Iberia Airlines Review [2024]: What's it like flying with Iberia?

One of the good things about visiting Europe is that almost anywhere is accessible by public transportation, and if anything, flying from country to country is relatively cheap.

For me personally when I'm traveling to Europe, I always go for low-cost European budget airlines when flying shorter trips. Airlines like RyanAir, EasyJet, and FlyTAP are my go-tos for flights in Europe.

Another one of my go-to is Iberia Airlines. While it's not a budget airline per se, the affordable fares make it an attractive option.

While they're certainly not the best airlines (far from that), they get the job done (most of the time).

My colleagues and I have written reviews on most of these airlines so travelers like us can stay informed on the pros and cons of flying with these low-cost carriers, so I thought it'd be fitting to write about one of the biggest budget airlines in Europe, Iberia Airlines.

Just because Iberia is Spain's official carrier doesn't mean it's the best option.

Today, I'll review Iberia Airlines (IB) so you can be in the know before you book that trip. Let's dive into Iberia to find out whether their cheap flight deals are as good as they sound!

What Is Iberia Airlines?

Iberia is the flag carrier airline of Spain. This airline was founded in 1927 and is currently based in Madrid, Barajas Airport.

Initially, Iberia Airlines would only fly within the Spanish territories. However, after World War II, it started to fly to more distant destinations across the UK, Europe, and even Latin America.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) houses the home hub of Iberia Airlines, while they primarily serve out of Barcelona's El Prat Airport (BCN) as their focus city.

Today, Iberia Group airlines fly to 39 different countries globally for a total of 109 destinations on almost all continents, including North and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East!

Iberia Plus

If you fly frequently with Iberia, you might want to consider getting their rewards program. You'll get a card when you register with the program, and depending on the amount of flights you take or mileage you have with them, you'll ascend up their tiered rewards program. Here are their tiers:

• Iberia Plus Clásica
• Iberia Plus Silver (Ruby)
• Iberia Plus Gold (Sapphire)
• Iberia Plus Platinum (Emerald)
• Iberia Plus Infinita (Emerald)
• Iberia Plus Infinita Prime (Emerald)

Depending on your tiers, you'll be able to earn up to 8 Avios for every euro you spend on your trip + additional benefits like skipping the waitlist, free upgrades, no additional fees, exclusive customer service portal, etc.

In addition, with its alliance with OneWorld, you're able to transfer points if they both use Avios as their awards program.

I'd say get their membership program if you anticipate flying with them more than once! It's free and you can start earning points towards your next free discounts or promotions for your next trip.

Keep in mind that to check for availability and pricing fluctuations when redeeming your points, as the pricing may change and fluctuate often.

Iberia App

If you fly with Iberia often and want to have all of your information all in one place, download Iberia's app!

You'll be able to buy, manage, and monitor your trips via the app, which includes giving you the ability to make online reservations, get check-in information, see flight status, get important information like terminal and gate numbers, and more.

While it's not required, it might be useful for you if you fly with Iberia often.

Who Owns the Air Carrier?

In 2010, Iberia Airlines and British Airways, the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, decided to merge.

Consequently, Iberia is now part of an Anglo-Spanish multinational airline company known as International Airline Group. Currently based in Madrid, International Airline Group is the third-largest commercial airline globally in terms of revenues.

Iberia Airline's Fleets

Iberia Airlines currently operate an all-Airbus fleet, with A319s, A320/neos, A321s, A330-200/300, and A350-900s.

Iberia Airlines, unlike other budget airlines, have both Economy, Premium Economy, and Business classes for long-haul flights. They also serve hot meals and beverages on Economy classes for international long haul flights.

For international flights that are longer, the experience was generally comfortable. There's usually in-flight entertainment systems with additional offerings like blankets and pillows.

If comfort is something you're considering, I'd recommend going for the premium economy (preferably through redeeming points), which gives you additional space for personal items, noise-cancelling headphones, more legroom and reclining features, as well as great authentic Spanish dishes.

How Safe Is Iberia Airlines?

Despite its turbulent past, Iberia flights is safe nowadays, and you shouldn't worry too much when flying with them.

Nonetheless, Iberia air has had at least four severe accidents throughout its career in which many passengers and crew members tragically lost their lives.

However, all the fatalities happened before 1985, and since then, no accident has occurred. While I can't ignore that past, it appears they have made significant changes to improve safety.

Reviews

So, is Iberia Airlines a good airline according to the people who've flown with it before?

Unfortunately, I noticed Iberia Airlines doesn't rate too well when it comes to online reviews.

On TripAdvisor, Iberia Airlines holds an average rating of 3.0/5.0 stars. People mostly complain about poor customer service, which seems impossible to contact. Something that is a big red flag for me.

I've flown with a bunch of low-cost carriers, and Iberia is neither the worst and the best. I make sure to book almost all of my flights with my American Express credit card as they're super good in making sure I get refunded or compensated all of my flights that were cancelled or heavily delayed.

Other common Iberia Airline reviews include lost luggage and a lack of proper drinks and food choices during flights.

