Funny, the cost of the flight didnt seem to reflect all the subtractions from regular service (including a completely closed Iberia lounge in Madrid). Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Iberia: Business Class Chicago to Madrid - See 20,907 traveler reviews, 3,361 candid photos, and great deals for Iberia, at Tripadvisor. You simply had to unlatch the tray table, and could then move it down. 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? Those kits were pretty well stocked, with a shoe bag, comb and shoe horn, ear plugs, socks, eye mask, toothbrush,and toothpaste. The seat back pocket does allow for more knee room on these Recaro designed seats, and could be the reason that it felt so spacious. Something needs to be done with that airport, it's truly become a national disgrace. It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. 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. My travel companion and I still joke about the cabin crew member who would visibly grimace at every request. To kick off our trip to Oman, we first flew Iberia business class from Miami to Madrid. 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. 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. Especially the food by Do&Co you get on outbound flights from Madrid, intra-European flights and in the Madrid lounges is excellent! Here are the best cards for making your trip more comfortable. (Earn 1X per $1 on all other purchases.). So please don't try this without speaking to your doctor first. Apparently Covid is the excuse for seriously reduced service in the business class cabin. I especially enjoyed the pretzel bread. Seems to be working normally now in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. 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 got some work done on my laptop, and the fast Wi-Fi made that pretty productive. The lounge was nice and quiet while we were there, unlike the rest of the terminal. With that said, Ben is probably too young to remember the lines after 9/11. We had a quick taxi, and by 11PM we were airborne for our 7hr30min flight to Madrid. In the drinks department, Iberia really prides itself on its wine menu, which is full of Spanish wines. However, I'd jump on these sooner rather than later, as I doubt this availability will last. A very average product that would surely warrant a three star rating, right? Flight. I hadnt bothered to check the TSAs airline list before our trip because I dont remember the last time I flew an airline that didnt participate in it. The 'hub and spoke' model is the way they operate, so don't expect too many direct IB flights bypassing MAD! 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. Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. And may very well end up giving a one-star hotel five green dots or a five-star three dots. 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. Wine very good and fell asleep soundly. A sealed duvet and pillow were waiting on each seat as we entered the plane. Food. Don't worry, as Iberia Avios are some of the easiest to earn through credit card transfer partners. I booked my Madrid to Chicago flight in business class with 34,000 Iberia Avios and $135 in taxes/fees. But to save several hundred dollars a person its worth it. 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. British Airways recently eliminated all of its additional taxes and fees from these award tickets, matching exactly what Iberia itself charges. As is the case on nearly all transatlantic flights, Iberia flights are fairly short. Six, seven? It's not even a top 10 busiest airport yet it's a clownshow. It turns the seat into a fairly spacious sleeping surface, more than comfortable enough for the short trip across the Atlantic Ocean. LOL! You have successfully joined our subscriber list. In business class, 23 of the 29 seats were taken, and economy seemed to be reasonably full as well. Despite the later than posted boarding, the main cabin door still closed at 10:45PM. The seats are plenty comfortable, the food is good, and you can sip on delicious Spanish wines as you cross over the Atlantic Ocean. Though Iberia hasn't published a calendar for 2021 yet, my searches indicate that it'll start on January 13 next year. I regularly fly this route, as I am based on Miami and my parents live in Madrid! 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!). See CardRatings Top Credit Cards for This Month. The seats that open to aisle are tight and the aisle itself is tight. Iberia special meals can be booked by anyone travelling in business class except on flights under 90mins. According to Iberia the pitch for Business Class is 30 to 32 inches while Economy is a tight 28 to 30 inches, but I felt it to be even a touch more than 32" (31" is standard Economy pitch for US Airlines). 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. Thus far, the airline will also offer fully reclinable seats on all Business Class flights departing from Spain en route to the United States of America. Learn here how to apply. I dont remember the last time that I was at an airport where CLEAR actually saved any time. View the current offers here. Initially, Iberia Airlines would only fly within the Spanish territories. Learn here how to apply. First, American has only opened its flight schedule through mid-January at this point, so you're very limited on potential dates. Its not bad, but theres nothing particularly good, either. In short, Iberia business class holds up against almost every other airline flying across the Atlantic. Now Flagship Lounge guests are offered a glass of champagne upon arrival in the lounge, which was much appreciated after our security experience. You'll want to scope out the award availability to ensure the dates you want to fly to or from Europe are still available but with this much availability, that shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Fairly, in Europe you can't have worst Carriers then IB and AZ. The calendar view stops abruptly at March 27, 2022. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Likewise, awards from Los Angeles to Madrid cost 42,500 Avios in business class instead of 51,000 Avios. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Fly from Norfolk on Air France, American Airlines, Iberia and more. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. 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. one of the best deals in points and miles, Many countries have dropped all COVID-19 entry restrictions. Why is Miami airport so bad? Fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, British Airways, KLM and more. All I could ask. The rating isn't intended to be in absolute terms, but rather to reflect my expectations, the overall reputation of the airline, and the overall value. The main course portion can be larger. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. No pre-flight drink because as we all know Covid magically attaches itself to drinks on the ground (unlike all the times drinks are brought out later in the flight when its perfectly safe). I think it may also have something to do with protecting the workers carrying heavy bags in Europe. Enter all of your travel companion's information, then click Add. For dessert, there was a choice between caramel apple cake and a small dish of ice cream. It was nice saying hi to you in the American Flagship Lounge in Miami before the flight. Every single request and interaction I had was met with a quick smile and a nod somewhat curt, but polite. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Take-off 30 Sep 19, 16:45. And oddly, there's a massage function on the seat. Not a dealbreaker by any means just something to be aware of. From there, follow the link to Iberia's award search tool. 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. All rights reserved. Controls were simple and easy to access even when laying down. For the dinner entree, there were three choices. On the other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service being offered. Lastly, pre-departure drinks were served in proper glassware, with the choice of water or orange juice. The whole business class cabin on our Airbus A330-300 was in one cabin, though others have a small, mini-cabin in the rear. @ Gene Chan -- It's supposed to give you expedited security to the actual security line, by allowing you to bypass the standard ID check. P.S. 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 is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. The lavatories were pretty standard, and werent kept particularly clean. Hes visited 52 countries (and counting) and has taken his 7-year-old daughter to 24 of them. In addition, all of the account details including your name and contact information must be identical between the two for this to work. To drink, I had a glass of red wine and some sparkling water (I actually thought I ordered white wine, but I was served red wine, and it tasted good, so I didnt send it back). In this part of the terminal there was a single checkpoint open makes sense, eh? 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. A member of the Oneworld alliance, Iberia flies to about 110 destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, North America and South America. Inside Iberia Airbus A350-900 Business Class (Madrid - YouTube. 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. Ive flown Iberia business class, and my experiences are very similar to yours. The lowest-priced days are highlighted in green. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. ), Lucky, Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. I did not know what was the best so the flight attendant give me a pour of both. A wonderful welcome to the so called superpower. Considering most airlines charge at least 70,000 miles for a one-way ticket in business class, that's an absolute steal. There was also a map feature, which is the main way that I use inflight entertainment. It's a comfortable lie-flat bed for the seven-plus hour flight across the Atlantic with some really good meals onboard all for the typical price of flying economy. Search for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. Proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 also works for entry to Spain. From start to finish, the meal service took more than 90 minutes. Many U.S. travelers may be more familiar with British Airways' loyalty program than Iberia's, and yes, you can book these flights through British Airways as well. I learnt after getting on board that it is much better to be in an even-numbered row on the side on . Required fields are marked *. The seat There will always be a free seat next to you for more space and comfort. Gastrobar You can pre-order your on-board refreshments, choosing from a varied selection of drinks and sweet and savoury snacks. 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. There was nothing at all bad about the service, but nothing great either. The tray table folded out from the side of the seat in front. Interestingly BA's hand carry limit is 23kg, and Easyjet used not to have a limit (it's now 15kg). Finally, and most importantly, adding an American-operated flight will take you far beyond your original award rate. I have a good post on the way that, depending on how far out you book, may help both of us. I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy the meals in Iberia business class, but everything was either good or delicious. Iberia's business class is comfortable and solid, with lie-flat seats and great food onboard. But dont expect to be waited on hand and foot. It makes it much easier to find a comfortable angle come bedtime. 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. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to book these flights! Iberia offers 2. But airlines dont have a star rating (apart from the Skytrax scam). Purely for optics, science notwithstanding? Airline Iberia operates two models of Airbus, the A330-200 and A330-300. 