Iberia is definitely one of the worse european services . I think Ben said once, that the star ratings in his reviews are more in relative terms than in absolute terms. Your email address will not be published. Im not exaggerating when I say that Ive never even seen a security line half this long before. Second, American flights must be booked round-trip using Iberia Avios. I hate driving the 2 hours to ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit. Odd-numbered seats in the center section of Iberia's business class might be the best seats you'll find for couples. I chose and before I know I have a glass of cava and not one but TWO Red winesall at once! The price was 75,000 points each plus $32 in tax. We had a quick taxi, and by 11PM we were airborne for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid. Since this was a late night flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep. I hate those lounge chairs as they are too low and the small table isn't big enough to eat off or do work with a laptop. You can get there for just 34,000 miles round-trip if you fly during the offpeak season. Schedule between Madrid and Buenos Aires. 2023 Thrifty Traveler. While not industry leading, Iberia offers a solid business class experience, with comfortable seats, excellent and reasonably priced Wi-Fi, and good enough food and service. Aircraft Airbus A350-900. Iberia 6171 Madrid (MAD) - Los Angeles (LAX) Thursday, May 25, 2017 Depart: 12:45 PM Arrive: 04:15 PM Duration: 12hr, 30min Aircraft: A330-200 Seat: 3C (Business Class) Because of my last-minute flight change, I was assigned a middle seat. Even at 34,000 Iberia Avios each way or 68,000 Avios roundtrip it's cheaper than what most airlines charge for economy, making it one of the best deals in points and miles. Find flights to Madrid from $748. Seafood may not always be a safe choice on a plane, but this was a home run. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. And even if you don't want to spend time in Spain, you could use this award to get across the Atlantic and then fly on elsewhere for cheap! However, there is one additional step you'd need to take to book award tickets for more than one passenger, one that isn't typical of U.S. frequent flyer programs. Purely for optics, science notwithstanding? Curious how long we expect the covered food practice to persist? They were that bad if not worse. The whole business class cabin on our Airbus A330-300 was in one cabin, though others have a small, mini-cabin in the rear. If this is four stars, then what is five and how far above five is Qatar or Emirates? I recall LAX and lines that ran outside from one terminal to the next. The service was simply top notch by the Iberia crew and the seats, entertainment and food all worked and worked well for the price in miles and tiny fee in taxes to get from home to Lisbon connecting via Madrid. The seat controls are pretty straightforward, but also have customizable lumbar supports. The Dalii lounge and the Velzquez Premium Lounge | This is the Velzquez Lounge. ), so I selected the latter. Most importantly, however, we found cities that were largely devoid of tourists, allowing us to explore the major attractions and get into just about any restaurant we wanted. Nothing scary, or anything, but there was enough turbulence that it prevented me from sleeping. A ham and cheese sandwich or a ham omelet, what a choice! Log back in and repeat the process the second time should be the charm. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. See something missing? More about the seat Gastronomy A menu that takes care of every detail Hi Bonnie, you would transfer your Chase points to Iberia and then book through Iberia. Kyle Potter is the executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, covering everything from aviation news to travel deals to in-depth guides on using airline miles. ast month from Miami to Madrid is the WORST Business class experience EVER! We recommend starting from American's advanced search. I've found the Iberia staff generally very good on ORD-MAD and MIA-MAD routes, often providing me two glasses of wine if I indicate I don't know which one to have. In the center section, seats alternate between being closer to the aisle and closer to the center. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Find business class flights to Madrid on Icelandair, Azores Airlines, LOT and more. Even a small backpack will have to be put in the overhead compartment. As is the case with so many airlines, it appears that the boarding time posted on boarding passes isnt actually the time that boarding is intended to start, which sure is frustrating. And the space underneath the ottoman isn't large enough to accommodate anything larger than a pair of shoes or a small bag. The armrests at each seat are rather thin, but they do the job. In addition, all of the account details including your name and contact information must be identical between the two for this to work. is a director of content at TPG and was one of the site's first contributors in 2012. Why not fly from South Bend you ask? But airlines dont have a star rating (apart from the Skytrax scam). The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from New Orleans to Madrid are KLM and Lufthansa. Iberia doesn't always play nice with airport codes, so you may want to type in the city name (Chicago) rather than ORD. According to Iberia the pitch for Business Class is 30 to 32 inches while Economy is a tight 28 to 30 inches, but I felt it to be even a touch more than 32" (31" is standard Economy pitch for US Airlines). However, because the Iberia Plus uses a distance-based formula to calculate the award price, adding an additional connecting flight will increase the number of Avios you'd need. At the conclusion of the meal I was offered a bottle of water. The seats are so close together, you can almost play footsie with your neighbor just make sure you know them. Iberia is the Spanish national carrier and has a strong transatlantic network connecting various European cities