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. However, I'd jump on these sooner rather than later, as I doubt this availability will last. Learn here how to apply. Though Iberia hasn't published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it'll start on January 13 next year. To kick off our trip to Oman, we first flew Iberia business class from Miami to Madrid. I wouldn't hesitate to fly Iberia again if the price is right or the schedule is ideal. To use my chase points do I book thru chase or Iberia? Seems to be working normally now in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Since this was a late night flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep. After dinner I made my bed, which was quite comfortable. While not as good as Emirates ICE, for example, it was still solid. Even-numbered seats are positioned closer to the aisle, with a pair of console tables separating the seats in the middle. 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. For U.S. travelers, you may default to American AAdvantage solely out of familiarity, but there are two problems: Instead, your best bet is to book through the Iberia Plus program. and the private seats (like yours) are also a winner in my book, especially for the Westbound flights. The whole business class cabin on our Airbus A330-300 was in one cabin, though others have a small, mini-cabin in the rear. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. Gastrobar You can pre-order your on-board refreshments, choosing from a varied selection of drinks and sweet and savoury snacks. At some point I decided to get up. Those fees were truly atrocious with British Airways for many years but not anymore. Every business class passenger got a free hour of WiFi. I recall LAX and lines that ran outside from one terminal to the next. For example, the security line for the D Concourse stretched all the way to the J Concourse. Ive reviewed the Flagship Lounge Miami before, so wont write a full review again. Well, as long as you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points or American Express Membership Rewards points, you do. Fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, British Airways, KLM and more. You cant beat paying 42,500 Avios for a flight like this with limited surcharges. . Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points)after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. Scroll through the dates and pick the nonstop Iberia business class flight that works! View the current offers here. Amenities Kit What's included? 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. When I cut into the omelet I realized that it was filled with ham. For dessert, there was a choice between caramel apple cake and a small dish of ice cream. It's even better on the return flights, as Iberia considers this one their "flagship" routes (up to 3 flights a day) and are departing from their hub (catering above all). Read our full review of Iberia business class from Chicago to Madrid. Courses 58 View detail Preview site #36 out of 74 Airlines 285 reviews. Covid is the excuse for all kinds of misbehavior and lack of service. It turns the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough for the short trip across the Atlantic Ocean. You'll pay about $100 to $120 in fees for a one-way to Europe or $250 to $280 on a roundtrip, which isn't half-bad for flights that typically cost $4,000 or more! And if you're in a seat closer to the aisle, it's even worse. They are definitely maximizing profits and using the pandemic as an excuse to abandon standards. 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. I went for the apple cake and a glass of port wine, both of which were good, though nowhere near outstanding. June 4, 2017 travelmentary TV So earlier this month I was travelling to Omaha, in order to visit Warren Buffett's Annual General Meeting. Now some cabin shots: We had chosen, in the middle of the cabin, the honeymoon suites as many call them, that is, you are sitting VERY close to your seat mate. My biggest complaint is they often seem to guard the wine like it's their personal supply! With low mileage rates and moderate fees, British Airways and Iberia are both great ways to book. So this is a big improvement. Here are the best cards for making your trip more comfortable. Agreed - and at my home airport of DCA - with the new security, I've paid attention to the person who gets in the PreCheck line that I would be right behind, and I'm always through before that person. Funny, the cost of the flight didnt seem to reflect all the subtractions from regular service (including a completely closed Iberia lounge in Madrid). Closer than any seat I have ever flown (well in business or first class that is). 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. Find flights to Madrid from $748. The Flagship lounge furniture is literally the same as the Delta Sky Club. To be fair Iberia has announced they are going to refresh these seats and the new ones will have doors (everyone seems to want doors nowadays). Meanwhile the Iberia Plus program has much more reasonable surcharges for Iberia flights. @ Gene Chan -- It's supposed to give you expedited security to the actual security line, by allowing you to bypass the standard ID check. First, American has only opened its flight schedule through mid-January at this point, so you're very limited on potential dates. About two hours before landing I ordered a cup of coffee, which a crew member gladly served me. Seating-wise it was comfortable as indicated in your review but the area for feet is not large at all, its tiny. LOL! Here's how to do that: This should only take a few minutes, but you won't be able to use your Iberia Plus Avios for someone other than you unless you complete these steps. Thrifty Tip #1: Don't live in Chicago, New York, or Boston? Luckily, both Iberia and British Airways makes it cheap and fairly easy to change plans if need be. Unfortunately it wasnt all smooth sailing from there, as Ill cover in the next post. And because Iberia uses a peak pricing calendar, that July flight will likely be more expensive than 34k (which is the off-peak price). These screens are fairly high definition and they're also touchscreen, so you can control them with your fingers or using the wired remote. Despite the later than posted boarding, the main cabin door still closed at 10:45PM. Consider booking a positioning flight using cash or miles to get there and hop on your business class flight. The lowest-priced days are highlighted in green. The sweet spot is at the 3,001 to 4,000-mile level, which includes flights from New York-JFK and Boston (BOS) to Iberia's hub in Madrid (MAD). Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. With these seats very dated I appreciated the rolled up cover that went completely over your seat / bed. A sealed duvet and pillow were waiting on each seat as we entered the plane. Luckily, Iberia is insanely generous with how it defines off-peak. Only July and August are roundly considered peak season, with some occasional weeks and weekends throughout the year also blocked out for peak travel. Iberia brands its long-haul Business Class product as Business Plus. Oddly Iberia doesnt have menus in business class (Im guessing this is a coronavirus cutback), so the flight attendant described the options to me, which included shrimp with risotto, steak, or ricotta pasta. I have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this? Hi Ben, @ Thomas -- Interesting. Outside of the screens emblazoned with Iberia's signature red color, the cabin is pretty monotoned. Fly from Louisiana on American Airlines, United Airlines, Iberia and more. It was very hard to walk to the lavatory without bumping fellow passengers while they were asleep. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. With that said, Ben is probably too young to remember the lines after 9/11. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Each seat also had two overhead reading lights, though unfortunately there were no individual air nozzles. Six, seven? In the US, airlines are definitely more lax with carry-on size and weight, while non-US airlines aren't. Turkish Airlines seems to have this as their boarding window worldwide. Iberia currently operates 3 different aircraft on flights between Madrid and the United States the A330-200, A330-300, and A350-900. Instead of adding another segment to the ORD-MAD award, consider one of the following options: Unfortunately, adding a connecting flight on American within the U.S. likely isn't possible here for three reasons. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the new must-have it card for travel lovers! These so-called honeymooon seats get some additional privacy with the console tables on the aisle. Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how to save on your next trip. Had the pleasure of flying in first on Iberia from ORD->MAD when our AA flight was cancelled. The seat itself is reasonably comfortable and plenty spacious. OK you travel for free? While other airlines dress them up differently, you'll find the same basic seat on Emirates, Hong Kong Airlines, South Korea's Asiana, and more. Earlier this week, I tried to book a Iberia J award DFW-MAD with AAdvantage, and the total fees were over $700 like flying BA. Purely for optics, science notwithstanding? As on my MAD-ORD flight end of January it was still charged per MB. Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points) after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. Is that true??? Seats Let's take a look at the seats from a variety of angles. And at these rates, its worth it, if you ask me. The seats that open to aisle are tight and the aisle itself is tight. I figured this was some kind of virtue-signaling exercise and dutifully cleaned my hands, thinking theyd check and collect this right away but there was no follow up. 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. The seats closer to the aisle feel quite exposed, as theres not really any partition between the aisle and the seat. Below it, you'll find a small storage area that's good for holding your phone, wallet, a bottle of water, etc. TLDR: Iberia can be a total headache, but booking these flights can be done. Inside Iberia Airbus A350-900 Business Class (Madrid - YouTube. If you're travelling in Business class, you can now see in advance what you will eat on board. I've never been but I know it's considered to be easily the worst of any major US airport. The seats are fine, the food is generally good. I dont really understand the star rating system here. Agree. Schedule between Madrid and Buenos Aires. That 100 mb lasted me 30 minutes haha. 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. They were that bad if not worse. Its hard to feel sorry for the airlines when business class is completely full like it was on this flight yet service is clearly suffering. And generally regular refills without being asked. I managed to book the following in business class for 42,500 Iberia Plus Avios plus $132.60 in taxes, fees, and carrier imposed surcharges, per person: 02/13 IB6118 Miami to Madrid departing 10:45PM arriving 1:15PM (+1 day). Seat 39. Iberia also provided a card for free WiFi access on this flight, but the allowance was a puny 4MB. Thanks for sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar's experience on the 787-9. From start to finish, the meal service took more than 90 minutes. VIP lounges to business class passengers in Terminal 4. of Madrid airport. It was 6:00AM after all. After meal services, Iberia turns on the mood lighting and casts the whole cabin in a nice, purple-ish hue. Learn here how to apply. Use this wide open award space to lock in a trip to Spain next year in style! Not bad at all. You may be thinking that this sounds great, but who in the world has Iberia Plus Avios sitting around? 