Iberia Airlines Customer Service

According to Iberia Airlines reviews online, you may have to wait for hours on the phone before being able to talk to their customer service department.

I've noticed that the email service also seems to be useless. Several people tried to contact the company by email. Still, they only kept receiving an automatic reply which did not provide any helpful information.

If you still want to try the airline's service team, you can try to do so through their customer service page or by calling +34 900 111 500.

What's Its Luggage Policy?

If you are flying in economy, I can let you know that you'll be able to take a cabin bag and a personal accessory on your flight with you.

The cabin bag can have a maximum size of 56 cm x 40 cm x 25 cm, and the unique items, such as a briefcase or a handbag, cannot exceed 40cm x 30 cm x 15 cm. Your cabin bag cannot weigh more than 10 kg. Otherwise, you may have to pay an extra fee.

If the flight is particularly busy, Iberia Airlines may store your carry-on luggage in the hold. You obviously won't have to pay an extra fee. But, you'll have to wait some spare time to get your luggage back once landed.

For this reason, if you're in a hurry, make sure to be among the first ones to board. Or at the very least, make sure to have an idea of exactly how to squeeze your bags in.

In business class, you will be allowed to take some extra weight with a limit of 14 kg for your carry-on bag. A checked suitcase is always included in the business class. Depending on the flight, it'll cost you an extra fee of approximately $30.

The maximum weight for your checked luggage must be 23 kg, and the sum of height, width, and length must not exceed 158 cm. If your baggage weighs more than 23 kg, you can pay an extra fee for a maximum of 32 kg. Luggage exceeding this weight is not allowed.

Food Included Aboard Iberia Air

I get rather peckish whenever I fly.

Iberia serves food on all flights longer than four and a half hours. This includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, completely free of charge. If you would like to request a special meal, you can do so 24 hours in advance.

If you have specific dietary restrictions like food allergies, I recommend you bring your own food on board, otherwise, there will be limited options for you.

The Airline's Cancellation Policy

If your flight has been canceled, you can request for compensation through your Manage Your Bookings page.

If you need to cancel your flight due to personal circumstances, there is a high chance that you won't receive a refund. In the few instances where changes, returns, or refunds are allowed, you will still have to pay an associated penalty fee.

But, if you're flying in business class, you can change your flight free of charge up to 15 days from your departure. If you need to change your flight a second time, you can do so for an extra fee of approximately $45.

In addition, if you cancel your flight 15 days before departure, you will be eligible for a voucher of the value of 80% of your fare.

Is Iberia Airlines Worth It?

Overall, I think that with Iberia Airlines, you get the service that you've paid for. I know that sounds like a middle of the road answer, but there doesn't seem to be a great consensus on experience.

I've found the online Iberia reviews overwhelmingly mentioning subpar seating, okay food and beverages, highly variable customer service and ground staff the most in the review descriptions. Although, from what I've found, flying with Iberia stacks slightly higher than the typical reviews of budget airlines.

When traveling with larger luggage, Iberia's service matches airlines with a similar price point. Some have also reported that the flying experience wasn't too bad considering its price point.

In my opinion, I think that Iberia Airlines is worth it if you secured a great deal on its flights, similar to many other popular budget airlines like TAP Air or Frontier Airlines! As with all low cost airlines though, know what you're in for and make sure you're on top of knowing its luggage policies, check-ins, and delay/cancelation policies.

My Rating: 3.4/5

Pros:

• Many destinations
• Premium choices
• Lenient large luggage policy
• Food included for 4.5+ hour flights

Cons:

• Poor customer service
• Variable grounds crew service
• Frequent non-reimbursements
• No cancellations for Economy passengers

Iberia Airlines FAQs

Is Iberia a good airline?

Objectively, Iberia Airlines has 4 stars with Skytrax, a World Airlines Star Rating. With my personal experience, I think Iberia is a decent and safe choice, but experiences obviously vary for individuals.

Is Iberia part of American Airlines?

Iberia Airlines is owned by IAG (International Airlines Group) and is allied with American Airlines, Quantas, Avianca, and British Airways. They also joined the OneWorld alliance in 1999.

Is Iberia a low cost airline?

While Iberia flights are relatively cheap, they're not exactly fitting to be called the low-cost airlines. Iberia Express is their ultra low-cost airlines option, which operates short and medium routes.

Is Iberia better than Ryanair?

Iberia Express and Ryanair are direct competitors for the best low-cost budget airline solution for short and medium flights. Based on review online, a slight edge goes to Ryanair for making their experience better in recent years.

Does Iberia operate in the US?

Yes! Iberia recently added a bunch of U.S. based destinations and hubs across mostly the east coast, like Miami and New York. Check out their website for more details on whether they fly from your closest location!

Plan Your Trip With Pilot!

Now that you know everything about Iberia Airlines, it's time to book your ticket!

Whether you choose Iberia Airlines or not, you'll want to make sure you have an excellent and sound travel plan in place. Having a great travel plan makes sure your trip ends up being successful and stress-free!

My friends and I use Pilot to plan our trips, and just the fact we can have everything at our fingertips and do it all together makes our travel experience the best it can be.