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. He assured me that specifically out of Chicago the plane is an A340-300, and that all "Business cabin" flights out of Chicago are now the Business Plus Seats (in one cabin,not a split cabin) and that all seats recline flat. Earn 75,000 bonus points (worth at least $750 in travel) after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of card membership approval. I transferred Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia; the transfer is instant and the points transfer at a 1:1 rate. Also have CLEAR and Global Entry with my Amex Platinum. 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. Maybe it's some kind of "union" thingbut we could NOT have a drink bwfore departamentothey said something about US regulacinfine maybe again MOT their faultbut when ww were arbrea they came around ALREADY with meal traysNO MENU, NO CHOICESI said I would like -if it was possible- to have a glass of cava.meantime here comes RUSHING the meal cart!!! Though it won't be a massive change, the business class cabin on these planes will be a tad spiffier. 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!). 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). Then amenity kits were distributed, which contained earplugs, eyeshades, socks, a comb, a dental kit, and some lotion and cream. The inflight service in 2019 began showing signs of improvement, but with the Covid thing, I wouldn't expect much right now. About 20 minutes later, flight attendants came out with the starter. But the airline charges 57,500 miles each way, so you'll use up a bigger part of your balance as well as some extra fees. Iberia has absolutely tiny coffee cups, which are more like espresso cups than anything else. Any idea what's going on with AAdvantage redemptions on Iberia? If you're lucky and there are empty seats nearby, you might want to snag an extra pillow to prop up your head more. It's divided into two small compartments, capable of holding just a pair of headphones, your amenity kit, and not much else. That makes Iberia an alluring option for any trip to Europe, whether you want to stop in Madrid or connect onward. Theres certainly better bedding out there, but this wasnt bad. Much like the cabin as a whole, Iberia's business class seats aren't flashy or fancy. Covid is the excuse for all kinds of misbehavior and lack of service. Every business class passenger got a free hour of WiFi. A member of the Oneworld alliance, Iberia flies to about 110 destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, North America and South America. 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). The service was simply top notch by the Iberia crew and the seats, entertainment and food all worked and worked well for the price in miles and tiny fee in taxes to get from home to Lisbon connecting via Madrid. I appreciated how quickly the meal was served, as it was cleared within 50 minutes of takeoff. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. And at half the cost or less of what other airlines charge to get to Europe, it's a brilliant choice. Usually it takes much less, sometimes as little as a minute. As on my MAD-ORD flight end of January it was still charged per MB. As youd expect, each seat features direct aisle access and is fully flat. Iberia Business Class - Madrid to Chicago - Airbus A340-600 Iberia Business Class - where do they stand? I can appreciate wanting to save galley space, but these are frustratingly small, especially when youre trying to avoid spills. Thats no longer the case. Only dates in red will incur a higher charge. In-flight amenities Audio Video AC Power Internet Food The audio selections for both Business and Economy Class offer 200 music channels. P.S. Not bad at all. I am guessing Denver Air Connection participates in precheck. These flights typically start at just 34,000 miles each way whether you book with Iberia or British Airways Avios, which is an absolute steal. Let me let you in on a points-and-miles secret: Iberia business class is one of the best deals in the sky. The center section is a different story. But in this case, I used one of the most insane airline promotions we've ever seen to get the miles necessary to book these flights. 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. 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. Iberia is not the world's best business class. And though the portions were small, it was absolutely delicious. Iberia brands its long-haul Business Class product as Business Plus. 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. Flight 6274. And that's not changing. Shortly after boarding, each passenger was offered headphones. So not like this guy's Iberia flight? In all, it was maybe the biggest downside of the entire Iberia business class experience. No attention to that whatsoeverI thi k if those giels could have drugged us to put us ALL to sleep they would have done just that! Im not a white wine drinker, so I passed on those. @ Aaron -- I'm working on investigating, but my gut says that it's some sort of a glitch. Lufthansa is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,286 and an overall rating of 7.8. My biggest complaint is they often seem to guard the wine like it's their personal supply! Simply put, that's a fantastic value for a flight that's blocked at over 8 hours on the way to Spain and nearly 10 hours on the way back. The strange water bottle holder low I also dont understand. 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. You can learn about how to transfer Chase points here: https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/points/chase-transfer-partners/. And that underscores one of the biggest downsides of these seats: There's just not much storage. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. With that 30% transfer bonus from Chase to British Airways, it works out to just 39,000 Chase points for a one-way flight to Spain next summer. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; Since this was a late night flight, most passengers opted to go straight to sleep. Once you've found the flights you want, it's time to transfer your points and book! But in the looks department, it's all pretty grey. For example, American Airlines charges 57,500 miles one-way, and United Airlines charges 60,000 United Airlines miles one-way. Unfortunately, we're not seeing similar award inventory from other U.S. gateways, though you may get lucky with a seat or two on select dates. From start to finish, the meal service took more than 90 minutes. Click on your name at the top right, then click on My Iberia Plus. 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. See more about our ethics policies here. Keep reading for more instructions, or just read our complete guide to booking business class flights using Iberia Avios. Enter all of your travel companion's information, then click Add. @ Gene Chan -- It's supposed to give you expedited security to the actual security line, by allowing you to bypass the standard ID check. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Iberia Business Class Review: Madrid to Medellin. IB crew can be a bit disinterested, though they are generally much nicer to my Spanish-speaking husband than me even when I make an effort to speak a little Spanish. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. The flight attendants were by no means proactive, in the sense that they werent constantly passing through the aisle to see if anyone wanted anything. Even with the extra privacy you get from the console in this wing-side seat, these seats are still fairly exposed. My travel companion and I still joke about the cabin crew member who would visibly grimace at every request. . Breakfast options were described as a ham and cheese sandwich or an omelet. See something missing? Premium Iberia passengers at Miami Airport can use the American Flagship Lounge, located in the D Concourse. 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. Perhaps more likely, the BA and US attitude may date back to when checked bags were included in all fares, and it was cheaper, even quicker, for the airline to have the passenger load their carry-on themselves ("self-loading ancillary luggage"?!) Likewise, awards from Los Angeles to Madrid cost 42,500 Avios in business class instead of 51,000 Avios. ast month from Miami to Madrid is the WORST Business class experience EVER! Why not fly from South Bend you ask? Redeeming just 68,000 Chase or Amex points for a round-trip, business-class award flight from the U.S. to Europe is a fantastic deal, especially considering that many programs would require a similar amount (or even more) for a one-way ticket. It's all about expectations vs. what the experience is actually like. Agree. Thrifty Traveler Premiummembers get award space alerts like this one first, along with cheap domestic and international flights. As a regular IB flyer, I would say this was a slightly above average flight. I had to call to their attention that we had JUST received (an untimely meal mind you!) Chicago to Madrid can now be booked for as . 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. I think the point here was about weighing carry-on, rather than checked bags. 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. But to save several hundred dollars a person its worth it. Take-off 30 Sep 19, 16:45. Required fields are marked *. The seats are fine, the food is generally good. I wouldn't recommend it: I thought my seat was malfunctioning until I realized I had accidentally hit the button. ans hiw could we possibly want coffee when we had not even been able yo finish our CAVA! I wouldn't hesitate to fly Iberia again if the price is right or the schedule is ideal. Amenities Kit What's included? Food. Not able to use business class restroom that is very close. Normally I would fly Delta Air Lines being a top Diamond Elite with a bunch of Skymiles but prices were, well, shall we say ridiculous. 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. So whatever was the experience, I couldnt complain. 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. My biggest complaint is they often seem to guard the wine like it 's their supply... 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