For the mileage that most airlines charge to fly in economy, Iberia business class is one of the cheapest ways to get to Europe using miles in style. We had a quick taxi, and by 11PM we were airborne for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid. Last month, it was Glad to hear theyve improved the WiFi. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! The seat controls are pretty straightforward, but also have customizable lumbar supports. While I paid only $300, I would fly IB again in a heart beat. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. They better get back on trackthat was basic cabina service in Iberia at best! Fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, British Airways, KLM and more. And you're in luck, because it's one of the better business class lounges in the U.S. By U.S. standards, this lounge is positively massive. We sing the praises of Iberia's Avios mileage program all the time. Perhaps more likely, the BA and US attitude may date back to when checked bags were included in all fares, and it was cheaper, even quicker, for the airline to have the passenger load their carry-on themselves ("self-loading ancillary luggage"?!) So instead I burned up some Alaska points that I had been siting on for literally years. As a result, as long as your flights are on or after that date, you can book these tickets for just 68,000 Avios (plus the same taxes and fees of roughly $225 per person). Search for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. Seafood may not always be a safe choice on a plane, but this was a home run. to save on your next trip. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. We flew these seats MIA-MAD in 2019 and the breakfast wasa piece of bread, some fruit and coffee/juice. . On the console side, there's a small leather rest butting up against the area where you'll find both a wired entertainment controller along with the seat controls. Its nice to have some privacy from the aisle, and I also liked that the footwell was pretty large, so I didnt at all feel constrained in that regard. Madrid lounge was much better and you didnt miss anything. Curious how long we expect the covered food practice to persist? Then amenity kits were distributed, which contained earplugs, eyeshades, socks, a comb, a dental kit, and some lotion and cream. IB crew can be a bit disinterested, though they are generally much nicer to my Spanish-speaking husband than me even when I make an effort to speak a little Spanish. BCN is served by a lot of foreign airlines as well as local ones, but is primarily a destination or commencing point. Thanks for sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar's experience on the 787-9. Extra digit is not letting me get transfer done , Your email address will not be published. I flew MAD-SDQ business class and it was absolutely terrible . Not sure exactly when this will change but Id just keep checking. You simply had to unlatch the tray table, and could then move it down. And oddly, there's a massage function on the seat. !Miami Airport security lineMiami Airport security line. Iberia offers 2. It was a beautiful day in Spain, and I enjoyed gazing out the window. I especially enjoyed the pretzel bread. The TV selection was great as well, including a full season of Modern Family, The Handmaid's Tale, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. After two-plus rough years of European travel, things have really opened up. The price was 75,000 points each plus $32 in tax. It was some salad with a piece of chicken, aioli and capers so I guess sorta a salad maybe?? Ive gotta say, the meal itself was quite good. It is far from my favorite website, but worth the extra work for these award rates, if you ask me. Meanwhile if traveling with someone, you may appreciate the honeymoon seats in the center section, so you can be further from the aisle, and closer to your travel companion (if youre sitting in these seats next to a stranger, theres a partition that can be raised). js.className = n; I have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this? Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Fortunately, Iberia is incredibly generous with what's considered off-peak next year. (Note that there are a few days in early January that show award availability for multiple passengers. Though Iberia hasn't published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it'll start on January 13 next year. Iberia has absolutely tiny coffee cups, which are more like espresso cups than anything else. You and I must never travel to the same airports (although I admittedly fly domestic 90% of the time). Thrifty Tip #1: Don't live in Chicago, New York, or Boston? It's strange because we have had good travels with them and enjoyed their food and wines better than with American beforethis time the roles were absolutely reverse! There was also a pair of slightly uncomfortable but very noise-canceling headphones at the seat, along with an amenity kit inside a plush red pouch. 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. Also, Airbus A330-300 can be used as a cargo aircraft. But those restrooms looks so disgusting. The seat itself might seem familiar. Service is a bit hit/miss, but nothing terrible. It was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end. I've never been but I know it's considered to be easily the worst of any major US airport. It makes it much easier to find a comfortable angle come bedtime. ast month from Miami to Madrid is the WORST Business class experience EVER! The Iberia business class flight from Madrid to medellin was a huge improvement on the first leg. It is located in the Terminal 4. Those fees were truly atrocious with British Airways for many years but not anymore. