Brazilian airline TAM announced on Friday that it has signed a partnership agreement with U.S. carrier United Airlines.

Under the agreement, United Airlines will offer its chain of domestic flights in the United States as well as flights from Brazil to Washington and Chicago, destinations to which TAM does not fly.

In return, TAM will offer its domestic lines and flights within South America.

The contract is expected to generate 35 million U.S. dollars of annual revenues for TAM, up 25 percent from those obtained from its partnership with American Airlines, which was terminated earlier this month.

The estimated number of passengers to fly TAM and United Airlines planes on the same trip will also reach 50,000 per year, doubling that with American Airlines.

TAM's CEO Marco Antonio Bologna said that by signing the agreement TAM aimed to increase its market share.

The company is also studying the possibility of operating flights to Los Angeles. The airline currently flies only to New York and Miami in the U.S., Bologna added.

The deal will go into effect by the end of 2007 if approved by the Civil Aviation National Agency.

Source: Xinhua