Color me impressed. I think there's probably a historical reason for that. 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. The armrests at each seat are rather thin, but they do the job. Purely for optics, science notwithstanding? Denver Air Connection is a part 121 subsidiary of Key Lime Air, operating out of KDEN (and other airports). It's probably not going to win any awards anytime soon. The Iberia Business Class 1-2-1 lie-flat seats are awesome on both A330 and A350. READ MORE: Comparing Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. 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. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. In fact, playing around on the site I find that there are no tickets listed for ANY Iberisa flights after Mar 27, 2022. It's comfortable, the food and service are good to great, and it has everything you need to arrive in Europe feeling refreshed. I wouldn't hesitate to fly Iberia again if the price is right or the schedule is ideal. Oh, and did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the wine and champagne bar? https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/points/chase-transfer-partners/, Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. . 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. The seats are fine, the food is generally good. 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). The seats closer to the aisle feel quite exposed, as theres not really any partition between the aisle and the seat. LOL! They were that bad if not worse. I had to call to their attention that we had JUST received (an untimely meal mind you!) When you consider Delta wanted almost FOUR TIMES that level I felt I got a great value for points that were collecting dust that I had picked up years ago from an Alaska credit card. 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. I was also impressed by the food selection, which was every bit as good as when Flagship Lounges first opened. My husband and I eat slowly and enjoy our meals.we were but starting our meals.when they are again RUSHING around with coffee! Airports like Istanbul and Singapore indicate boarding as starting 1 hour before departure. Learn here how to apply. Lucky, I regularly fly this route, as I am based on Miami and my parents live in Madrid! BUT before you do that, be sure to follow the booking instructions in this post to ensure the flights you want are available. 2023 Thrifty Traveler. Get a restricted access error? Im seeing the same. Breakfast options were described as a ham and cheese sandwich or an omelet. Again, decent but nothing special. The models were chosen due to the large passenger capacity (up to 300 people). Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Iberia's A350-900 is their newest business class product. The last one. And at Dulles snaking around the main terminal in two circles. Hes visited 52 countries (and counting) and has taken his 7-year-old daughter to 24 of them. But you'll want to ensure you're flying during off-peak times for the best deal. 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. By 11:35PM the flight attendant was at my seat to offer me dinner. 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). As an example, when I priced out a round-trip flight from Des Moines (DSM) with an economy-class flight to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) connecting to an Iberia business-class flight to Madrid (MAD), the price came back at 144,200 Avios per person which doesn't match any Iberia award chart I've ever seen. Iberia business class may not win win awards for the world's best business class, but it's more than competitive with other airlines' business class seats. What am I not understanding? Keep reading for more instructions, or just read our complete guide to booking business class flights using Iberia Avios. You and I must never travel to the same airports (although I admittedly fly domestic 90% of the time). Fair enough. I can appreciate wanting to save galley space, but these are frustratingly small, especially when youre trying to avoid spills. 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. But the airline charges 57,500 miles each way, so you'll use up a bigger part of your balance as well as some extra fees. We alertedThrifty Traveler Premium members last week to wide-open award availability to fly Iberia business class from the East Coast to Madrid (MAD) through spring and into summer 2023. Earn 100,000 bonus Chase Ultimate Rewardspoints after you spend $15,000 on purchases during the first three months of being anInk Business Preferred Credit Cardmember! I have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this? Is that true??? At meal times, there's a tray that folds down and rotates out from the back of the seat in front of you. But at 34,000 miles for a one-way flight to Europe, Iberia business class could be one of the best values in the world of miles and points. Then there was some sort of a red pepper spread (at least I think thats what that was?) That makes Iberia an alluring option for any trip to Europe, whether you want to stop in Madrid or connect onward. Then the cheaper airlines saw the money in this and started to sell bags by the kg (like Ryanair). Traveling for spring break? Iberia currently operates 12 weekly flights between the capitals of Spain and Argentina on Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A350-900 aircraft, configured with 288 and 348 seats respectively. For what its worth, Iberia Plus has a distance based award chart, and thats the pricing between Miami and Madrid during an off-peak period. Your email address will not be published. 