and the atmosphere felt more practical than relaxing. We would not describe it as a calm premium lounge experience.

Unfortunately, LATAM no longer sits within the oneworld alliance, so we could not use the Qantas First Class Lounge on this trip. That felt like a shame, especially as the Qantas First Class Lounge in Sydney has a strong reputation. We will review that lounge separately on our later journey from Sydney to Singapore.

The biggest positive came from the showers. We both managed to have a shower before the next flight, which made a real difference after a long journey. At that point, we had already been on the road for over 39 hours, so a shower mattered more than food, drinks or lounge design.

The lounge had wine, seating areas and airport views, but the crowding limited the experience. We used it as a functional pre-flight stop rather than a place to relax for long.

Boarding and First Impressions

Boarding felt straightforward, and stepping onto a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for a short Sydney-to-Auckland flight added a bit of excitement.

A wide-body aircraft on a short sector always feels more interesting than a standard narrow-body flight. The LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class gave us a proper long-haul cabin for a short fifth-freedom route, creating a sense of novelty.

First impressions, however, felt mixed. The cabin looked spacious, but the seating immediately looked older. The grey fabric, red headrests and older seat controls gave the cabin a dated feel.

The cabin did not look dirty, but it did look tired. Some surfaces showed wear, and the overall design felt behind many newer Business Class products.

Cabin Layout and Seats 4A and 4C

We sat in 4A and 4C for this LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class flight.

Seat 4A gave us a window seat, while 4C kept us together as a couple. The layout worked well for two people travelling together, although it offered less privacy than newer direct-aisle-access Business Class cabins.

For a short flight, the seats felt adequate. We had more space than a standard regional Business Class seat, and the large side table provided room for drinks, menus, and personal items. The seat was also a decent width, and the Dreamliner cabin made the flight feel more premium than on a normal short-haul aircraft.

However, we would not want to spend a very long flight in these seats unless the fare offered excellent value. The cabin looked dated, the seat controls felt old, and the design lacked privacy.

The seat did not feel like a modern flagship Business Class product. It felt more like an older long-haul seat that still works, but now needs a refresh.

For the Sydney-to-Auckland sector, LATAM’s Boeing 787-9 Business Class provided enough comfort. For a longer overnight flight to Santiago, we would have wanted a more modern seat with better privacy and a fresher cabin.

Amenity Kit

The amenity kit felt basic, although it added a small long-haul touch to the short flight.

At the seat, we found a soft pouch, an eye mask and earplugs. LATAM also provided a wooden-handled toothbrush.

The kit did not feel luxurious, but we did not expect a major amenity offering on such a short flight. For under three hours, the basics worked well enough.

The amenity kit matched the wider LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class experience. It did the job, but it did not feel especially memorable or needed.

In-Flight Entertainment

We did not use the LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class entertainment system.

The screen felt too far away from the seat, and the content looked limited. After a quick look, we decided to use our own iPads instead.

For a short flight, that choice worked fine. We had our own entertainment ready, and the flight time did not justify spending long browsing the onboard system.

On a longer sector, the entertainment setup would matter more. A premium long-haul cabin needs a strong IFE system, especially when passengers may spend 10 hours or more onboard.

Food and Drink Service

Food service on our LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class flight felt slow. On a longer flight, the pace might have frustrated us more. In this short section, it did not cause a major problem, although the timing still felt less polished than it should have.

The lunch menu included a smoked mackerel starter, a choice of grilled tenderloin or cheese tortellini for the main course, and fruit or orange sponge cake for dessert.

We both chose the grilled tenderloin with red wine sauce, served with roasted onions, potatoes and cherry tomatoes. We did not have the starter or dessert, as we only wanted the main course.

The tenderloin looked generous for a short flight and felt more substantial than we expected. The tray also included a bread roll, side salad and the smoked mackerel starter, although we left the starter.

The main course gave the flight a proper Business Class feel. The dish came with potatoes, onion, tomato and sauce, and the portion size felt good for a route of under three hours.

The drinks list included Champagne Vollereaux Brut Reserve, Absolut vodka, Chivas Regal 12-year whisky, Baileys Irish Cream, beers, orange juice, light fruit juice, mineral water, sparkling water, tonic water, soft drinks, coffee, decaffeinated coffee and Twinings teas.

The wine list focused on Chilean wines, which suited LATAM’s South American identity. Options included La Piu Belle Blend 2021 from Viña Vik, Gran Reserva Petit Verdot 2021 from Viña Santa Carolina, Aquitania Chardonnay 2023 from Viña Aquitania and Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2023 from Viña Casa Silva.

Cabin Crew

The cabin crew did their job, but nothing really stood out.

Service felt slow, especially during the food and drink service. For a longer flight, that might have become more frustrating. For this short Sydney-to-Auckland sector, we accepted it more readily.

We had already been travelling for over 39 hours, so our priorities had changed by this point. We mainly wanted a comfortable seat, something to eat and a smooth arrival into Auckland.

The crew remained polite enough, but the service lacked the warmth, pace and attention to detail that can make Business Class feel special.

Toilets

Two toilets served the LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class cabin.

They felt like standard Boeing 787 toilets, with no special design features or premium touches. Everything worked as expected, but nothing stood out.

For a short flight, two toilets seemed enough for the cabin. On a longer sector, they may get busier after meal service.

What We Liked

We liked the novelty of flying a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on a short Sydney-to-Auckland route. A wide-body aircraft made the flight feel more interesting than a standard short-haul service.

We also liked the fact that the flight arrived early. After more than 39 hours on the road, an early arrival in Auckland felt very welcome.

The Qantas Business Class Lounge showers helped too. The lounge itself felt busy, but the ability for both of us to shower before flying added real value.

The food also exceeded our expectations for such a short flight. The grilled tenderloin felt like a proper Business Class main course, and the Chilean wine list gave the service a more distinctive feel.

Seats 4A and 4C suited us as a couple. The layout worked well for travelling together, even though it lacked privacy compared with newer Business Class cabins.

What Could Improve

LATAM needs to refresh the Business Class cabin. The seat design, controls, finishes and entertainment setup all felt dated.

The cabin did not give us the wow factor we expected from a long-haul Business Class product, for a short route, which mattered less. For a longer journey, the tired cabin would affect the experience more.

Service speed also needs improvement. A short flight requires efficient pacing, especially when the airline offers a proper meal service.

The in-flight entertainment also needs work. The screen felt too far away, and the content did not tempt us away from our iPads.

The lounge experience could also improve, although Qantas controls that part of the journey rather than LATAM. The Qantas International Business Lounge felt too crowded during our visit, and the overall atmosphere felt busy rather than premium.

Overall Verdict

Our LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class flight from Sydney to Auckland met our expectations.

We did not expect a cutting-edge Business Class product, and the experience matched that. The seat worked for a short flight, the food felt decent, and the early arrival helped the journey end well.

However, the tired cabin, slow service, dated seat controls and weak entertainment held the flight back. LATAM Boeing 787-9 Business Class felt adequate rather than impressive.

For a short fifth freedom flight, we enjoyed the novelty and comfort of a wide-body aircraft. For a longer overnight flight, we would want a newer, fresher and more private Business Class seat.

Final Rating

Overall Rating	★★★☆☆ 3 out of 5
Expectation Level	Met our expectations
Best For	Travellers wanting a short wide-body Business Class experience between Sydney and Auckland
Not Ideal For	Travellers expecting a modern, private or luxury long-haul Business Class cabin
Best Feature	Proper meal service and Chilean wine list
Biggest Letdown	Tired cabin and slow service