Or depending on how you look at it, how (and when) Amex and Chase points players can save 73% on award travel.
I hate to be the guy that says, “I told you so,” but as we mentioned for American here, and Delta here and here, cheap awards are drying up faster than a wet sock on a Madrid sidewalk.
That said, there’s a new top hombre in town when it comes to cheap awards that are actually bookable now: Iberia (cue dramatic Ennio Morricone music. And yes, we know he’s Italian but it’s the right vibe).
Iberia: Punching Above Its Baggage Weight
Iberia, Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A. Operadora, Sociedad Unipersonal, or Iberia for short (thankfully), is Spain’s national carrier. For European-bound Business Class travelers, it’s an airline that’s definitely worth running your ojos over. Here are a few topline reasons before we drill down to an airline versus airline battle, specifically against the big three U.S. carriers.
Iberia operates a flight-distance award chart, so the miles required are based on the length of the flight. Boston, Chicago, and New York Business Class departures to Madrid cost 100,000 miles round-trip in peak season and 68,000 in low season. Los Angeles and Miami are 125,000 and 85,000 miles, respectively.
Low Taxes
On their New York-London route, British Airways’ taxes can be $1,400! Iberia is a welcome exception. Taxes come to about $196 from East Coast gateways and $238 from the West Coast.
Easy Access to Iberia Miles
The airline is an Amex and Chase transfer partner.
Iberia’s U.S. gateways to Madrid are Boston, Miami, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Now, let’s head to the bullring for some head-to-head airline battles for context.
Deal Perspective #1:
Iberia vs. Delta
Delta charges 250,000 to 620,000 miles to fly Business Class New York-Madrid. But on Iberia, that flight goes for as low as 68,000 miles — that’s almost four tickets for less than the price of one with Delta.
Deal Perspective #2:
Iberia vs. American
American charges 120,000 to 270,000 miles in Business Class New York-Madrid, while Iberia charges as few as 68,000 miles. That’s only 8,000 more miles than AA charges for economy. So you’re essentially getting an upgrade for 8,000 miles, and chances are good that you’ll get that upgrade because Iberia now offers up to 95% more award space than American. Wow and wow. Iberia 2, U.S. airlines 0.
Deal Perspective #3:
Iberia vs. United
United charges 120,000 miles in Business Class New York-Madrid, while Iberia charges as few as 68,000. That’s only 8,000 more miles than UA charges for economy. Again, that equates to getting almost a free upgrade. And you’ll likely get it because Iberia now offers 70%+ more award space than United. That’s a clean sweep in my mind: Iberia cruises to a crushing 3-0 win in the bullring.
Availability Survey
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IBERIA AVAIL*Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats; in green at least four seats.
Iberia Business Class Seat
- Lie-flat seat
- 1-2-1 cabin configuration
- 26 inches wide
