A review of Iberia's new business-class suite on the A350-900 from Madrid to Mexico City
Quick take: Iberia joins the suite revolution with sliding privacy doors in business class and a mostly comfortable long-haul product despite a disorientating ground experience in Madrid.
Pros
- A spacious, modern and classy hub lounge.
- Tasty onboard food and personalized service.
- One of the best ways to redeem Avios.
Cons
- Madrid's Terminal 4 is confusing and time-consuming to navigate.
- No Champagne on the ground or in the air.
- The new suites lack storage and have some odd design flaws.
Business-class seats have come a long way over the past decade. Ten years ago, passengers hoped for a fully flat bed and perhaps direct aisle access. A series of technological and design innovations now means that seats can be more like suites, with plenty of storage options, personal space and privacy.
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While Iberia has flown a respectable business-class seat for many years, in late 2022, the airline introduced the new Recaro CL6720 suite with sliding doors on its newly delivered Airbus A350-900 aircraft. It's fitted on five planes so far, with four more to be delivered.
With long-haul premium-cabin flights on Iberia being one of the best uses of Avios, I booked a flight from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to try the new suite for myself.
Here's what the experience was like.
How much does business class cost to book on Iberia?
Iberia operates three daily flights between Madrid and Mexico City on the A350-900. Other destinations that currently see the new suite include New York and Bogota, Colombia.
The airline's loyalty program, named Iberia Plus, has some incredible sweet spots, with off-peak Zone 5 business-class redemptions from the northeast U.S. to Madrid starting from just 34,000 Avios each way. We booked this slightly longer Zone 6 flight for 42,500 Iberia Avios plus $162 in fees, taxes and surcharges as a one-way, off-peak flight — an excellent deal for more than 11 hours in international business class.
Here is the range of cash and award rates on the route over the next 12 months.
| Class | Economy | Premium economy | Business class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airfare (round trip) | $795 to $1,436 | $1,058 to $2,110 | $2,228 to $5,321 |
| Iberia Plus Avios (round trip) | 42,500 (off-peak) to 50,000 (peak) plus $262 | 63,500 (off-peak) to 87,500 (peak) plus $284 | 85,000 (off-peak) to 125,000 (peak) plus $325 |
Both cash fares and mileage redemptions in Iberia business class include two checked bags that weigh up to 23 kilograms (50 pounds) each and two full-size cabin bags. While Iberia (like partner British Airways) does charge for seat selection for the cheapest Business Optima cash fares, Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald status members can select a seat for free at any time.
The easiest way to earn a meaningful number of Iberia Avios for everyday spending is by applying for the Iberia Visa Signature Card. This card offers new applicants 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account. TPG values Avios at 1.5 cents each, making the bonus worth $1,275.
Iberia is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, making Avios one of the easiest currencies to earn.
The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to Iberia Avios:
- American Express® Gold Card
- American Express® Business Gold Card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Checking into and boarding business class on Iberia
Iberia business-class passengers can expect the following priority services at the airport.
| Priority check-in and security | Yes |
|---|---|
| Lounge available | Velazquez Premium Lounge, Terminal 4S |
| TSA PreCheck access | No |
| Boarding group | Group 1 of 4 |
Iberia's home in Terminal 4 at Madrid's airport is an architectural masterpiece. It has dramatic wooden wave-form ceilings atop the massive building that encompasses more than 8 million square feet of terminal space.
As a passenger, though, it's one of the least user-friendly European terminals I've visited. The check-in areas, while spacious, felt dark, dingy and insufficiently lit.
Fortunately, there was only a short wait at the dedicated business-class check-in area, and the fast-track security (that American Express Platinum cardholders can also use) was very quick and efficient.
Post security, various signs estimated an astonishing 30-minute journey to the S gates, where Iberia's long-haul and non-Schengen flights depart. Passengers must take a train from T4 to T4S up and down numerous levels. I visit airports almost weekly, yet even I found myself walking around in circles multiple times looking for directional signage, which seemed insufficient.