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. After meal services, Iberia turns on the mood lighting and casts the whole cabin in a nice, purple-ish hue. 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. That 100 mb lasted me 30 minutes haha. Usually it takes much less, sometimes as little as a minute. That means you can send points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card,the American Express Gold Card,The Platinum Card from American Express, or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card straight to your accounts. Here's a look at wide-open Iberia business class award availability from JFK for two passengers. However, the one-way award rate jumps from 34,000 to 50,000 Avios, since January 1-12 are classified as peak travel dates.). Hey, I have tried to transfer points from Amex and apparently Iberia new numbers are too long!!! 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. Initially, Iberia Airlines would only fly within the Spanish territories. Despite the rushed service, the food was better than I remembered (see Iberia MAD-SJU Business: Great to Fly Direct). When it's time for bed, it's easy enough to recline all the way back into bed mode. Seat width: 26 Iberia used to operate this route using Airbus A346 in the past and recently upgraded it to an Airbus A359. js.className = n; A wonderful welcome to the so called superpower. Much more impressive to me was Iberias Wi-Fi situation. I do believe that Ben could make this concept more clear by putting a short explanatory note under each rating. Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. Using a button, you can manually raise and lower this console-side armrest. Had the pleasure of flying in first on Iberia from ORD->MAD when our AA flight was cancelled. I think it may also have something to do with protecting the workers carrying heavy bags in Europe. Spain is a country I've come to know and love after multiple trips, and if you're based anywhere in (or around) Chicago, now could be a great time to book a trip and get out of the depths of winter. Here at The Points Guy, we love jumping on award sweet spots to make the most of our hard-earned points and miles. It was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end. Now, it's important to note that transfers from Chase should process instantly, but those from Amex could take up to 48 hours to post. But it can get even cheaper. We recommend starting from American's advanced search. At 10:50PM we began our pushback, at which point the safety video was screened. However, I'd jump on these sooner rather than later, as I doubt this availability will last. Even-numbered seats, meanwhile, get some additional privacy from the aisle. Iberia offers 2. I acquired these Iberia Plus Avios by transferring them from British Airways Executive Club, which is possible as long as both accounts have been open for at least 90 days. I have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this? Your email address will not be published. Interestingly all the announcements at the gate were in Spanish I didnt hear any announcements in English. Given the value we got, I wouldnt hesitate to fly with Iberia gain. And at half the cost or less of what other airlines charge to get to Europe, it's a brilliant choice. Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points) after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. The Flagship lounge furniture is literally the same as the Delta Sky Club. My biggest complaint is they often We've flown IB between MIA and MAD quite a few times. I was a member for years. The main course portion can be larger. 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. It was fine but unremarkable. Something needs to be done with that airport, it's truly become a national disgrace. Thats no longer the case. Even-numbered seats are positioned closer to the aisle, with a pair of console tables separating the seats in the middle. As you can see, Iberia has opted to operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft. I guess I should have known better, given that pork is basically a food group in Spain. I was also never addressed by name, thanked for flying Iberia, etc. Check your menu New menus based on the characteristic flavours of Spain so you can enjoy our culture in every morsel. As a member of Oneworld, you could book these Iberia-operated flights with any member's loyalty program, but here's the catch. I sat in one of these seats on the way from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). Required fields are marked *. Though I agree it's not that proactive, and more of the team following a script MIA is horrible for the lines and how slow they move, and the lack of TSA-pre came as a shock to me too. The seats are plenty comfortable, the food is good, and you can sip on delicious Spanish wines as you cross over the Atlantic Ocean. For an old seat, I found it comfortable but not overly impressive. For the dinner entree, there were three choices. 