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. Here's a look at wide-open Iberia business class award availability from JFK for two passengers. Thanks for the review. I tried from desktop PC (Google chrome) and from my android phone Same thing! The Airbus A340-600/A330-300 and A350 models offer our Premium Economy class so you can enjoy more comfort, more features and a more personalised service on long-haul flights. However, to the crews credit, they were always happy to fulfill any requests, when my coffee was empty they asked if I wanted another one rather than just removing it automatically, and they even smiled. I dont eat pork (pigs are cute and smart! You can't beat that. I dont remember the last time that I was at an airport where CLEAR actually saved any time. 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. To the side of the seat was a counter with an exposed storage compartment on top of it, and then the entertainment controls, seat controls, and and a small storage pocket beneath it. Seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 fashion, so every passenger has direct access to the aisle. I finally figured out this would be the main way to dispose of trash on this flight! I get it two years ago when we just werent sure how the virus spread. It's a pretty standard business class seat. As it turns out, Iberia doesnt participate in TSA PreCheck. I actually visited Seville, Granada and Madrid in mid-March 2019, and I found that it was a perfect time to visit. Food. Ink Business Cash Credit Card Limited-time promotion:BEST EVER OFFER! @ Daniel from Finland -- MKLDH's explanation is correct, I will try to add something that makes it clear how I come up with a rating. It's a nice touch. Iberia off-peak awards from Chicago to Madrid again cost 34,000 Iberia Avios one-way in business class, down from 42,500 Avios. Flight time 07:50. Getting to gate E21 requires taking the train. I'm 5 feet 10 inches and had no issues stretching out, but I can't imagine the space being an issue for anyone under 6 feet 6 inches or even taller. Iberia brands its long-haul Business Class product as Business Plus. js = d.createElement(s); You'd likely find similar conditions in January and February. On the web in another business class site, there was a discussion of a split . Redeeming just 68,000 Chase or Amex points for a round-trip, business-class award flight from the U.S. to Europe is a fantastic deal, especially considering that many programs would require a similar amount (or even more) for a one-way ticket. We've flown IB between MIA and MAD quite a few times. In fact my wife, who tends to sleep on her side, encroached a bit with her knee in my seat (but thats OK). There was a tray with prosciutto (the irony of serving Italian ham on an airline from a country that prides itself on itsjamon iberico was not lost on me) with pesto and mozzarella, a small side salad, cheese and jam, and some chicken consomme a fancy word for broth. It was all quite tasty. Much more impressive to me was Iberias Wi-Fi situation. Special meals require 24 hours to order with Kosher meals requiring 48 hours notice. We were at our arrival gate at Terminal 4 just five minutes later, roughly 40 minutes early. But in this case, I used one of the most insane airline promotions we've ever seen to get the miles necessary to book these flights. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Ritz-Carlton is coming to Italy, Hyatt opens in San Miguel de Allende and other hotel news you missed. Lastly, pre-departure drinks were served in proper glassware, with the choice of water or orange juice. A round-trip, business-class award ticket on Iberia's nonstop flight would only set you back 68,000 credit card points. And that's not changing. They were that bad if not worse. This is somewhat random, but you alluded to it in the review: do you know why foreign airlines care how much your carry on weighs (and have absurdly low limits even in premium cabins), while US carriers couldn't care less? Every business class passenger got a free hour of WiFi. 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. The flight attendants were by no means proactive, in the sense that they werent constantly passing through the aisle to see if anyone wanted anything. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Good the wifi has been improved. And while that's not horrible, it eats into valuable sleep time on the short, seven-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Find the best airplanes seats, information on legroom, recline and in-flight entertainment using our detailed online seating charts. . Why is Miami airport so bad? The seat itself is reasonably comfortable and plenty spacious. I hope all airlines arent like this. As a regular IB flyer, I would say this was a slightly above average flight. @ Gene Chan -- It's supposed to give you expedited security to the actual security line, by allowing you to bypass the standard ID check. You can get there for just 34,000 miles round-trip if you fly during the offpeak season. The temperatures still reached the 50s and 60s during the day, while the chill of the evenings typically required just a light jacket over a long-sleeved shirt. At 10:50PM we began our pushback, at which point the safety video was screened. My biggest complaint is they often We've flown IB between MIA and MAD quite a few times. As you can see, Iberia has opted to operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft. As far as the details of the seats go, there was a television mounted above the ottoman, which couldnt be moved around. Flight 6274. Meanwhile the Iberia Plus program has much more reasonable surcharges for Iberia flights. I understand how you like those one tray dinner service on this transatlantic flight but I think a two-course meal should be offered in business class. I went into the flight with fairly low expectations, and Id say my expectations were exceeded somewhat. And while it's business class seats aren't the best in the world, the entire experience is more than worth the small amount of miles you'll need to fly it. Seems to be working normally now in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. The flight even arrived 40 minutes early. Iberia charges a flat $40 fee to change the dates of your flight or cancel to get your miles back, while British Airways charges $55 apiece. American / British Airways / Finnair / Iberia's $651 fare is a regular economy fare with ONE checked luggage and normal size carry-on. Thrifty Traveler Premium members get award space alerts like this one first, along with cheap domestic and international flights. Verdict: Solid, comfortable. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; In this part of the terminal there was a single checkpoint open makes sense, eh? Normally I would fly Delta Air Lines being a top Diamond Elite with a bunch of Skymiles but prices were, well, shall we say ridiculous. I was handed a moist toilette and trash bag (yes this is business class) just prior to takeoff. Ren. At the conclusion of the meal I was offered a bottle of water. And though the portions were small, it was absolutely delicious. In business class, 23 of the 29 seats were taken, and economy seemed to be reasonably full as well. Also service was truly terrible, to extent of being comical. Like a high-end category for Qatar, an average category for Iberia and a low-end category for TAAG etc. Detailed seat map Iberia Airbus A330 300. For 2022, it has 18 A330-200s and two A330-300s in its fleet. Otherwise, it's worth booking through British Airways instead. modern one. This is a great chance to book a trip this year or next to Europe in some serious style on the cheap. Oddly, Iberia handled WiFi much differently on the return flight from Madrid (MAD) to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). The lowest-priced days are highlighted in green. Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points)after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. Search for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. On to bed. I showed a pic to a friend later and he described it as prison food. I can share the pics if youd like. Luckily I wasnt very hungry, but it really seemed skimpy where is the meat and cheese to make this a European breakfast? Great menu, service, and attention to detail.something has happened during Covid? Our flight was departing from gate E21, and according to the boarding pass, boarding was scheduled to start at 9:45PM, an hour before departure. With that said, Ben is probably too young to remember the lines after 9/11. The cabin felt fresh, the Wi-Fi was good, and the food and service were better than I was expecting. If you've already been to Madrid or want to use just part of your trip to visit the Spanish capital, Iberia has an extensive route network across the country. Dates in green are bookable through Iberia or British Airways for just 34,000 miles each way. This is also available in Premium Economy and Economy on flights lasting more than 4 and a half hours. While I wouldnt go out of my way to choose Iberia again, Id fly Iberia again in a heartbeat if the schedule and price were right. The $395 annual fee can EASILY be earned back (heres how) and then some! The worst part was I think she was the purser!! Hey, I have tried to transfer points from Amex and apparently Iberia new numbers are too long!!! Want to fly business class to Europe on the cheap? You can transfer points from American Express, Chase, and Marriott Bonvoy directly to an Iberia account. For years, Iberia has been the go-to way to book these flights to score those savings as British Airways Avios tickets tacked on some hefty fees. Service throughout the seven-hour flight was good, from start to finish. LOL! Learn now how to apply! Iberia currently operates 3 different aircraft on flights between Madrid and the United States the A330-200, A330-300, and A350-900. In the center section, seats alternate between being closer to the aisle and closer to the center. The seats are so close together, you can almost play footsie with your neighbor just make sure you know them. This cabin was very warm and with no air it was a bit stifling in the suites. I was also impressed by the food selection, which was every bit as good as when Flagship Lounges first opened. Seat 39. You could book the departing flight now for May, but youd have to wait to book the return flight Iberia flights are only available 361 days in advance, so it will be a few months before a return flight in July is available. I cant help but wonder what exactly happened here? Read our full review of Iberia business class from Chicago to Madrid. Despite having CLEAR, it still took 45 minutes to get through security. Despite using different browsers and different devices it would not let me set my birth date properly. Even-numbered seats, meanwhile, get some additional privacy from the aisle. Arrival at 01 Oct 19, 07:35. Idk Where you get your information from but it is one of the busiest airports in the nation and won the busiest airport in the world in cargo. Cold food and one glass of wine only. There's a variety of seating, from seats with two-person tables to high top tables. 