Covid is the excuse for all kinds of misbehavior and lack of service. Foot well space was rather tight as you can see. As you say, it's not the best J product out there but it compares favorably with any US carrier. 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. I was also never addressed by name, thanked for flying Iberia, etc. There were dozens of movies and TV shows to choose from. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. As you can see, Iberia has opted to operate flights to America solely using Airbus aircraft. Iberia special meals can be booked by anyone travelling in business class except on flights under 90mins. If you haven't already done so, you'll need to add your travel companion as a beneficiary on your account. Madrid to Chicago January 13, 19-21 and 26-28 February 2-4, 9-11 and 14 It's worth noting that many of the dates that don't have four awards right now do have 2-3 business-class seats designated for awards, so if you only need a couple, your available travel windows might be even broader. I did not know what was the best so the flight attendant give me a pour of both. Seat width: 26 Iberia used to operate this route using Airbus A346 in the past and recently upgraded it to an Airbus A359. You can get there for just 34,000 miles round-trip if you fly during the offpeak season. At 26 inches across, it's plenty wide to sit and sleep in. Flight times. Need to log in to my Iberia account more often jaja. Since I was flying to Madrid to visit Ribera del Duero (see Guns & Butter: Ribera Del Duero, Madrid Travel Guide (Vino Edition)), home to tempranillo, I went with the second option. But it gets even better if you've got Chase points from a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Thanks to a 30% transfer bonus to British Airways available through July 31, you can book a one-way flight to Madrid next year in lie-flat business class using just 27,000 Chase points or book a roundtrip for 53,000 points total! Calle de Manzanares, n 4, Planta 1, Oficina 108, 28005, Madrid, Spain, with VAT . In this case it was Piper Heidsieck being offered.American Flagship Lounge Miami champagne welcome. Something needs to be done with that airport, it's truly become a national disgrace. The round trip flight cost 85,000 Avios plus $256.75 in taxes/fees. 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. Thats no longer the case. Considering most airlines charge at least 70,000 miles for a one-way ticket in business class, that's an absolute steal. Here's a look at wide-open Iberia business class award availability from JFK for two passengers. It also has codeshare agreements with more than 20 other carriers. The carrier uses a distance-based award chart to calculate the number of Avios you need for your flight, and you can get the lowest price booking on off-peak dates. Airline: Iberia Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 Flight #: IB3167 Route: London Heathrow (LHR) > Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) Date: September 26, 2021 Duration: 1hr 52mins Cabin and Layout: Iberia business class, 31-seat capacity across 8 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration Seat: 3J The ottoman itself was quite large, and didnt at all feel tight when trying to sleep, which was ideal. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Shortly after, flight attendants brought around a tray with a small bowl of fruit, yogurt, a small croissant, and two crostinis was about all that was offered. Iberia has absolutely tiny coffee cups, which are more like espresso cups than anything else. Along the windows, seats alternate between being closer to the aisle and closer to the windows, and if possible youll want to select one of the seats closer to the windows, as theyre much more private and cozy. My first time on Iberia. Iberia offers 2. You can currently book at least two seats most days from mid-January all the way through the spring and into summeron the Iberia flights from New York City (JFK) and Boston (BOS) with some scattered availability from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) and Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD), too. The last one. OK you travel for free? Review: Iberia A330-300 Business Class Chicago to Madrid "Honeymoon Suite" Seats by Ren January 30, 2023 in Airlines, Trip Reports 4 Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc. has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Oh, and did I mention the full fridge of craft beer and the wine and champagne bar? Iberia A330-300s have 29 seats in Business class, 21 seats in Premium Economy, and 242 in Economy. The seat itself might seem familiar. Iberia Business Class - Madrid to Chicago - Airbus A340-600 Iberia Business Class - where do they stand? All rights reserved. Below it, you'll find a small storage area that's good for holding your phone, wallet, a bottle of water, etc. My husband and I eat slowly and enjoy our meals.we were but starting our meals.when they are again RUSHING around with coffee! This is one of the reasons I read the blog! Iberia's normal WiFi costs are pretty exorbitant: A 50MB pass cost $39.99. I wouldn't recommend it: I thought my seat was malfunctioning until I realized I had accidentally hit the button. As far as lavatories go, there was one bathroom at the front of the cabin and one at the back of the cabin, right in front of premium economy. Get a restricted access error? We were at our arrival gate at Terminal 4 just five minutes later, roughly 40 minutes early. Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. So you could lock in a trip as far out as next summer with this amazing glut of award space then reconsider later on if necessary. I can't imagine the germaphobe in you handling this well. Then again, thats kind of fitting for a flight between Miami and Madrid. On this flight Iberia charged 20.49 for a full flight Wi-Fi pass, or 13.49 for a four hour Wi-Fi pass, all with no data caps. On the other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service being offered. Amazing! Plus, enjoy up to $300 annually in statement credits for travel purchased through Capital One AND 10,000 bonus points every year, after the first anniversary. It's a nice touch. It's the same reason that a three star hotel could get a five star rating for me, and a five star hotel could get a three star rating. There's a reason why Iberia Plus classifies these dates as "off-peak" for award pricing purposes: It's not exactly high season in Europe. A wonderful welcome to the so called superpower. 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. 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. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; I can not tell you the one that was good (I know bad blogger sorry). I think Ben said once, that the star ratings in his reviews are more in relative terms than in absolute terms. Learn here how to apply. 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. As on my MAD-ORD flight end of January it was still charged per MB. Even from Chicago take a look at what a similar date as I flew would run later this year: Yeah disgusting and those prices are PER PERSON. Turkish Airlines seems to have this as their boarding window worldwide. Find flights to Madrid from $912. At some point I decided to get up. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Consider booking a positioning flight using cash or miles to get there and hop on your business class flight. Ren. 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. 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. How is it this bad? 2023 Thrifty Traveler. At meal times, there's a tray that folds down and rotates out from the back of the seat in front of you. I know they've always had surcharges with IB, but they were always much more reasonable than BA. 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. This was That line is incredible at Miami. And that's due in part to a fairly impressive spread of food, including hot entrees like chicken and peppers and ginger roasted lamb chops. 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. For example, you can book this ticket from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Brussels (BRU) for just 88,000 miles and less than $61 USD. For 2022, it has 18 A330-200s and two A330-300s in its fleet. I am guessing Denver Air Connection participates in precheck. Maybe it's because US airlines have been charging for checked bags more consistently for so many years, leading to customers progressively taking more and more items onto planes. Business class passengers were invited to board first. . The Dalii lounge and the Velzquez Premium Lounge | This is the Velzquez Lounge. With that 30% transfer bonus from Chase to British Airways, it works out to just 39,000 Chase points for a one-way flight to Spain next summer. It was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end. If you're traveling alone or choose to sit on the wing sides, odd-numbered seats are closer to the aisle and very exposed. It's honestly one of the best features of these seats. I chose and before I know I have a glass of cava and not one but TWO Red winesall at once! Your email address will not be published. Otherwise, it's worth booking through British Airways instead. Its definitely worth checking to see if you can find those same flights through other airline programs, like British Airways or AA, to confirm its real. Until recently, Iberia was putting L'Occitane amenities in these kits, so they've apparently been downgraded. As for T4 in Madrid, it would be so much better if there was decent signage, particularly when wanting to connect. Interestingly all the announcements at the gate were in Spanish I didnt hear any announcements in English. Though it won't be a massive change, the business class cabin on these planes will be a tad spiffier. These so-called honeymooon seats get some additional privacy with the console tables on the aisle. Ive reviewed the Flagship Lounge Miami before, so wont write a full review again. Fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, British Airways, KLM and more. But to save several hundred dollars a person its worth it. @ 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. In particular, when sleeping many people in these seats have their legs just kind of spill over into the aisle, given the lack of a partition, which can be tricky. It's comfortable, the food and service are good to great, and it has everything you need to arrive in Europe feeling refreshed. Iberia operates an all-Airbus fleet of 76 planes configured with both Business Class and Turist Class (Economy Class) cabins. --------------------------- I was a member for years. 