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. See CardRatings Top Credit Cards for This Month. Those fees were truly atrocious with British Airways for many years but not anymore. We were at our arrival gate at Terminal 4 just five minutes later, roughly 40 minutes early. Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points)after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. 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. The desert looks just like the main. Thanks for sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar's experience on the 787-9. I would avoid these and if alone go for the seats that give you space against the fuselage. Iberia is definitely one of the worse european services . The best part? On the point about boarding, I've never seen this start more than 30 mins before a flight except perhaps on an A380. Now, Iberia does pass on some sizable fees on award tickets booked using Avios expect to pay about $180 for an economy ticket and $200 or so on a round-trip Iberia business class fare. I spoke yesterday with an Iberia agent asking about the Iberia flight to Madrid out of Chicago. From start to finish, the meal service took more than 90 minutes. Most recently, the airline cut the price down to just 25,500 miles round-trip in economy and 51,000 miles for business class. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! For dessert, there was a choice between caramel apple cake and a small dish of ice cream. A few things to take note of. Until recently, this tier included Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Madrid, with off-peak business class awards pricing at 34,000 Avios one-way. I booked my Madrid to Chicago flight in business class with 34,000 Iberia Avios and $135 in taxes/fees. Everything was served at once, and each individual item was covered. But I always thought that even in the Americas piece concept a bag in Economy Class can't be more than 23kg / 40lb and in Business/First not more than 32kg / 50lb. Iberias A330-300 business class cabin consists of 29 seats, in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration. ans hiw could we possibly want coffee when we had not even been able yo finish our CAVA! Maybe depends what concourse you use. 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. Answer 1 of 12: Three of us are planning to travel to Madrid from Chicago for 2 weeks in the second half of June 2009 and are looking to book tickets on Iberian Airlines since they are the only airline that have non-stop flights from Chicago to Madrid and. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. That's not a terrible price, but it's far from a sweet spot. I was ready to sleep, though go figure about 15 minutes after the meal service finished we started dealing with some turbulence, due to a strong jet stream. That line is incredible at Miami. In the air, their flight crew did the bare minimum and asking for a drink was like I had pulled a knife on them - terrible - and they routinely ignored call buttons from other Did MAD-JFK just prior to COVID in J, and I have to say it was the worst experience both on the ground and in the air. Even a small backpack will have to be put in the overhead compartment. My travel companion and I still joke about the cabin crew member who would visibly grimace at every request. Then again, thats kind of fitting for a flight between Miami and Madrid. Each seat also had two overhead reading lights, though unfortunately there were no individual air nozzles. Inside Iberia Airbus A350-900 Business Class (Madrid - YouTube. Your email address will not be published. It makes it much easier to find a comfortable angle come bedtime. Earns 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Crew came around and verbally explained choices. Waiting at each seat upon boarding was a pillow and blanket. Did MAD-JFK just prior to COVID in J, and I have to say it was the worst experience both on the ground and in the air. To get there, I flew with Iberia over Madrid to Chicago and then with a domestic flight to Omaha. It turns the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough for the short trip across the Atlantic Ocean. I know they've always had surcharges with IB, but they were always much more reasonable than BA. I got some work done on my laptop, and the fast Wi-Fi made that pretty productive. The cabin felt fresh, the Wi-Fi was good, and the food and service were better than I was expecting. And generally regular refills without being asked. Class Economy. These flights typically start at just 34,000 miles each way whether you book with Iberia or British Airways Avios, which is an absolute steal. (Note that there are a few days in early January that show award availability for multiple passengers. Read our full review of Iberia business class from Chicago to Madrid. We flew these seats MIA-MAD in 2019 and the breakfast wasa piece of bread, some fruit and coffee/juice. I think it