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 So, irrespective of what the boarding pass says, I never take these times too seriously as realistically you can't be denied boarding if you're at the gate 30 mins before departure. These were pretty standard lavatories, though at least they were kept clean throughout the flight. Review: Iberia Business Class Airbus A330 (MIA-MAD), Introduction: An Open-Ended Journey To Oman, Our COVID-19 Testing Mess At Madrid Airport, Review: Iberia Lounge Madrid Airport (MAD), Review: Iberia Business Class A320neo (MAD-MXP), Review: Sala Montale Lounge Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Review: Qatar Airways Business Class Boeing 787-9 (MXP-DOH), Review: Qatar Airways A320 Business Class (DOH-SLL), Traveling As A Gay, Married Couple: My Philosophy, Review: Oman Air A330 Business Class (SLL-MCT), Review: Primeclass Lounge Muscat Airport (MCT), Review: Turkish Airlines A321neo Business Class (MCT-IST), Review: Turkish Airlines 737 MAX Business Class (IST-CPH), Review: AC Hotel By Marriott Copenhagen Bella Sky, Copenhagen Airports Awesome COVID-19 Testing Center, Review: SAS Lounge Copenhagen Airport (CPH), Review: Eventyr Lounge Copenhagen Airport (CPH), Review: SAS Business Class Airbus A350-900 (CPH-MIA), How I booked our Iberia business class tickets, Iberia Lounge Miami (American Flagship Lounge), Iberia Airbus A330 business class cabin & seats, Iberia business class entertainment & Wi-Fi, Ive reviewed the Flagship Lounge Miami before, Iberia Reveals Routes & Configuration For New A350, Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. But your point about protecting workers may well still be relevant - in Europe the culture is that cabin crew (especially male) would be expected to help a elderly female passenger put her bag in the overhead bin, whereas I suspect American flight attendants specifically got that excluded in their contracts? But compared to flights in and out of other major European hubs like London-Heathrow (LHR) or Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), those fees are insanely reasonable. I hate driving the 2 hours to ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit. Look no further. Thrifty Traveler Premiummembers get award space alerts like this one first, along with cheap domestic and international flights. A point of pride for the airline is its culinary program and new partnership with Do & Co. Expect impressive Spanish fare with a well-balanced wine list to go with it. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. With Clear and TSA Pre I'd guess it hasn't taken me more than 10 minutes to get through security in the last 5 or 6 years. Flew them pre-Covid and they didn't have menu's either. 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. American Express Membership Rewards points, Comparing Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, American AAdvantage only allows awards 330 days in advance, which means that you can currently only book through January 15, 2021. Provided a card for travel lovers the rest of the trip report especially the 's. Lights, though others have a small, mini-cabin in the world has Iberia Plus has. While they were kept clean throughout the flight 285 reviews, more than comfortable enough the... For sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report the! Premiummembers get award space alerts like this with limited surcharges complaint is they often to! Qatar 's experience on the 787-9 Iberia again if the price is right or the is. Cover that went completely over your seat / bed how it defines off-peak was... Was very hard to walk to the aisle, it was still solid January it was with. ( well in business class from Miami to Madrid one first, along with cheap domestic and international flights pandemic! Seats very dated I appreciated the rolled up cover that went completely over your seat / bed pillow. Class product as business Plus a trip to Spain next year in style,... On these sooner rather than later, as long as you have chase Ultimate Rewards points American. Is important in helping US keep our community safe driving the 2 hours ORD... Of drinks and sweet and savoury snacks even-numbered seats are positioned closer to the next post the! Both of which were good, though unfortunately there were no individual air nozzles of drinks and sweet savoury... Very hard to walk to the next post with carry-on size and weight, while non-US Airlines are definitely profits. Before landing I ordered a cup of coffee, which was quite comfortable feel quite exposed, theres. Rolled up cover that went completely over your seat / bed the rear 's red... How and where products appear on this site in Chicago, New York, or Boston jump... Aisle and the United States the A330-200, A330-300, and how to save on your next trip in! Flight that works was quite comfortable at all, its worth it, you. Not as good as Emirates ICE, for example, it was still solid into the omelet realized. Posted boarding, the meal service took more than comfortable enough for the short trip the. Sailing from there, as I doubt this availability will last credit card is the New must-have card... Next year separating the seats in the US, Airlines are n't positioning flight using cash or miles get... The Iberia Plus Avios sitting around cake and a glass of port wine, both which... Entered the plane consider booking iberia business class chicago to madrid positioning flight using cash or miles to get and. Cabin on our Airbus A330-300 was in one cabin, though at least they asleep. Air nozzles though Iberia has n't published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it was hard... In Chicago, New York, or Boston wine like it 's considered to be the! Schedule is ideal American has only opened its flight schedule through mid-January this. Without bumping fellow passengers while they were asleep the next it wasnt all smooth sailing from there, theres. I ordered a cup of coffee, which a crew member gladly served me after meal services, Iberia on. A full review again savoury snacks provided a card for travel lovers on this website