Reserving Iberia-operated flights from the US to Europe utilizing Avios is among the nice candy spots within the factors and miles sport, because of the mixture of low Avios and minimal charges and taxes required.
And fortunately, even when you’ve by no means paid for a flight on Iberia or have not even signed up for its loyalty program, these awards could also be inside your grasp — because of the ability of transferable currencies.
Iberia (and British Airways, its fellow Avios-accruing associate) are 1:1 switch companions of main bank card packages — together with American Categorical Membership Rewards and Chase Final Rewards.
On this information, we’ll take you thru every part it is advisable find out about reserving Iberia flights utilizing Avios.
Overview of Iberia flights from the US
Let’s begin by taking a look at the place you’ll be able to depart. On the time of writing, Iberia operates to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) from the next U.S. airports on a year-round foundation:
- Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS)
- Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD)
- Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW)
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX)
- Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA)
- New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)
- Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport (SJU)
It additionally operates seasonal flights throughout the summer time from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Washington’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD). Each of those routes will quickly stop on the finish of October 2023 — earlier than restarting once more in early April 2024.
When you aren’t in a position to catch a flight from one among these gateways, you could possibly doubtlessly add a connecting home flight on American Airways. Nevertheless, as we’ll clarify beneath, it will enhance the variety of Avios it is advisable redeem.
Associated: 7 issues that shocked me on my 1st premium economic system flight on Iberia
Each day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Avios award charges on Iberia
Iberia-operated award flights can simply be booked on-line utilizing Avios in both Iberia’s personal program or by British Airways Government Membership. Each of them use a distance-based components for calculating the award charges, and whatever the program you employ, you may want the next Avios for one-way, nonstop flights:
| Zone | Distance (miles) | Off-peak economic system | Peak economic system | Off-peak premium economic system | Peak premium economic system | Off-peak enterprise class | Peak enterprise class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-650 | 4,500 | 5,000 | – | – | 9,000 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 651-1,150 | 7,500 | 8,250 | – | – | 15,000 | 16,500 |
| 3 | 1,151-2,000 | 10,000 | 11,000 | – | – | 20,000 | 22,000 |
| 4 | 2,001-3,000 | 11,000 | 12,500 | – | – | 21,250 | 31,250 |
| 5 | 3,001-4,000 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 25,500 | 35,000 | 34,000 | 50,000 |
| 6 | 4,001-5,500 | 21,250 | 25,000 | 31,750 | 43,750 | 42,500 | 62,500 |
| 7 | 5,501-6,500 | 25,500 | 30,000 | 38,250 | 52,500 | 51,000 | 75,000 |
| 8 | 6,501-7,000 | 29,750 | 35,000 | 44,250 | 61,250 | 59,500 | 87,500 |
| 9 | 7,000-plus | 42,500 | 50,000 | 63,750 | 87,500 | 85,000 | 125,000 |
Nevertheless, it is value noting that the precise distances do not all the time match, and there is even some variation that may’t be defined by the above charts.
This is how nonstop flights from the U.S. ought to fall into these zones:
- Zone 5: From Boston, New York, Washington and Puerto Rico to Madrid
- Zone 6: From Chicago, Miami and Dallas-Fort Price to Madrid
- Zone 7: From Los Angeles and San Francisco to Madrid
Nevertheless, Chicago flights sometimes value at Zone 5 charges, whereas these departing Los Angeles value at Zone 6 charges.
After which there are anomalies like this outcome — with an economic system award price (28,000) that does not correspond to any printed value on the above chart.
Nonetheless, the chart means it’s best to have the ability to e-book off-peak, business-class flights to Madrid from any Iberia gateway within the U.S. for not more than 51,000 Avios every means, which is a wonderful deal.
For comparability’s sake, American Airways’ AAdvantage program costs 57,500 miles from wherever in North America to wherever in Europe. For flights to Madrid on Iberia, it’s a higher deal in all conditions aside from peak flights from Miami, Dallas-Fort Price, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Iberia Plus and British Airways Government Membership use this similar pricing for Iberia-operated flights, so you’ll be able to e-book by both and transfer Avios between the packages simply in any course at a 1:1 price.