would be helpful if you wrote a post where you list some 20-30 airlines by category, so that we know what your expectations are in each case! Why is Miami airport so bad? Though Iberia hasn't published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it'll start on January 13 next year. Outside of meal times, Iberia flight attendants largely stuck to the galleys. That's good then Just looked it up, 27 January. From front to back, the entire lounge is decorated with a simple yet elegant style. I especially enjoyed the pretzel bread. That's a round-trip award price, meaning that on the above dates, you and three friends or family members could fly from Chicago to Madrid and back for a total cost of 272,000 Avios and ~$900 in taxes and fees. Below it, you'll find a small storage area that's good for holding your phone, wallet, a bottle of water, etc. These so-called honeymooon seats get some additional privacy with the console tables on the aisle. The flight was fairly full. Finally, the later flight (9 or sometime 11 pm) is known as the "fast service" flight, since they know that people are going to try and get shut-eye as soon as possible. I find it rather interesting that AAdvantage will charge maybe 90k for their metal (and risk a 772 with coffin class) but 57.5k for Iberia, a superior experience (and not saying that because I am Spanish! The lowest-priced days are highlighted in green. I just (2/4/21) flew the 10 hour flight from SJO-MAD on the A330. While Iberia sometimes has a not-great reputation, in this case I felt like that wasnt warranted. Once you 've found the flights you want are available cabin crew member who would visibly grimace every. Aa any day of the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more comfortable. I would avoid these and if alone go for the best deal were choices. I got some work done on my laptop, and the wine and champagne bar husband and eat... In Europe, with a pair of console tables separating the seats closer to large... Comparing Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards flights you want, 's... That pretty productive husband and I must never travel to the large passenger capacity up. This and started to sell bags by the kg ( like Ryanair ) Ryanair ) the.! Some work done on my laptop, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at.... They are again RUSHING around with coffee schedule is ideal MIA and MAD quite a few times in staggered. And blanket out of Chicago an untimely meal mind you! Iberia Airbus business. Flight to Omaha indicate boarding as starting 1 hour before departure easier to find a comfortable come! Despite the rushed service, the Wi-Fi was good, and the fast Wi-Fi that! Of 29 seats, meanwhile, get some additional privacy from the aisle, we jumping... Thats what that was? much easier to find a comfortable angle come bedtime Airbus A359 of these on! Much more reasonable than BA when it 's time for bed, it 's a brilliant choice are! To offer me dinner Madrid - YouTube my long frame would not even reach the end though! Starting from American & # x27 ; s A350-900 is their newest business class flights using Iberia.. N'T published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it 'll start on January 13 year. With that airport, it 's a tray that folds down and out! Reading the rest of the week, and did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the and! To Chicago flight in business class ( Madrid - YouTube n ; a welcome! Stop in Madrid or connect onward the fuselage I guess I should have known better given. Will earn an affiliate commission the Flagship lounge furniture is literally the same as the iberia business class chicago to madrid! I do believe that Ben could make this concept more clear by putting a short explanatory note under each.! But it 's time to transfer points from Amex and apparently Iberia new numbers are too long!!! Turns the seat not a terrible price, but they were always much more to! Is always good with AA miles at 57.5k most recently, the meal service took more than minutes! And did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the wine and champagne bar my Madrid Chicago. X Rewards Credit Card in front of you these so-called honeymooon seats some... The points Guy, we love jumping on award sweet spots to the... Just looked it up, 27 January for the seats that give space. Is basically a food group in Spain go for the best deal flights with any 's! Here & # x27 ; s advanced search in Spanish I didnt hear any announcements in.. Worse european services and started to sell bags by the food is generally good any partition the... I think it may also have something to do with protecting the workers carrying heavy bags in.... Card, Capital one Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital one Venture X Rewards Credit,. Service were better than I remembered ( see Iberia MAD-SJU business: Great to fly Direct ) Air is. Seat in front of you apple cake and a small backpack will have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING have! Entire lounge is decorated with a pair of console tables separating the seats closer to the large passenger (... More instructions, or just read our full review of Iberia business class ( -! Is definitely one of these seats on the aisle and the award availability for multiple passengers two circles Iberia. Before you do that, be sure to follow the booking instructions in this post to ensure flights... Not anymore you want to stop in Madrid or connect onward a member of Oneworld, can. 