The location of Iberia's flagship Velázquez business-class lounge is an example of the confusing passenger experience of Terminal 4. It's in the middle of a duty-free store, and if you blink, you'll miss the entrance. (I missed it and had to double back to find it.)
Once inside, however, it was the highlight of the ground experience.
As a single long, rectangular space, it is one of the best Oneworld lounges in Europe. It has a sleek and modern design, ample seating, natural light, plenty of space, high-quality buffet food and self-service beverage options. Know, though, that Champagne is not available.
There is even an a la carte restaurant section at the far left of the lounge for late-night Latin America departures. This serves the same food available at the buffet, though more attractively plated.
I got lost again trying to find my gate after exiting the lounge, but I eventually located it after about 10 minutes.
Despite the significant walking distance between each gate, the gate areas are narrow and a little cramped; passengers have to queue on either side. It was well set up with boarding groups, and despite a delayed boarding time, we only departed around 20 minutes late, just after midnight.
Overall, Madrid's Terminal 4 was a nice place to photograph and get your steps in before a long flight, but otherwise, I did not find it efficient or very passenger-friendly.
How comfortable was business class on Iberia?
Iberia's three-cabin Airbus A350 aircraft with the new Recaro suites have the following configuration and dimensions in business class.
| Number of seats | 31 |
|---|---|
| Cabin layout | 1-2-1 |
| Seat recline | 76 inches, fully flat |
| Seat width | 18.7 inches |
| Screen size | 18.5 inches |
You can tell which A350s are fitted with the new suites, as they have a middle row of seats in row 11 (the first row of premium economy); the older A350s without the business-class suite do not have middle seats in row 11.
My first impression of the business-class cabin was that it was a sea of gray, from the seat coverings to the headrests, seat belts, storage units, suite walls and even the Iberia logo on the rear wall.
The only splashes of the signature Iberia red color were inside the storage cupboard (when it was opened). I wish the carrier had chosen more pops of color to brighten up the cabin, such as on the headrests and pillows.
I applaud Iberia for choosing not to install overhead bins above the center seats, giving the cabin a great feeling of space.
Window A and L seats along the sides of the cabin are farther from the aisle, while B and J seats are closer to the aisle. D and H seats are by the aisle in the cabin's center, with E and G seats in pairs together in the middle.
| Best seats for couples | E and G seats in rows 3, 5 and 7 |
|---|---|
| Seats to avoid | Rows 1 and 8 |
As a solo traveler, I chose a true window seat in row 6 and immediately noticed the privacy of the suite's walls.
However, I did find one issue with these suites — one that mirrored the British Airways Club Suite (and most non-Qsuites business-class suites with walls). The walls were not high enough to provide real privacy, and I could see the eyes and top halves of the other passengers' heads over the suite walls while seated.
There would have been much more privacy if the walls were a few inches higher.
Some of the suite's design choices left me scratching my head. I was initially pleased to see the large footwell that provided plenty of vertical space to toss and turn my feet while sleeping. However, this came at the expense of an extra storage bin for the seat in front: There is just one for each seat on the aisle wall, and it was not large enough to hold a full-size laptop.
Another odd choice was the armrest under the window. I appreciated that it swung up while sleeping or lounging to create a little more wiggle room. Still, while other suites have a mechanism to push the entire armrest down to make a flat surface with the bed, this design left this gray wall stubbornly in place, making the shoulder room a little narrow when sleeping.
Also frustrating were the seat controls on the corner of the shelf, where I found my elbow naturally resting when I picked up or used the inflight entertainment remote. This caused lights to randomly turn on and off and the seat to move up or down unexpectedly.
It would be more logical to put the seat controls against the suite wall next to the remote, universal charging plug and the USB-A and USB-C chargers (and away from elbows).
The large bi-fold tray table pulled out from under the inflight entertainment screen, which was a clever design as it allowed passengers to slide out of their seats even if the tray table was unfolded.
There were only two bathrooms for the 31-seat cabin, and they were not spacious. However, they were kept clean throughout the flight, and there was rarely a line to use them.