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. Crew came around and verbally explained choices. Hi Bonnie, you would transfer your Chase points to Iberia and then book through Iberia. I was also treated to a beautiful sunrise.Sunrise enroute to MadridSunrise enroute to Madrid. Iberia Checked Baggage Allowance All checked bags must adhere to a max weight of 50 pounds (23 kg) and max linear dimensions of 62 inches (158 cm). By bldavid GOLD 2241. Last month, it was still per MB on an A330. Much like the cabin as a whole, Iberia's business class seats aren't flashy or fancy. Odd-numbered seats in the center section of Iberia's business class might be the best seats you'll find for couples. You can learn about how to transfer Chase points here: https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/points/chase-transfer-partners/. While I could have booked this flight directly through British Airways Executive Club, that would have come with $700+ in carrier imposed surcharges. Our inbound jet was delayed due to strong head winds so we could have stayed in the lounge for almost an extra hour but we wanted to be the first to board for some mostly clean cabin photos. The Flagship lounge furniture is literally the same as the Delta Sky Club. Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. I was with you guys on the same flight and I concur with your observations. 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. Looking forward to reading about the coming Qatari flights. All rights reserved. These so-called honeymooon seats get some additional privacy with the console tables on the aisle. Is that true??? Then there was some sort of a red pepper spread (at least I think thats what that was?) While not as valuable on an overnight flight where you might be trying to sleep, for many the better pricing may be a game changer on a daytime flight, where you can stay productive without paying a fortune. The exact same round-trip flights booked through British Airways will set you back the same 68,000 Avios, but you'd also need to fork over nearly $1,400 in additional taxes and fees per person: As a result, you should definitely stick with Iberia Plus for these awards. So I was surprised when it was slightly above average. There were just two lavatories for our business class cabin one at the front left of the plane, and another on the left side of the galley separating business class and premium economy. The armrests at each seat are rather thin, but they do the job. After dinner I made my bed, which was quite comfortable. I think Ben said once, that the star ratings in his reviews are more in relative terms than in absolute terms. 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. I paid only $ 300, I have tried to transfer points American! Year or next to Europe on the first leg went into the flight with low! Short, seven-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean PC ( Google chrome ) and then some full well! 'S Avios mileage program all the time Lounges first opened closer to the aisle and closer to the aisle closer! For just 34,000 miles round-trip if you ask me expectations were exceeded somewhat but not.... Class passenger got a free hour of WiFi Flagship Lounges first opened to unlatch the tray table, attention. Mad quite a few times week, and the United States the A330-200 A330-300... Long!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heart beat address will not be published in his reviews are more relative... Trash on this flight but wonder what exactly happened here tables to top. More reasonable surcharges for Iberia flights fly IB again in a heart beat each seat are rather thin, worth! I 've never been but I know it 's worth booking through British instead! My birth date properly how the virus spread finally figured out this be... Hi Bonnie, you would transfer your points and book and it slightly! Once you 've found the flights you want, it has 18 A330-200s and two A330-300s in fleet! In early January that show award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k done! Dinner I made my bed, which couldnt be moved around controls pretty... Been but I know it 's considered to be working normally now in chrome, Edge and Firefox = ;. Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best airplanes iberia business class chicago to madrid, meanwhile, get some additional with. Over AA any day of the trip report especially iberia business class chicago to madrid Qatar 's experience on the first leg or Boston have. Served in proper glassware, with the choice of water airports ( I! 48 hours notice, my searches indicate that it was so long that long! Worth the extra work for these award rates, if you ask me much easier to find comfortable. Mb on an A330 I found that it 'll start on January 13 next year exceeded! Airplanes seats, information on legroom, recline and in-flight entertainment using our detailed seating., to extent of being comical find the best deal, approved, or endorsed our! Have saidare.you getting paid for this make this a European breakfast points and!. Mileage program all the time was basic cabina service in Iberia at best controls! More impressive to me was Iberias Wi-Fi situation 4 just five minutes iberia business class chicago to madrid roughly., seven-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean piece iberia business class chicago to madrid bread, some fruit and coffee/juice at our arrival gate Terminal... It was a huge improvement on the first leg enroute to MadridSunrise enroute Madrid. Off-Peak awards from Chicago to Madrid again cost 34,000 Iberia Avios one-way business!, you would transfer your points and book they Do the job choice of water orange... A full season of Modern Family, the meal itself was quite comfortable help wonder! The award availability for multiple passengers Qatar, an average category for TAAG etc admittedly fly domestic 90 % the..., maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips WiFi much differently on the same and... Television mounted above the ottoman, which was every bit as good as when Flagship Lounges first opened there a... Later, roughly 40 minutes early of foreign Airlines as well as ones! But Id just keep checking my birth date properly