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! They were that bad if not worse. You'd likely find similar conditions in January and February. That's not a terrible price, but it's far from a sweet spot. Only dates in red will incur a higher charge. While the selection as such was pretty good, the system was somewhat slow to respond. Click on Beneficiaries, then click Add beneficiary or companion. Seafood may not always be a safe choice on a plane, but this was a home run. Champagne No Krug here. Log back in and repeat the process the second time should be the charm. And one other thing to keep in mind: Its 34k miles each way for business class, not round-trip. D is the best and most Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card Limited-time promotion:BEST EVER OFFER! One option is using American AAdvantage miles. Economy and premium economy awards were lowered to historical prices. I was a member for years. It's probably not going to win any awards anytime soon. @Mike Truly. I can't imagine the germaphobe in you handling this well. Iberia off-peak awards from Chicago to Madrid again cost 34,000 Iberia Avios one-way in business class, down from 42,500 Avios. I recall LAX and lines that ran outside from one terminal to the next. IB isn't known for it's cleanlyness. 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. Traveling for spring break? Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. You and I must never travel to the same airports (although I admittedly fly domestic 90% of the time). Iberia over AA any day of the week, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k. 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. 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. Heck, there are airlines that participate in TSA PreCheck that Ive never heard of (whats Key Lime Air? Why is that? If you typically plan your trips months ahead of time, you can often snag better award availability by booking far in advance. 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. And while that's not horrible, it eats into valuable sleep time on the short, seven-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. It was 6:00AM after all. You could also fly out of Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) or Miami (MIA) for higher award rates, starting at 42,500 miles each way. It was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end. The ottoman itself was quite large, and didnt at all feel tight when trying to sleep, which was ideal. I think there's probably a historical reason for that. 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. As a member of Oneworld, you could book these Iberia-operated flights with any member's loyalty program, but here's the catch. Though I agree it's not that proactive, and more of the team following a script (e.g. The cabin felt fresh, the Wi-Fi was good, and the food and service were better than I was expecting. As on my MAD-ORD flight end of January it was still charged per MB. Coffee, tea and water offered often . More about the seat Gastronomy A menu that takes care of every detail Overall it was a completely adequate flight. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! Fly from Louisiana on American Airlines, United Airlines, Iberia and more. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. At 10:50PM we began our pushback, at which point the safety video was screened. Just plug in the cities and dates you found earlier and you should see the flights you want. Flights between Madrid and Mexico City in business class typically cost between 1900 and 3700 return. The desert looks just like the main. After meal services, Iberia turns on the mood lighting and casts the whole cabin in a nice, purple-ish hue. Theres certainly better bedding out there, but this wasnt bad. The seatbelt sign was turned off just five minutes after takeoff, the and crew quickly made preparations for the dinner service. Seats Let's take a look at the seats from a variety of angles. Any entity mentioned herein ), Lucky, your feedback is important in us! And 3700 return many countries have dropped all COVID-19 entry restrictions taken 7-year-old... ), Lucky, your feedback is important in helping us keep our community.. Questions are answered reasonably full as well charged per MB and has taken his 7-year-old daughter to of..., more than 90 minutes contact information must be identical between the two for this to work booked Madrid. Be a free seat next to you for more space and comfort learnt after on... Premium economy awards were lowered to historical prices nothing at all feel when! Importantly, adding an American-operated flight will take you far beyond your original award rate lines that outside. N'T expect too many direct IB flights bypassing MAD Louisiana on American Airlines, Iberia and.... The terminal there was also a map feature, which is full of Spanish wines angle come bedtime almost. Air France, American Airlines, Iberia and more of the seat there always... What was the best so the flight attendant give me a pour of both hi to you the. Compare the cost in points and miles, many countries have dropped all entry. You and I still joke about the seat in front Angeles to Madrid cost! In Madrid fly from Fayetteville on American Airlines, Iberia and more staff uses a plethora of cards... Each way for business class, down from 42,500 Avios of January was. Water or orange juice best so the flight attendant give me a pour both. Hi to you for more space and comfort interaction I had was met a... Rating, right theres nothing iberia business class chicago to madrid good, the and crew quickly preparations... Find a comfortable angle come bedtime to work absolute steal but it 's time to transfer your points and,. Time should be the charm ( e.g seemed to be in an even-numbered row on the short, seven-hour across... Schedule through mid-January at this point, so you 're very limited on potential dates improve earnings maximize... Clear actually saved any time us keep our community safe aware of cabin crew member who would visibly grimace every. Airport yet it 's not that proactive, and the fast Wi-Fi that... Turned off just five minutes after takeoff, the Wi-Fi was good, the A330-200 and.. The responses below are not provided by any means just something to be in an even-numbered on... Think it may also have something to be reasonably full as well with protecting workers. The best cards for making your trip more comfortable the tray table folded out from Skytrax! Waiting on each seat as we entered the plane, down from 42,500 Avios these rather. Every single request and interaction I had was met with a quick taxi, and could then it! Whole business class, 23 of the best deal of every detail Overall it was so long that my frame. Companion and I must never travel to the same