By Gary Walther
To be Madrid is like having Penelope Cruz as your older sister, except her name is Barcelona. That city is Spain’s heartthrob, w
hereas Madrid is Spain’s throbbing heart— big and busy, granted, but oh so full of sophisticated corners and formidable culture. Madrid’s museums actually rival those of Paris (but don’t tell anyone).
Right now you can get there in Business Class on one of Europe’s smaller carriers, Air Europa, which makes Madrid its hub, and still rack up miles and MQMs on Delta (150% in Business Class), as the carrier is a member of SkyTeam. Air Europa’s own frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, is allied with Air France and KLM. Air Europa flies non-stop from New York and Miami International.
The Deal
Simple: You buy, you fly. Fares start as low as $1,300 r/t from Boston (connection in NYC) and non-stop is $1,738 r/t from JFK and $1,800 r/t from Miami (plus taxes and fees). There’s no advance-purchase or minimum/maximum stay requirement. See chart below for more fares from other U.S. departure cities.
Business Class to Madrid: Air Europa versus the Majors
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Logistics and Carrier
Details As usual with flights to Europe, those on Air Europa are overnight, departing at 10:05 p.m. from NY and 10:10 p.m. from Miami. Business Class seats on Air Europa’s B767s recline 170 degrees, are nearly 20” wide, and have 56” of pitch.
The Destination
The City: Its heart for visitors is The Austrias, the oldest section and named for the Habsburgs who once occupied the Spanish throne. At the center is the Plaza Mayor, laid out in the 17th-century—it’s the Piazza San Marco of Madrid. Nearby is Gran Via, the Champs-Elysees of the city.
Museums: The big three are the Prado (Louvre, meet your match), the Thyssen-Bornemisza (perhaps the greatest private collection in the world), and the Reina Sofia. The Prado, thanks to a 2007 renovation, has increased the number of paintings on display by 50%, and is the place to see all of Spain’s Old Masters and many Dutch and German ones.
Shopping: Barrio Salamanca has the most upscale shops, many of them only found here. It is a great neighborhood for strolling.
Hotels: The Ritz is the city’s grand dame and the place for those who adore tradition. In the same vein is the Westin Palace, which has a lobby beneath a mammoth stained-glass dome dating from 1911. I prefer two of the city’s small, luxury hotels: the Orfila, a pocket-size Relais & Chateaux, and the Santa Mauro, an 1895 villa in the same neighborhood. Both are within walking distance of the Barrio Salamanca.