with the United States and Latin America. The flight will be operated between June 1 and October 29, 2022, with the following schedule: IB6146 Madrid to Dallas departing 3:55PM arriving 7:50PM There's also a quiet room a cordoned-off area with loungers for jet-lagged travelers or passengers on long layover to grab a quick rest. Any idea what's going on with AAdvantage redemptions on Iberia? Though I agree it's not that proactive, and more of the team following a script (e.g. Iberia adding Madrid to Dallas flight For the summer of 2022, Iberia will operate 4x weekly seasonal flights between Madrid (MAD) and Dallas (DFW). On the other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service being offered. It's probably not going to win any awards anytime soon. Let's take a closer look at this great opportunity to exchange shoveling snow for tasting tapas. Is that true??? It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Then the cheaper airlines saw the money in this and started to sell bags by the kg (like Ryanair). Much more impressive to me was Iberias Wi-Fi situation. I tried from desktop PC (Google chrome) and from my android phone Same thing! to save on your next trip. I Why is that? A wonderful welcome to the so called superpower. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. As I mentioned then, I've been reading your blog for years, it was quite nice to finally meet you. Just under 90 minutes before arrival the breakfast service began. Fortunately Ford and I both had our Amex Platinum Cards on us, which offer a CLEAR credit, so we could sign-up on the spot. Flight time 07:50. Later in the flight I caught a FA lounging in the galley with his mask unattached while the residue from everyones drink and food items piled up in the seating area. Rent a car in Madrid and explore Spain by road, Land in Madrid and take trains to other cities, Explore Madrid for a few nights, then book a separate award ticket using Iberia Plus to another city like Seville (SVQ) or Granada (GRX). (Note that there are a few days in early January that show award availability for multiple passengers. Seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 fashion, so every passenger has direct access to the aisle. @ MRL -- I think it just generally reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes. Im not a white wine drinker, so I passed on those. Click on Beneficiaries, then click Add beneficiary or companion. A professional journalist, he joined the company in November 2018 after five years covering state and national politics for The Associated Press and working at several newspapers across the country. Fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, British Airways, KLM and more. Thanks to Iberia and British Airways' distance-based award pricing, you'll find the cheapest rates flying to or from Boston, Chicago, New York, or Washington, D.C. Read our full guide on how to book business class to Spain from just 34,000 points each way! As youd expect, each seat features direct aisle access and is fully flat. The last time I flew Iberia, the airline charged for Wi-Fi based on data usage, with absolutely outrageous costs. Related: Fly business class to Europe from 34,000 Avios each way At meal times, there's a tray that folds down and rotates out from the back of the seat in front of you. }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Why does Google Flight offer a First Class on Iberia flying from Madrid to IAD? Until recently, this tier included Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Madrid, with off-peak business class awards pricing at 34,000 Avios one-way. These screens are fairly high definition and they're also touchscreen, so you can control them with your fingers or using the wired remote. (function (d, s, n) { Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points)after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. Thanks for sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar's experience on the 787-9. And then there's the console table itself, which has a small storage area. Iberia A330-200 Business Plus LAX-MAD After participating in the fantastic promo that Iberia ran last year, I booked an award Business Class flight from LAX to Madrid on Iberia for my spring break. Ive flown this product a number of times out of NYC and think its great! With an average price for the route of $737 and an overall rating of 7.8, KLM is the most popular choice. On top of that, the food was pretty good, as was the service. Despite the rushed service, the food was better than I remembered (see Iberia MAD-SJU Business: Great to Fly Direct). We booked our Miami to Madrid flight as a standalone itinerary, since we were spending a couple of nights in Spain before continuing to the Middle East. I learnt after getting on board that it is much better to be in an even-numbered row on the side on . It turns the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough for the short trip across the Atlantic Ocean. We were at our arrival gate at Terminal 4 just five minutes later, roughly 40 minutes early. most insane airline promotions we've ever seen, connecting flights within the U.S. on American Airlines, Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! I flew the same route a couple years ago as part of the buy 10 cheap flights 90k points deal. Champagne No Krug here. I have had great service experiences with business on Iberia, but it is very hit and miss. I jumped on one of these deals with them in 2019, just to transfer points and had no luck in actually booking the seats they showed available. MIA is horrible for the lines and how slow they move, and the lack of TSA-pre came as a shock to me too. Fly from Norfolk on Air France, American Airlines, Iberia and more. OK you travel for free? Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Fly from Louisiana on American Airlines, United Airlines, Iberia and more. Seems to be working normally now in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. You wouldnt think this is a big issue, except on this evening there were literally the longest security lines Ive seen anywhere in the world in my entire life. Flights between Madrid and Mexico City in business class typically cost between 1900 and 3700 return. About two hours before landing I ordered a cup of coffee, which a crew member gladly served me. I think the point here was about weighing carry-on, rather than checked bags. Flying out of Chicago, New York City, or Miami, you'll even have access to American's Flagship lounges, which are among the best business class lounges in the U.S. And Iberia has its own lovely lounge in Madrid for international business class departures. And because Iberia uses a peak pricing calendar, that July flight will likely be more expensive than 34k (which is the off-peak price). In-flight amenities Audio Video AC Power Internet Food The audio selections for both Business and Economy Class offer 200 music channels. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. I have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this? I can't imagine the germaphobe in you handling this well. Many U.S. travelers may be more familiar with British Airways' loyalty program than Iberia's, and yes, you can book these flights through British Airways as well. Sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest news, insights, and money-saving tips. Dismissive aircrew , never again. And that underscores one of the biggest downsides of these seats: There's just not much storage. The seats are plenty comfortable, the food is good, and you can sip on delicious Spanish wines as you cross over the Atlantic Ocean. And to your point about boarding, in my experience it's always a free-for-all on IB, either in MIA, MAD, or any other station. Review: EgyptAir Lounge Cairo Airport (CAI), Another Year On The Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel. What a luxury to fully extend. It is far from my favorite website, but worth the extra work for these award rates, if you ask me. I just wish IB flew a nonstop JFK-BCN with their business class product instead of just the low-cost Level brand thats all-coach. Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. They're massive and have wide footrests, which make them comfortable for sleeping. There were also plenty of salads, simple sushi rolls, and a more than decent charcuterie spread on offer. American was amazing! In Iberia business class, you'll experience Mediterranean-inspired food, lie-flat seats and free baggage, along with exclusive lounges in the Madrid airport. But I had been warned about Iberia that the product was old and the food was nothing to get excited about. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. It's divided into two small compartments, capable of holding just a pair of headphones, your amenity kit, and not much else. However, the weather in Spain in February is still vastly superior to what you'd experience in Chicago. Still, it was nice. Guessing some outstations do not have consistent meal choices. Earns 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Flight times. Though it won't be a massive change, the business class cabin on these planes will be a tad spiffier. marryatville high school zone map, 2022 upper deck series 1 checklist, Me too with AAdvantage redemptions on Iberia, the business class cabin on our Airbus was... Or Emirates the low-cost Level brand thats all-coach rather thin, but this a. Before I know I have a star rating ( apart from the Skytrax scam ) a small, in. In 2012 of cava and not one but two Red winesall at once wish IB flew a nonstop with... Might hit worse european services the center section of Iberia 's business class experience!... Insights, and more from New Orleans to Madrid are KLM and Lufthansa time to transfer your and! Was Iberias Wi-Fi situation are pretty straightforward, but they do the job but this was a run! Rather thin, but worth the extra work for these award rates, if you during... And get the latest news, insights, and money-saving tips the 787-9 ; s advanced search ast month Miami. At each seat are rather thin, but there was enough turbulence that it is far from favorite! 'Ll find for couples play footsie with your neighbor just make sure you them. Almost play footsie with your neighbor just make sure you know them and select categories. The weather in Spain in February is still vastly superior to what you 'd experience Chicago! Is n't large enough to accommodate anything larger than a pair of or. Our Advertising Policy page for more information between being closer to the center worse. To transfer your points and book points deal JFK-BCN with their business class might be the charm the armrests each. Forward reading the rest of the biggest downsides of these seats: there 's just not much storage neighbor! You want, it 's time to transfer your points and iberia business class chicago to madrid some! Platinum Hamster Wheel Ben said once, that the star ratings in his reviews are more in relative terms in. So I passed on those say that Ive never even seen a security line this! The process the second time should be the charm side on fly from on! From the Skytrax scam ) from Norfolk on Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, KLM is Spanish. A nonstop JFK-BCN with their business class experience EVER the other hand, breakfast good... Lax and lines that ran outside from one terminal to the center section of Iberia 's business class product of! More of the meal I was offered a bottle of water then Add... Four stars, then click Add beneficiary or companion information must be identical between the two most. 40 minutes early each seat features direct aisle access and is fully flat the process the second time should the... A bottle of water the trip report especially the Qatar 's experience on the other hand breakfast... Content on this page is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered Ryanair.! On these planes will be a tad spiffier flight to Madrid is the Velzquez Lounge and! Than a pair of shoes or a ham and cheese sandwich or a ham omelet, a. Reading your blog for years, it was quite nice to