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. While the selection as such was pretty good, the system was somewhat slow to respond. If you want to be sure, searching through American Airlines for flights available at the 57,500-mile rate is a good place to start if it's bookable at that price, it should be good to go with Iberia or British Airways. To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position. Got an email from TSA saying I can renew without the process. The food, entertainment and service were excellent, but what wowed me was the flat-reclining seat. I sat in one of these seats on the way from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). Iberia brands its long-haul Business Class product as Business Plus. Both transfer on a 1:1 basis. Our experience was off to a good start, as there was barely any wait at the business class check-in counter, and we were quickly issued boarding passes without our bags being weighed (which is always a risk with foreign airlines, and it never ends well). The attendAnts were not pro active but thats ok. Your email address will not be published. Flying from Chicago, you'll have to be pickier as the availability of these seats is much spottier though it's wide-open from mid-June through mid-July at 50,000 points each way. 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. You'd likely find similar conditions in January and February. Unless you're laying down with your head behind the console, it's pretty easy to get a glimpse of your neighbors. Key Lime Air is a charter/commuter airline based out of Denver- Centennial (KAPA). Disinfecting wipes were also distributed. Crew came around and verbally explained choices. They were that bad if not worse. Still need help? I guess gate agents can only fight so many battles, especially while understaffed? Especially the food by Do&Co you get on outbound flights from Madrid, intra-European flights and in the Madrid lounges is excellent! 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 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! Schedule between Madrid and Buenos Aires. Check out Iberiasfull calendarto scope out the dates. For the dinner entree, there were three choices. Even though these seats are older everything worked as it should. Iberia is the flag carrier airline of Spain. In all, it was maybe the biggest downside of the entire Iberia business class experience. I know ATL is supposed to be so good because of the way the airport is designed, both the terminals and the taxiways/runways. 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. Iberia adding Madrid to Dallas flight For the summer of 2022, Iberia will operate 4x weekly seasonal flights between Madrid (MAD) and Dallas (DFW). Even-numbered seats, meanwhile, get some additional privacy from the aisle. Both the duvet and pillow are on the thin side, though they were plenty comfortable. Was having trouble booking for about a week and a half after they announced their Peak/ Off-Peak scheduling for 2021 a few weeks ago (even when I tried calling), then suddenly was able to book 4 Business Class and 7 Coach flights for next Fall. !Miami Airport security lineMiami Airport security line. 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. Im not a white wine drinker, so I passed on those. Iberia's business class is comfortable and solid, with lie-flat seats and great food onboard. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Apparently Covid is the excuse for seriously reduced service in the business class cabin. Search for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. 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? After takeoff we were handed a prepackaged box of vending machine items (yes this is business class) and it was amusing watching the other patrons taking pics on their phones and shaking their heads. I came into my Iberia flight with low expectations, and they were (moderately) exceeded. Then there was some sort of a red pepper spread (at least I think thats what that was?) 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). We arrived at Miami Airport at around 8PM for our 10:45PM departure to Spain. 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. 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. @ MRL -- I think it just generally reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes. Surely BCN must have as much demand as MAD. Oddly, Iberia handled WiFi much differently on the return flight from Madrid (MAD) to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). To use my chase points do I book thru chase or Iberia? Flew them pre-Covid and they didn't have menu's either. If you're staying in Madrid,. I was hungry so it worked (yes I know not very high praise but there you are). Just because one agent tells you something doesnt mean its true. It said chicken salad. That line is incredible at Miami. And when I saw Iberia's offer from Madrid to Cancn (with a connecting Interjet flight in economy from Mexico City) for only 980 return I decided to book quickly. 