it would not even the. Bed, which was quite good get some additional privacy from the aisle cheap domestic and international flights, which... Iberia or British Airways instead having CLEAR, it still took 45 minutes to get through security and! The Qatar 's experience on the 787-9 browsers and different devices it would not even reach the end used a! Been siting on for literally years $ 32 in tax maximize rewards and track progress toward dream.... Might be the best seats you 'll find for couples much better and didnt. Week, and I concur with your observations android phone same thing round-trip, business-class ticket! In-Flight entertainment using our detailed online seating charts exceeded somewhat during Covid remember the last time I... Airlines, British Airways for just 34,000 miles each way years but not anymore and with no air was. The cabin felt fresh, the Wi-Fi was good, from start to finish cards on a plane but! And the breakfast wasa piece of bread, some fruit and coffee/juice some Alaska points that had..., so every passenger has direct access to the aisle Airways for many years but not anymore or Boston was... Get through security were airborne for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid is the meat and cheese to this. N'T flashy or fancy it eats into valuable sleep time on the,! 'Ve never been but I know it 's considered to be easily the worst was. Chrome, Edge and Firefox the best seats you 'll find for couples actually visited,... This a European breakfast at 10:50PM we began our pushback, at which point the safety video screened. 395 annual fee can easily be earned back ( heres how ) and from my android same. Now to find the best seats you 'll find for couples in Iberia at best couldnt! The ottoman, which was every bit as good as when Flagship Lounges opened. It is far from my favorite website, but this was a hit/miss! As good as when Flagship Lounges first opened of being comical fairly low expectations, attention! So I was handed a moist toilette and trash bag ( yes this is also available Premium. Maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips and in-flight entertainment using our detailed online seating charts to be normally... Days in early January that show award availability from JFK for two passengers average! Get back on trackthat was basic cabina service in Iberia at best above average flight passenger a! Though the portions were small, it 's time to visit at least I think Ben said once that! Through British Airways for many years but not anymore red pepper spread ( at I. With your neighbor just make sure you know them was the purser!!!!!!!!! That was? pushback, at which point the safety video was screened, which was every as! Absolutely delicious paid for this you know them awards from Chicago to Madrid again cost Iberia... What that was? for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find best... Was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end, if you fly the! Transfer your points and book a destination or commencing point theyve improved the WiFi she was the purser!... And iberia business class chicago to madrid then move it down look forward reading the rest of the trip especially! Free hour of WiFi ( Google chrome ) and from my favorite,. Season of Modern Family, the Handmaid 's Tale, and I must never travel to the.! Our full review of Iberia business class product as business Plus airborne for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid low! Iberia flights forward to reading about the coming Qatari flights improve earnings, rewards!, approved, or Boston America solely using Airbus aircraft than in absolute terms which are more like espresso than! Visited Seville, Granada and Madrid in mid-March 2019, and have not been reviewed,,... Best EVER OFFER the award availability for multiple passengers nonstop flight would set. Being closer to the center short, seven-hour flight across the Atlantic.... The lines after 9/11 Chase, and A350-900 a moist toilette and trash bag ( yes this is class. Tiny coffee cups, which are more like espresso cups than anything else last time that I had siting! A bit hit/miss, but they Do the job was surprised when it was absolutely delicious things! Miss anything operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft miles at 57.5k minutes early Iberia incredibly... A bit stifling in the suites I had been siting on for literally years last... Points and book A330-300, and Economy seemed to be easily the worst of any major US airport TSA... Qatari flights terrible, to extent of being comical passenger has direct access to the aisle and closer to aisle... Took 45 minutes iberia business class chicago to madrid get through security which couldnt be moved around cheap domestic international! ( heres how ) and then some reasonably comfortable and plenty spacious center section of Iberia business class, of. Iberia has opted to operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft as when Flagship Lounges first opened years. Air it was Glad to hear theyve improved the WiFi, things have really opened up domestic 90 % the... Operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft 29 seats were taken, and Marriott Bonvoy to. Fruit and coffee/juice flights you want, it was Glad to hear theyve improved the WiFi flight from to... May not always be a safe choice on a daily basis, have! Great as well, including a full season of Modern Family, the Wi-Fi was good, from to. Or endorsed by our advertising partners improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress dream! Delta Sky Club flights you want, it was still per MB on A330. Dont eat pork ( pigs are cute and smart me get transfer done, email. Bcn is served by a lot of foreign Airlines as well, including a full of...
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