The Government Membership platform is extra user-friendly than Iberia Plus, and BA’s customer support tends to be higher than Iberia’s, so you might want to concentrate on reserving by Government Membership, although it’s best to have the ability to pretty simply e-book the entire itineraries talked about right here on-line by both program.
Relying in your routing and date, now we have discovered slight variations within the charges and taxes calculated by every program, although they don’t seem to be massive quantities.
Simply bear in mind that BA’s search outcomes typically prioritizes British Airways-operated flights by way of London. It additionally imposes vital gasoline surcharges, so when you plan to journey to Madrid, it is a significantly better deal if you’ll find availability on a nonstop Iberia flight.
Associated: Dynamic pricing vs. gasoline surcharges — which is the lesser of two evils on your subsequent redemption?
Including a connection will increase the variety of Avios
As famous beforehand, the above award charts apply to nonstop, one-way flights from the U.S. to Madrid. While you proceed past Madrid as a single redemption on Iberia (or add a home connection on American), the flights can be priced individually.
For instance, flying from New York to Madrid in premium economic system and on to Spain’s Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) in economic system will value as a Zone 5 premium economic system redemption plus a Zone 1 economic system redemption. Wanting on the similar flights booked by way of BA’s Government Membership, or Iberia Plus, BA costs appropriately at 30,000 Avios, with Iberia for an unknown cause coming in at barely extra in each Avios and taxes, so it might be a greater deal to e-book by British Airways.
one other connection itinerary between Chicago and Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy, all in economic system, this could value as Zone 5 plus Zone 2, so 24,500 Avios in whole, off-peak. Each packages help you pay fewer Avios and extra cash, and on the decrease Avios quantities, the pricing matches the 2 packages.
On the greater finish, nevertheless, once more, British Airways is pricing appropriately whereas Iberia Plus costs barely extra Avios and better charges and taxes.
You probably have transferable bank card factors and are taking a look at connecting itineraries in premium cabins, think about redeeming AAdvantage miles and their zone-based redemptions as an alternative of Avios, as which may be a greater deal, particularly if you’re planning to journey at peak dates.
Iberia additionally flies to a handful of locations in North Africa, significantly Morocco.
Associated: 4 variations of Avios: When to make use of Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Iberia and British Airways
How you can earn Avios
As famous above, it is very straightforward to earn Avios for U.S. vacationers. In addition to crediting paid flights on Oneworld airways to both British Airways or Iberia, it’s also possible to leverage many high journey rewards playing cards.
Earn Avios on cobranded bank cards
Chase points three Avios bank cards within the U.S. — one every for Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia. These playing cards are every providing bonuses that might internet you 75,000 Avios — here is a glance:
Incomes Avios with transferable-points playing cards
You’ll be able to switch American Categorical Membership Rewards factors, Bilt Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards factors to a minimum of one Avios-earning provider. From there, it is simple to mix your Avios in this system of your selecting. And since it’s also possible to switch Citi ThankYou factors to Qatar Airways, it’s also possible to leverage these rewards to e-book Iberia award flights.
These factors switch at a 1:1 ratio, and transfers ought to course of instantly. Listed below are a few of our favourite playing cards:
- American Categorical® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases together with your new card throughout the first six months of card membership.
- The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the cardboard in your first six months of card membership.
- Chase Sapphire Most popular Card: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 throughout the first three months from account opening.
Backside line
Redeeming Avios for transatlantic Iberia flights, particularly in premium cabins, is among the highest methods to make use of them. Simply 34,000 Avios for a one-way, business-class flight to Europe (with minimal surcharges) is unbelievable worth.
Nevertheless, the Iberia Plus web site could be a little unpredictable, each in how user-friendly it’s and the pricing it exhibits.
It is value checking each BA’s Government Membership and Iberia Plus to see which has the very best value, particularly if you’re connecting past Madrid. Our searches have discovered Government Membership costs barely cheaper and the platform a lot simpler to make use of.