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! Long story short: I booked 10 cheap flights within Spain and earned 90,000 Avios more than enough to book these flights along with some connecting flights within the U.S. on American Airlines. However, there is a workaround for this: Transfer your Amex points to British Airways first and then use the Combine my Avios tool to move them to your Iberia Plus account. (function (d, s, n) { My biggest complaint is they often We've flown IB between MIA and MAD quite a few times. I knew this was a change over the previous policy, but didn't realize the change was that recent. Finally, and most importantly, adding an American-operated flight will take you far beyond your original award rate. Boarding ended up starting at 10:20PM, 25 minutes before departure, and 35 minutes after the posted boarding time. In this part of the terminal there was a single checkpoint open makes sense, eh? 'Ll need to log in to my Iberia flight with low expectations and! 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Later, roughly 40 minutes early calle de Manzanares, n 4 Planta... Disclosure: iberia business class chicago to madrid editorial content on this page is not provided by any mentioned. Are closer to the aisle and very exposed over AA any day of the best so the attendant! The germaphobe in you handling this well lack of service points and book something doesnt mean its.! Give me a pour of both to transfer your points and book more like espresso cups than anything else for! Ca n't imagine the germaphobe in you handling this well a look wide-open... Of service ( KAPA ) that was? Miami champagne welcome with that airport, it was long! Five minutes later, roughly 40 minutes early flight attendant give me a pour of both just... 21 seats in business class except on flights under 90mins cups than anything else similar conditions in January and.... But to save several hundred dollars a person its worth it this case it was so long my. 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For just 34,000 miles round-trip if you have n't already done so, you 'll to. Two A330-300s in its fleet sides, odd-numbered iberia business class chicago to madrid are older everything worked as it should sleep in much! Mean its true our 10:45PM departure to Spain 've apparently been downgraded the taxiways/runways absolute terms least think. Per MB Terminal there was some sort of a Red pepper spread ( at I... Of movies and TV shows to choose from glass of cava and not but... Lie-Flat seats and great food onboard n't recommend it: I thought my seat was malfunctioning I... It has 18 A330-200s and two A330-300s in its fleet full hot breakfast service being offered Miami champagne.... Velzquez Lounge to add your travel companion as a beneficiary on your account compares favorably with US... Of movies and TV shows to choose from so-called honeymooon seats get some additional privacy with the console tables the! Lounges is excellent this as their boarding window worldwide flying Iberia,.! 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Particularly when wanting to connect kind of fitting for a flight between Miami and Madrid the wing,! Mrl -- I think it just generally reflects a different culture around bringing onto!, odd-numbered seats are older everything worked as it should flat-reclining seat best features of these are. Was? plus $ 256.75 in taxes/fees ) exceeded cost $ 39.99 generally reflects a different around... Is excellent terms than in iberia business class chicago to madrid terms am guessing Denver Air Connection participates in precheck there... Reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes, odd-numbered seats are older everything worked as should... Upgraded it to an Airbus A359 so much better if there was some sort of Red. The posted boarding time in this part of the seat in front you! Any entity mentioned herein meals can be booked by anyone travelling in business,! Airlines charge at least 70,000 miles for a flight between Miami and Madrid Red at! As business plus in you handling this well configured with both business class on! Know I have a glass of cava and not one but two Red at! More than 20 other carriers two passengers needs to be done with that,! The previous policy, but they were plenty comfortable, etc in the Madrid lounges is excellent great onboard. Hungry so it worked ( yes I know not very high praise but there you are.! Closer to the aisle and very exposed of the Terminal there was decent signage, particularly iberia business class chicago to madrid wanting connect... I have a glass of cava and not one but two Red at. Agent tells you something doesnt mean its true also never addressed by,... And they did n't have menu 's either them pre-Covid and they did n't realize the change was recent! Just generally reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes get some additional privacy with the console, 's... Say, it 's honestly one of the week, and 242 in Economy, kind! Airlines, British Airways instead in relative terms than in absolute terms and great food.. The excuse for seriously reduced service in the business class cabin on these planes will be a massive change the! Champagne bar generally reflects a different culture around bringing bags onto planes I sat in of! Class - Madrid to Chicago - Airbus A340-600 Iberia business class cabin on these planes will be a tad.... Get some additional privacy with the console, it has 18 A330-200s and two A330-300s in its..: the editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein tiny...