Wait, say what? I selected seat 6L, a true window seat toward the back of the cabin (Ford was seated immediately behind me). It's a pretty standard business class seat. This makes up for generally lacklustre service, usually terrible outstation catering and pretty bad (though recently improving) call centre customer service. At meal times, there's a tray that folds down and rotates out from the back of the seat in front of you. The inflight service in 2019 began showing signs of improvement, but with the Covid thing, I wouldn't expect much right now. Last month, it was Glad to hear theyve improved the WiFi. Hey Robert, looks like they just extended the schedule through April 2022! and I'll keep an eye out with the service and report back! Search for Madrid flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. And at these rates, its worth it, if you ask me. Flight Review: Iberia A330-300 ORD to MAD Business Class 2,672 views Mar 1, 2019 24 Dislike Share Save Penny Caravan 324 subscribers We review the business class experience on Iberia's. Oddly, Iberia handled WiFi much differently on the return flight from Madrid (MAD) to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). The WiFi price must have changed very recently then. A shame! Iberia unveils new A350 business class seat with sliding door iberia.com Tags: Bogota , Dallas Fort Worth International Airport , Iberia , Lima , Madrid Barajas , Montevideo js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/23271d62-c1c8-4817-9fa4-8afdbda97892"; After getting caught up on a bit of work and having a couple of drinks, we headed to our departure gate. Let's take a closer look at this great opportunity to exchange shoveling snow for tasting tapas. The models were chosen due to the large passenger capacity (up to 300 people). This allows one-way bookings in Business Class between Madrid and New York/Boston for 34,000 Avios and Chicago/Los Angeles/Miami for 42,500 Avios. I hate driving the 2 hours to ORD and risking whatever traffic / construction delays I might hit. Use this wide open award space to lock in a trip to Spain next year in style! with quinoa and cherry tomatoes, cheese, a roll with olive oil, and some sort of chocolate cream tart with berry compote. On the other hand, breakfast looked good and I appreciate a full hot breakfast service being offered. Finally, and most importantly, adding an American-operated flight will take you far beyond your original award rate. 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. See CardRatings Top Credit Cards for This Month. From start to finish, the meal service took more than 90 minutes. 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. Considering many airlines charge less than $20 for a full-flight pass, that's very steep. The TV selection was great as well, including a full season of Modern Family, The Handmaid's Tale, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Why does Google Flight offer a First Class on Iberia flying from Madrid to IAD? Madrid lounge was much better and you didnt miss anything. The temperatures still reached the 50s and 60s during the day, while the chill of the evenings typically required just a light jacket over a long-sleeved shirt. Fly round-trip from Newark from $2,371, from New York from $2,386, from Boston from $2,586, from Washington, D.C. from $2,766, from Chicago from $2,797. Outside of the screens emblazoned with Iberia's signature red color, the cabin is pretty monotoned. Learn here how to apply. 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. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. But there was one big issue. Closer than any seat I have ever flown (well in business or first class that is). Since this was a late night flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep. On to bed. Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card Limited-time promotion:BEST EVER OFFER! Again, decent but nothing special. Most recently, the airline cut the price down to just 25,500 miles round-trip in economy and 51,000 miles for business class. Find the right card for you. And if you're trying to travel with an even larger group, some dates have five or even six business-class awards available. Compare flight prices for similar timeframes and adjust departure and return dates to get the cheapest fare possible. And if you're in a seat closer to the aisle, it's even worse. After menus and some sparkling wine it was time for the appetizer course. Iberias A330-300 business class cabin consists of 29 seats, in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration. You wouldnt think this is a big issue, except on this evening there were literally the longest security lines Ive seen anywhere in the world in my entire life. Iberia occasionally runs promotions, slashing the amount of miles it takes to fly in economy or business class to get to Europe and back. Im seeing the same. 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. Why dont they? Your email address will not be published. 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. Some aren't able to book this far in advance. BCN is served by a lot of foreign airlines as well as local ones, but is primarily a destination or commencing point. I think there's probably a historical reason for that. Earn $900 bonus cashback(90,000 points)after spending $6,000 in purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. Thanks for sharing and I look forward reading the rest of the trip report especially the Qatar's experience on the 787-9. Im not a white wine drinker, so I passed on those. Flight times. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Gastrobar You can pre-order your on-board refreshments, choosing from a varied selection of drinks and sweet and savoury snacks. 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. Iberia off-peak awards from Chicago to Madrid again cost 34,000 Iberia Avios one-way in business class, down from 42,500 Avios. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how However, the one-way award rate jumps from 34,000 to 50,000 Avios, since January 1-12 are classified as peak travel dates.). But nothing major. Thanks to Iberia and British Airways' distance-based award pricing, you'll find the cheapest rates flying to or from Boston, Chicago, New York, or Washington, D.C. Read our full guide on how to book business class to Spain from just 34,000 points each way! Dates in green are bookable through Iberia or British Airways for just 34,000 miles each way. If you have not been following along this was the outbound section of my month long vacation that began with a great deal on a one-way car rental from my home in South Bend to Chicago and visited the American Airlines Flagship Lounge. I'm 5 feet 10 inches and had no issues stretching out, but I can't imagine the space being an issue for anyone under 6 feet 6 inches or even taller. #Iberia #IberiaScam #IberiaBusiness Welcome to my new TripReport Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AeroTravel Check out the link. A few things to take note of. Turkish Airlines seems to have this as their boarding window worldwide. Eye of the Flyer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. We were in that same flight. It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Flying it from Madrid to Chicago for 25.5k Avios is the best option. Never heard Iberia had a first class on any of its fleet, Longest lines I've ever seen EWR Hands down. Iberia: Business Class Chicago to Madrid - See 20,907 traveler reviews, 3,361 candid photos, and great deals for Iberia, at Tripadvisor. 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. @ Aaron -- I'm working on investigating, but my gut says that it's some sort of a glitch. 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. These screens are fairly high definition and they're also touchscreen, so you can control them with your fingers or using the wired remote. After two-plus rough years of European travel, things have really opened up. Well, as long as you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points or American Express Membership Rewards points, you do. I was also treated to a beautiful sunrise.Sunrise enroute to MadridSunrise enroute to Madrid. OK you travel for free? Learn now how to apply! A round-trip award ticket from ORD-MAD in business class will set you back 115,000 miles per person (plus ~$225 in taxes and fees). 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. So this is a big improvement. 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! If youve flown Iberias A330 business class, what was your experience less? You can learn about how to transfer Chase points here: https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/points/chase-transfer-partners/. 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. That's all you can ask for. IB isn't known for it's cleanlyness. I'm flying the route twice this year and taking both the 7 and 10/11 pm flight in consecutive months during the summer (wedding season!) While the selection as such was pretty good, the system was somewhat slow to respond. 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. As is the case on nearly all transatlantic flights, Iberia flights are fairly short. to save on your next trip. Every single request and interaction I had was met with a quick smile and a nod somewhat curt, but polite. Don't get me wrong: The seats are plenty comfortable, and you won't find me complaining about flying business class. The flight was an hour late leaving, surely mot their fault, but then the RUSH, PRESSURE, QUALITY OF THE FOOD..awful! Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. There was also a trio of lip balm, hand cream and facial mist spray from Germaine de Capuccini, a company I'm not familiar with. In contrast MAD is as well, but is IBs European hub and has enormous transit traffic between their world-wide ports, and that of other foreign airlines. 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. Critically, there's no constraining footwell on the single seats. 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. And even if you don't want to spend time in Spain, you could use this award to get across the Atlantic and then fly on elsewhere for cheap! Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how to save on your next trip. So all in, I think it cost me about $600 for 2 tickets after taxes for this route in biz class. But airlines dont have a star rating (apart from the Skytrax scam). It was so long that my long frame would not even reach the end. Is that true??? The price was 75,000 points each plus $32 in tax. Airline Iberia operates two models of Airbus, the A330-200 and A330-300. Also service was truly terrible, to extent of being comical. Iberia has absolutely tiny coffee cups, which are more like espresso cups than anything else. The worst part was I think she was the purser!! Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). I went for the apple cake and a glass of port wine, both of which were good, though nowhere near outstanding. 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. So I was surprised when it was slightly above average. (Note that there are a few days in early January that show award availability for multiple passengers. Learn here how to apply. Now Flagship Lounge guests are offered a glass of champagne upon arrival in the lounge, which was much appreciated after our security experience. 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. P.S. This was Iberia Airlines a330 business class and there were fantastic big seats and a full bed. As mentioned, your checked baggage allowance is dependent on a number of factors, including the fare you purchased/cabin class. You won't find a cheaper way to get Europe using miles than with Iberia. If, on the other hand, you're transferring Chase points or don't mind the additional wait for your Amex transfer to process, simply create a new Iberia Plus account (be sure to use the same name as your credit card account) and link it to the program from which you want to transfer. Flight: Iberia IB 6275 from Madrid to Chicago Equipment: A359 (Airbus 350-900) Class: Business Seat: 3E - 3G, Middle Aisle Seat Specification: Full Flat, 180 degree recline, Seat pitch: 78. 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. It's a nice touch. 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. 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. With that said, Ben is probably too young to remember the lines after 9/11. Verdict: Basic bag, basic kit. Verdict: Solid, comfortable. The main course portion can be larger. Seat 39. Find flights to Madrid from $912. And for our Midwestern readers looking to book a trip for early next year, that chance may be here, as we've just seen a healthy amount of award space for up to six travelers from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Madrid (MAD) and back in early 2021. If you haven't already done so, you'll need to add your travel companion as a beneficiary on your account. In fact my wife, who tends to sleep on her side, encroached a bit with her knee in my seat (but thats OK). 25.5K Avios is the best deal chosen due to the large passenger capacity ( up to 300 people ) opted. Me complaining about flying business class, what was your experience less the meal service took more 90. Also service was truly terrible, to extent of being comical Robert, like! 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