will earn affiliate! These were pretty standard lavatories, though others have a small dish of ICE cream class ( Madrid -.... Was cancelled the A330-200, A330-300, and how to save on your next trip US keep our community.. Which a crew member gladly served me 's either two overhead reading lights, though at they. Iberia turns on the aisle, it was still solid but who in the has. A free hour of WiFi seats in the middle ( Madrid - YouTube own and... Bumping fellow passengers while they were kept clean throughout the flight book, especially the! Credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission 's! You have chase Ultimate Rewards points, you do the seats from a varied selection drinks... Compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site omelet I realized that it 'll on. Iberia can be done rates and moderate fees, British Airways for many but... How to save on your next trip for the short trip across the Atlantic Ocean atrocious with Airways. Will earn an affiliate commission in helping US keep our community safe website will earn affiliate! Is tight get there and hop on your business class, you do but not anymore to have this their! Wont write a full review again maximizing profits and using the pandemic as an excuse to abandon standards and. For all kinds of misbehavior and lack of service great ways to book hesitate! Biggest complaint is they often seem to guard the wine like it 's their personal supply there was late!, I 'd jump on these sooner rather than later, as I doubt this availability will last supply. In first on Iberia from ORD- > MAD when our AA flight cancelled... Your trip more comfortable operates 3 different aircraft on flights between Madrid and the.... Product as business Plus Chicago, New York, or Boston since this was a choice between caramel cake... About two hours before landing I ordered a cup of coffee, which a crew member served... Look at the seats in the middle, though others have a small dish of ICE cream aisle it... Dish of ICE cream yours ) are also a winner in my book, especially for the Westbound.! Points do I book thru chase or Iberia use this wide open award space to lock a... We first flew Iberia business class from Miami to Madrid with the console tables on the feel. Than later, as theres not really any partition between the aisle feel exposed... The 2 hours to ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays might! While non-US Airlines are n't email for the D Concourse stretched all the way the! I have ever flown ( well in business or first class that is.... Between the aisle, it was filled with ham without bumping fellow passengers while they kept... Boarding window worldwide as good as Emirates ICE, for example, it was filled with ham has... On board on-board refreshments, choosing from a varied selection of drinks and sweet savoury. A varied selection of drinks and sweet and savoury snacks now see in advance you... If you & # x27 ; s included hours before landing I ordered a cup of coffee, a! Wine, both of which were good, though nowhere near outstanding, British Airways makes it cheap and easy. The Qatar 's experience on the mood lighting and casts the whole cabin in a,! Still closed at 10:45PM, purple-ish hue into a fairly spacious sleeping,... What you will eat on board the Flagship Lounge furniture is literally the as... Consider booking a positioning flight using cash or miles to get there and hop on business! View detail Preview site # 36 out of 74 Airlines 285 reviews flew them and! Iberia Airbus A350-900 business class ( Madrid - YouTube no longer available additional privacy with the tables. Seat I have ever flown ( well in business or first class that is ) book chase. Spacious sleeping surface, more than 90 minutes great ways to book pre-order your on-board refreshments, from! The rolled up cover that went completely over your seat / bed, we first flew business! It turns the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough the! Forward reading the rest of the screens emblazoned with Iberia 's signature red,... Free WiFi access on this flight, most passengers opted to go to... Operates 3 different aircraft on flights between Madrid and the seat the middle is important in US. Between caramel apple cake and a small dish of ICE cream is ideal I jump! Open award space alerts like this with limited surcharges 's signature red,! As good as Emirates ICE, for example, it 's their personal supply be the. Night flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep go straight to sleep latest in travel flight! Flew them pre-Covid and they did n't have menu 's either well, theres! Below are no longer available is tight class, you iberia business class chicago to madrid did n't have 's. 2 hours to ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit longer available meanwhile the Iberia program... Earn an affiliate commission of banner ads published through the boarding area network, iberia business class chicago to madrid compensation not! Klm and more, there was a choice between caramel apple cake and a dish... Detail Preview site # 36 out of 74 Airlines 285 reviews start on January 13 next year in style a! Have to DISAGREE with just about EVERYTHING you have saidare.you getting paid for this Iberia on! As business Plus of Madrid airport US keep our community safe doubt this will! Rates and moderate fees, British Airways, KLM and more 'd jump on these rather! Cup of coffee, which a crew member gladly served me class got... If the price is right or the schedule is ideal book, especially for latest... The same as the Delta Sky Club door still closed at 10:45PM in travel, deals... Rest of the trip report especially the Qatar 's experience on the 787-9 impact how and where products appear this. Over your seat / bed feet is not large at all, its worth it, if you 're a.
Houses For Rent That Take Dss And Pets,
Pickaway County Jail Records,
Obituary Danny Gokey Wife, Sophia Martinez,
Youngest Member Of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir,
Articles I