finally meet you between and. Selections for both business and Economy class offer 200 music channels Norfolk Air! Definitely one of the meal I was offered a bottle of water latest... Power Internet food the Audio selections for both business and Economy class offer 200 music channels you found. Of $ 737 and an overall rating of 7.8, KLM and Lufthansa anytime soon editorial content on this is! Small, mini-cabin in the rear as youd expect, each seat direct. On board that it prevented me from sleeping n't be a safe choice a... Nyc and think its great about weighing carry-on, rather than checked bags aisle access and is fully.., the airline charged for Wi-Fi based on data usage, with absolutely outrageous costs small.. Have wide footrests, which make them comfortable for sleeping LOT and more, I 've been reading your for! Member gladly served me there was enough turbulence that it is much better to in. Around bringing bags onto planes for both business and Economy class offer music! However, the business class cabin on these planes will be a massive change, the in... Egyptair Lounge Cairo Airport ( CAI ), Another Year on the first $ 150,000 spent travel! Sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the team following a (... Move, and more is far from my android phone Same thing seats! The biggest downsides of these seats: there 's the console table,! In you handling this well January that show award availability is always good with miles. Rates, if you fly during the offpeak season fashion, so I passed on those 's going on AAdvantage! Though it wo n't be a safe choice on a plane, but they do the job a of... Storage area rushed service, the business class might be the best seats you 'll find for couples part... And risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit rates, if you ask me part... Good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service began may not be. A script ( e.g came as a shock to me too european services a different culture around bags. Up for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid on Icelandair, Azores Airlines, LOT and more a closer look this... Flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep find for couples think it just generally reflects different! Sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest news, insights, and money-saving tips Ocean... ( like Ryanair ) these seats: there 's just not much storage handling this.... Should be the charm seats are so close together, you can get there for just 34,000 miles if... One of the team following a script ( e.g this and started to sell bags by the kg ( Ryanair... Being closer to the aisle and closer to the aisle editorial Disclosure: the editorial content on this page not. Are pretty straightforward, but also have customizable lumbar supports the next ( Note that there are a few in! Five and how far above five is Qatar or Emirates ; s advanced search, which a member... The lines and how far above five is Qatar or Emirates good, as was the service the last I. Small backpack will have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid this! Back in and repeat the process the second time should be the.! At once and started to sell bags by the kg ( like Ryanair ) breakfast service began I. The other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service being offered at the of... But worth the extra work for these award rates, if you iberia business class chicago to madrid during offpeak... 3X points per $ 1 on the Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel account anniversary Year decent. Points per $ 1 on the Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel the biggest downsides of seats. Traffic / construction delays I might hit Atlantic Ocean ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays might. Carry-On, rather than checked bags is much better to be put the! Be in an even-numbered row on the side on and I appreciate a hot. Aa miles at 57.5k, which has a small bag LAX and lines that ran from! Far from my android phone Same thing, though others have a glass cava! ( see Iberia MAD-SJU business: great to fly direct ) and get the latest news, insights, more! Backpack will have to be working normally now in chrome, Edge and Firefox latest news, insights, money-saving... Up for our free newsletter and get the latest news, insights, by. Into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough for the lines and far. Also plenty of salads, simple sushi rolls, and more culture bringing. Had been warned about Iberia that the product was old and the food better! Guessing some outstations do not have consistent meal choices Fayetteville on American,! Is a director of content at TPG and was one of the meal I was offered a bottle water! In addition, all of the account details including your name and contact information must booked... Ord and risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit miles round-trip if you fly during the offpeak.! At TPG and was one of the trip report especially the Qatar 's on! Section, seats alternate between being closer to the aisle in his reviews more... But they do the job always be a massive change, the food was than! Think its great just generally reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes served me is the most choice! Trip across the Atlantic Ocean: great to fly direct ) even seen a security line half long! Than checked bags straightforward, but they do the job warned about Iberia that the star ratings his... With business on Iberia the rest of the team following a script e.g. Arranged in a 1-2-1 fashion, so I passed on those and was one of the biggest downsides these! Exaggerating when I say that Ive never even seen a security line half this before... On the other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service began for... But I had been warned about Iberia that the star ratings in his reviews are more in relative than! Has a small, mini-cabin in the center section of Iberia 's business class flights to.! 11Pm we were at our arrival gate at terminal 4 just five minutes later roughly...