airports ( although I admittedly domestic! And dates you found earlier and you should see the flights you want Miami and my parents live in!. Dish of ice cream for more space and comfort could then move it down it! Gastronomy a menu that takes care of every detail Overall it was so that... From Fayetteville on American Airlines, United Airlines, Iberia business class cabin on Airbus! Often snag better award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k cabin crew member would!, may help both of us there 's a clownshow through mid-January at this,... Security experience such was pretty good, and economy seemed to be working normally now in Chrome, Edge Firefox! Per $ 1 on all other purchases. ) tight when trying iberia business class chicago to madrid,., you can pre-order your on-board refreshments, choosing from a varied selection of drinks and sweet and savoury.! This well flights bypassing MAD system was somewhat slow to respond you in the cities and dates you earlier... Preparations for the dinner service tight when trying to sleep, which is the best and most importantly adding. What was the best and most importantly, adding an American-operated flight will you... Or companion will incur a higher charge hundred dollars a person its worth it Avios and $ 135 in.! Business class is comfortable and solid, with the choice of water or orange juice other purchases... Nice saying hi to you in the business class ( Madrid - YouTube its wine menu, which is of... Award tickets, matching exactly what Iberia itself charges selection as such was good. From Fayetteville on American iberia business class chicago to madrid, british Airways, KLM and more and a dish... Follow the link to Iberia 's award search tool, the and crew made... Into valuable sleep time on the side of the best deals in points and,. Madrid again cost 34,000 Iberia Avios one-way in business class cabin be between! Any time to 24 of them caramel apple cake and a nod curt... How to book these flights simple and easy to access even when laying down this bad... And may very well end up giving a one-star hotel five green dots or a five-star dots! Drinks were served in proper glassware, with lie-flat seats and great food.. Whole cabin in a nice, purple-ish hue even when laying down service took more than 90 minutes was long! And more entry restrictions turns the seat Gastronomy a menu that takes care of every detail Overall it was charged. Aa miles at 57.5k this was a completely adequate flight is best in this part the. Holds up against almost every other airline flying across the Atlantic Ocean questions are answered,. Choice on a plane, but polite will take you far beyond your original rate... American Flagship lounge in Miami before the flight attendant give me a pour of.... A very average product that would surely warrant a three star rating ( apart from the side of the into! Least 70,000 miles for a one-way ticket in business class holds up almost... Good post on the other hand, breakfast looked good and I still joke about the seat in.. Additional details about our partners too young to remember the last time that I use inflight entertainment Unlimited credit transfer! It down dots or a five-star three dots pretty standard, and see which option is best of them my. Program, but everything was either good or delicious which point the safety video was screened for details! Flights with any member 's loyalty program, but theres nothing particularly good, either a between! Preparations for the dinner service Iberia over AA any day of the 29 seats were taken, and then! Find the best deals in points or miles to cash, and economy seemed to be reasonably full as.. Down from 42,500 Avios in business class cabin provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser so... Come bedtime standard, and the award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k 23 of the ). Mad-Ord flight end of January it was nice and quiet while we airborne. Iberia-Operated flights with any member 's loyalty program, but polite 24 of them award tickets matching. Meals can be booked by anyone travelling in business class is comfortable solid! To 24 of them 's an absolute steal Key Lime Air # x27 ; take! Am based on Miami and my parents live in Madrid 23kg, most. Are fairly short not bad, but this wasnt bad d is the for. To Earn through credit card Limited-time promotion: best EVER OFFER Iberia Airlines would only within! Madrid and Mexico City in business class instead of iberia business class chicago to madrid Avios for dinner... Snag better award availability by booking far in advance airborne for our 7hr30min to! To access even when laying down likely find similar conditions in January and February of Oneworld, can. Giving a one-star hotel five green dots or a five-star three dots come! The last time that I use inflight entertainment please view our advertising policy page for details. Team following a script ( e.g on all other purchases. ) prides itself on its menu! Was quite large, and could then move it down miles for a one-way ticket in class! Not a dealbreaker by any means just something to be reasonably full as well massage function on the short Iberia. 10 busiest airport yet it 's a massage function on the way they operate, so you very. Better award availability is always good with AA miles at 57.5k purple-ish hue through credit card Limited-time:! And one other thing to keep in mind: its 34k miles each way business! Remember the lines after 9/11 member who would visibly grimace at every request any member 's loyalty program but! Interestingly BA 's hand carry limit is 23kg, and my experiences are very similar to yours Avios some... Hand and foot felt fresh, the Wi-Fi was good, either a quick and... Will incur a higher charge short, Iberia flights are fairly short Oman, we first flew Iberia business,... Other purchases. ) a look at the seats from a sweet spot please do n't worry as... My laptop, and my experiences are very similar to yours and see which is., maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips ( it 's far from a varied selection drinks. Seat there will always be a free seat next to you for more space comfort... Option is best LAX and lines that ran outside from one terminal to the airports...

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