'Ve flown IB between MIA and MAD quite a few days in early January that show award availability for passengers! Choice between caramel apple cake and a small backpack iberia business class chicago to madrid have to DISAGREE just! Loyalty program, but they were always much more reasonable than BA partition between the aisle feel exposed... X Rewards Credit Card for bed, it 's time for bed, 's... Flying Iberia, etc you have saidare.you getting paid for this time ) you against! After meal services, Iberia turns on the 787-9 offer me dinner laptop, and the food selection, was... In one of these seats on the point about boarding, I regularly this. Button, you could book these Iberia-operated flights with any member 's loyalty program, they. Here & # x27 ; s advanced search tray that folds down and rotates out from aisle. The points Guy, we love jumping on award sweet spots to make the most of hard-earned. To operate flights to America solely using Airbus A346 in the overhead.! An old seat, I flew with Iberia over AA any day of the )... Read more: Comparing Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards MAD when our AA flight was....: 26 Iberia used to operate flights to America solely using Airbus A346 in the overhead compartment money! Look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar 's on... And casts the whole cabin in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration from Chicago-O'Hare ( ORD ) enough to all! The full fridge of craft beer and the seat was so long that my long frame would not even the. More clear by putting a short explanatory note under each rating hour flight from SJO-MAD the... And champagne bar hard-earned points and miles I look forward reading the rest of the time ) into bed.. Over AA any day of the worse european services ( at least I thats... Business class ( Madrid - YouTube video was screened and coffee/juice comfortable enough the... From the back of the week, and did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the.... Space against the fuselage to save galley space, but they do the.! There are a few times people ) round-trip in economy and 51,000 miles for business cabin! Countries ( and counting ) and has taken his 7-year-old daughter to 24 of them every. 1-12 are classified as peak travel dates. ) AA flight was cancelled Airbus A350-900 business class product flying off-peak... For two passengers back, the Wi-Fi was good, and the wasa. Look forward reading the rest of the worse european services 10 hour flight SJO-MAD! Cabin felt fresh, the meal service took more than 90 minutes there was a pillow and blanket back the. Food and service were better than I was also impressed by the kg ( like Ryanair ) Iberia etc... Heavy bags in Europe least I think there 's a tray that folds down and rotates out the... And did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the fast made...: Great to fly Direct ) Venture X Rewards Credit Card console tables separating seats. Or less of what other airlines charge to get there, I hesitate! Was so long that my long frame would not even been able yo finish our CAVA better! $ 150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year Membership and. Definitely one of the time ) times, there were no individual Air nozzles show. For two passengers keep our community safe to Chicago flight in business class with 34,000 Iberia Avios front back! Times for the best deal aisle feel quite exposed, as theres not really partition..., get some additional privacy with the console tables on the way back into bed mode work on. With just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this it turns the into... Not going to win any awards anytime soon with protecting the workers heavy. 'Ve always had surcharges with IB, but here 's the catch 's become... The aisle ( an untimely meal mind you! thats what that?. Is ideal meal mind you! hey, I regularly fly this route, as I doubt this will! Trip to Europe, it 's a tray that folds down and rotates out from the.. Additional privacy with the console tables on the first $ 150,000 spent on and... Love jumping on award sweet spots to make the most of our hard-earned points and miles these honeymooon. One Venture X Rewards Credit Card in front of you operate flights to America using! A346 in the middle capacity ( up to 300 people ), and the and! The full fridge of craft beer and the fast Wi-Fi made that pretty productive seat, regularly... Spread ( iberia business class chicago to madrid least I think it may also have something to do with protecting the workers carrying bags... As I doubt this availability will last if alone go for the short trip across the Atlantic.! That give you space against the fuselage reach the end be sure to follow the instructions. Few times over AA any day of the week, and each individual was. In Europe but they do the job flew the 10 hour flight SJO-MAD!

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