Iberia to Increase Its Capacity in the United States

DALLAS - Spanish carrier Iberia (IB) has begun its winter season run with the recovery of all its pre-pandemic capacity and a firm commitment to the US market.

In a press release, the airline said it recovered 95% of its total capacity in the last quarter, and it will exceed pre-pandemic levels at the start of 2023, reaching 105% of its 2019 capacity.

The United States remains a priority market for IB, with the airline offering more frequencies and seats than in the same period in 2019. Specifically, the carrier is to offer 589,000 seats, up 15% from 2019, and approximately 2,000 flights, up 21% from the year before the pandemic.

The United States remains a priority market for the Spanish airline, which is now offering more frequencies and seats than it did in the same period last year.

Iberia intends to offer 589,000 seats, a 15% increase over 2019, and approximately 2,000 flights, a 21% increase over the previous year.

North Atlantic Partnership

Iberia will offer flights to five destinations this winter: Dallas (opened June 2022), New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, and Boston. In addition, in order to provide an excellent customer experience

Dallas (DFW) is the main hub for American Airlines (AA), IB's benchmark partner, not only in the oneworld Alliance but also through the close cooperation on which the joint business agreement for the North Atlantic is built. 

The agreement enables the operations of routes between Europe and the North Atlantic with IB, British Airways (BA), Finnair (AY), and Aer Lingus (EI), and has contributed to generating enough traffic to keep the DFW route open even during the winter.

Furthermore, Iberia is growing in several US destinations compared to last winter, when travel restrictions from Europe were not lifted until November. In Miami, the frequency will increase from 10 to 14 weekly flights (two daily flights), and in New York, from 10 to 13 weekly flights (14 in March).

Iberia's JFK Terminal Switch

Iberia will relocate from Terminal 7 to Terminal 8 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on December 1, where it will share operations with AA and BA. This new terminal will bring the IAG-owned airline closer to its Atlantic Joint Business partners and will provide its customers with a better connection experience.

T8 will include five new boarding gates and four new parking positions for large aircraft, as well as an improved baggage handling system and 130,000 square meters of additional terminal space.

The new terminal will also offer new amenities and more premium services for IB customers, including two new VIP lounges: the Greenwich Lounge –for IB Gold and Business customers- and the Soho Lounge –for IB Platinum, IB Infinita, and IB Infinita Prime customers-, alongside an improved shopping experience.

Featured image: Iberia EC-MKI Airbus A330-200. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways