At the end of July 2026, I flew nonstop from Lima to Cancun with LATAM. A few days before departure, LATAM asked if I wanted to bid on an upgrade to premium economy on this 5.5-hour flight.
I bid the lowest amount I thought would get approved, since premium economy — the highest class on single-aisle LATAM planes — would give me extra legroom, a better meal, and more outlets, rather than just USB-A ports.
My upgrade was approved, but the flight itself was just average. Let’s take a look at the flight experience to see if what I paid for the upgrade was worth it.
The Upgrade Opportunity
LATAM is the only carrier operating nonstop flights between Lima (LIM), Peru, and Cancun (CUN), Mexico.
For my July flight, the economy ticket was $210, and premium economy was selling for $325. That was a difference of $115.
When LATAM emailed me a few days before departure asking if I wanted to bid for an upgrade, I considered a few factors:
- The cost difference between economy and premium economy
- The difference in space and perks
- My plan to work on my laptop for the entire flight
Since extra power outlets and extra space sounded nice, I bid $100, less than the cost difference but high enough that I thought my bid would be approved. I received an email notification that my bid was approved less than 18 hours before departure. At that point, I had already checked in for my flight and assumed my bid had failed. With the upgrade notification, I could now choose a new seat in the premium economy cabin.
Premium economy on LATAM also includes airport lounge access. I didn’t realize this until after my flight, but if you value the quiet and ability to work generally afforded by a lounge and can’t access it otherwise, then the upgrade may become more attractive.
Cabin Layout and Seat Experience in Premium Economy
LATAM uses a 3-3 layout in both economy and premium economy on the Airbus A320. There is no separate premium cabin.
Premium economy occupied the first 3 rows of my flight, as it does on all of LATAM’s A320 and A320neo aircraft.
Seats had a clean leather look, and — just like biz class on flights within Europe — the middle seats were blocked. At boarding, I found a small amenity kit, pillow, and blanket on my seat, as well as a bottle of water.
The back of the seat in front of me had a small pocket, a slot for safety information and magazines, and a tray table.
My seat (seat A, a window seat) in row 2 had 34 inches of pitch, compared with the typical 30 inches between rows in standard economy on this plane.
Under the seats in front of me, I found both USB-A and USB-C outlets. There were 2 of each type in the row, though they didn’t work until after we reached cruising altitude. One of the boxes for the outlets was quite loose, though it worked.
Seat comfort was fair, and I enjoyed the ability to keep a few items on the empty middle seat, work on my laptop, and also use the outlets without feeling cramped during the flight.
Meal and Beverage Service
In premium economy, passengers could choose from 2 dishes: Amazonian Canga chicken with creamy rice or a mixed greens dish with wheat and the option to add smoked trout.
Dessert options included cheesecake and fresh fruits, and premium economy passengers had more drink options than economy passengers, including wines, liquors, coffee, and nonalcoholic beverages.
I requested a special meal in advance. LATAM doesn’t offer special requests on its website, but I was able to do this via DM on X (formerly Twitter).
My vegan meal was honestly not good.
I received a focaccia sandwich with soggy vegetables, a granola bar, and some sliced fruits. After a few bites, I dumped everything off the sandwich and ate the plain focaccia bread, which was much better than its contents.
In terms of special meals I’ve received on flights, I’d give this a 2 out of 10.
Amenities and Wi-Fi
Premium economy passengers could bring a 23-kilogram (50.7 pounds) checked bag. This was the same baggage allowance as passengers in full-fare economy. However, premium economy passengers could bring 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) of extra weight in their carry-on bag.
I didn’t see anyone verifying carry-on baggage weight, though, so I’m not sure how much this perk mattered.
Other benefits for premium economy passengers included the elevated meal options and a dedicated lavatory at the front of the plane.
Beyond these, premium economy passengers had few benefits above what passengers in economy received. There weren’t any inflight entertainment screens. All passengers had access to free content on their own devices by connecting to the inflight network.
Moreover, Wi-Fi was not free for premium economy passengers. However, travelers with LATAM Pass Gold, Platinum, Black, and Black Signature status had free browsing.
For everyone else, internet access on my flight cost $5 for 1 hour. Full-flight access cost $8, though free messaging was available during the flight for LATAM Pass members.
I purchased the full-flight pass for $8, and the speeds averaged around 24 Mbps for downloads and 15 Mbps for uploads. The connection was reliable.
Is the $100 Upgrade Worth It?
If LATAM gives you the chance to bid on an upgrade, is the extra cost worth it? It depends.
Let’s look at my $100 Lima-Cancun upgrade to evaluate.
Moving into premium economy gave me more legroom, a blocked middle seat creating extra space, and upgraded meal options. I also had more outlets, shorter bathroom lines, and got off the plane sooner. My ticket also included a checked bag. I didn’t get free Wi-Fi or extra checked-baggage allowance, though.
Were those worth it? It’s hard to quantify.
Extra space and comfort don’t have a fixed value. The extra space helped me work on my laptop, but wasn’t really worth $100.
The upgraded food and drinks didn’t do much for me. Those who aren’t requesting a special meal might enjoy them more.
The cost of checked baggage might make an upgrade worth it for you. LATAM charges between $35 and $120 for a checked bag on flights between South America and Central America (where LATAM categorizes Mexico), depending on your ticket type and flight length. If the cost of a checked bag on your flight is at the upper end of that range, paying $100 to upgrade to premium economy could make sense.
For flights to the U.S., LATAM charges $70 for the first checked bag if added to the reservation at least 48 hours before departure. From 48 to 6 hours before departure, the fee is $90. It’s $130 between 6 and 1 hours before departure.
Bottom Line:
Paying $100 to upgrade to premium economy includes a checked bag, assuming you had previously booked one of the cheaper economy fare types. Beyond that, the other benefits are hard to quantify, so deciding whether it’s worth the cost comes down to personal judgment rather than a clear dollars-and-cents evaluation — but baggage fees might skew the equation in favor of paying to upgrade.
Final Thoughts
On a recent flight from Lima to Cancun, LATAM asked if I wanted to bid for an upgrade to premium economy. I bid $100, and my upgrade cleared less than 24 hours before departure.
Was it worth it? It’s hard to tell.
Service was just OK, and the added perks were hard to quantify. I got a checked bag, extra space, and an upgraded menu compared to economy passengers. Would I do the same thing over again? All in all, probably not.