The crew unlocked the suite doors after the meal service so they could be closed. When lying down, the privacy was excellent, as was the comfort of the bed. I slept solidly for six hours.
Amenities in Iberia business class
A mattress pad, a thick pillow and a comforter were waiting on each seat.
The mattress pad was a clever design, with instructions to use it either rolled up as an extra pillow or as leg support, or unrolled for extra padding while sleeping.
The fairly basic amenity kits continued the drab design choices in the cabins. The beige case was stocked with Germaine De Capuccini toiletries. Provided amenities included a swamp-brown eye mask, a toothbrush, a comb and sleep socks.
Inside the only storage compartment in the suite were Iberia-branded headphones, though they were not noise-canceling. Pajamas are not provided in Iberia business class.
The 18.5-inch inflight entertainment touchscreen was crisp and responsive. It featured 75 new release movies, including "Scream: VI," "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," "Elvis" and "Evil Dead Rise."
Wi-Fi was advertised on my flight, with messaging free for business class and Iberia Plus members. A full flight pass cost 22.49 Euros ($23.70). Unfortunately, the service was unavailable each time I tried to connect throughout the flight to test the speed.
How was the food in Iberia business class?
During boarding, I was offered water, orange juice or cava (served in real glassware) and a printed menu. I was disappointed to see that no Champagne was available.
While I'm all for airlines showcasing their local wines, a $12 bottle of Villa Conchi Spanish cava doesn't really compete with the $50-plus bottles of Champagne served on other airlines.
Dinner service began 30 minutes after takeoff. I had expected perhaps a round of drinks with some nuts or canapes, but the appetizer was served straight away. Given the very late departure time, I ultimately didn't mind this decision.
To start, there was a choice between a smoked salmon tartare with avocado gherkins and capers on a bed of horseradish cream or a chickpea, broccolini and olive salad with tahini and harissa sauce. I chose the salad, which was elegantly presented and tasted fresh, zesty and light.
For the entree, there were three choices:
- Beef cheeks on sweet potato mousseline and roasted broccoli
- Grilled cod in red pepper oil with baby potatoes and grilled eggplant caviar
- Cappellacci pasta filled with ricotta cheese in a truffle panna sauce
I selected the cod thinking beef cheeks or filled pasta might be too heavy for the early morning hours.
Despite the eggplant caviar being a little heavy on the salt, the dish was otherwise delicious; the firm-flesh cod held its shape well while still being soft and juicy.
A lemon sorbet was a simple yet refreshing end to the commendable meal.
Snacks — including potato chips, chocolate bars and whole fruit — were available in the front galley between meal services.
Breakfast came about 90 minutes before landing. It was a choice between a savory omelet with grilled mushrooms and roasted tomato or blueberry and butter pudding. Both were served with pastries, fresh fruit, juice and coffee.
It was a standard business-class breakfast experience, though I enjoyed how the tomato was filled with hollandaise sauce.
Unlike my last experience flying Iberia, the crew was terrific on this flight to Mexico. I was one of the only non-Spanish speakers in the cabin, and I appreciated that the crew members remembered this each time they interacted with me, addressing me in English.
Their attention to detail was impressive. When I asked for a glass of white wine, the crew member noted as she picked up the bottle to pour it that it wasn't as cold as it should have been, so she asked if I would like any ice added.
Would you recommend Iberia business class?
Sliding doors in business class can be polarizing. For some, they are a clever way to add privacy, while for others, they are gimmicky.
Iberia's walls and door aren't high enough to provide much privacy while seated upright, and I could still see most of the cabin with the door closed. I wish the suite's walls were just a few inches higher, as this would make the suite significantly more private.
The lack of storage around the seat was surprising, as were some design choices around the elbows and shoulders when sleeping. Still, it was a decent suite, and the food and service were great.
Terminal 4 should be one of the world's great airport terminals given its architectural design and construction cost of $1.6 billion almost 20 years ago. Still, I was hopelessly lost multiple times, and it wasn't even my first visit.
Iberia's transatlantic business class is one of the best ways to redeem Avios, and for that reason, above all else, I would fly it again.