Trip Report: Flying Iberia's A320neo to Madrid

LONDON — Welcome to London Heathrow (LHR), Britain’s Busiest Airport, where we embark on a journey across the pond to the U.S., flying Spain’s flag carrier, Iberia (IB), connecting via the airline’s main hub, Madrid Barajas (MAD).

Iberia’s Network

Iberia has a strong global presence through its main routes and codeshare agreements as a oneworld alliance partner. From its Madrid hub, Iberia offers a wide range of destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. 

Their short-haul network serves major European hubs, including London, Paris, and Rome, as well as other popular tourist destinations across the continent. Iberia also has a key focus on its core markets in the summer season, with an emphasis on France and Italy, increasing the frequency of flights. 

The restart of seasonal routes to tourist hotspots, including multiple Greek Islands and Croatia, demonstrates the airline’s commitment to offering an attractive network to European destinations. This year, Iberia will offer 16 million seats in the short- and medium-haul sectors, the exact figure as in 2024.

Most notable, however, is their strong focus on the Latin Americas, where the airline is the leading carrier in Europe to serve the continent. Iberia operates a significant proportion of its flights in the region, serving a total of 18 destinations across 16 countries. 

Destinations including Buenos Aires and São Paulo will experience the most significant increase in weekly frequencies, with three daily flights. Other routes having additional frequencies include Lima, Preu and Santiago, Chile. In 2025, connectivity is expected to reach its highest level ever, with a record 3.2 million seats available between the continents. 

Check in

Our journey begins at Heathrow Terminal 5, the home of British Airways (BA) and Iberia. Since June 1st, Iberia relocated its operations from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5, improving the experience for customers on connection flights. As oneworld Alliance and International Airlines Group (IAG) partners, both airlines have a strong relationship with each other, and the absorption of IB into T5 enables a smoother travel experience for passengers.

The excitement was naturally flowing, so I arrived at the airport in good time, about three hours before departure. First off on the list was to obtain a physical boarding pass from Iberia’s dedicated check-in counter, which was surprisingly quiet for this time of the morning. Given that there were three Iberia flights departing to Madrid within the next few hours, I had expected it to be much busier. 

Nevertheless, the experience was seamless, and check-in was complete in a matter of minutes as I had no bags to drop off. The advantageous position of the check-in desk is such that security is a short walk away, so I made my way through swiftly. As we flew in Business class, we had access to fast-track security and the British Airways lounges, which enhanced the pre-flight experience. 

Passengers in business class have a choice of three BA lounges, including the  Galleries North Club Lounge, the Galleries South Club Lounge, and the Galleries Club Lounge. The latter is located in the B-gates satellite terminal, accessible via the shuttle train and/or walkway. Those who hold Iberia Plus Oro, Platino, and Infinita cards have access to the BA First Lounge.

For convenience, a live display of current lounge occupancy is shown after clearing security. Having noticed that both the North and South Club lounges were almost at full capacity, and the Galleries Lounge was less than half empty, I had an easy decision to make. As there was plenty of time until departure, I headed to the shuttle train and towards the Galleries Club Lounge, which took less than ten minutes.

The Galleries Lounge is a short walk from the gates and is ideal for customers travelling on long-haul flights, which always depart from the satellite terminals. The lounge is spacious, featuring a large central dining area, a self-service bar, comfortable seating areas, and a kids' area. 

As the lounge is located one floor above the main departure level, it offers excellent views of aircraft at the gate and aircraft movements out onto the ramp. There is a wide range of food and drink options, including a selection of hot and cold British breakfast items and pastries, as it was morning. 

Since Summer 2023, BA has partnered with Whispering Angel, allowing customers to enjoy a glass or two of high-quality rosé wine at the dedicated bar area.

Around 30 minutes before boarding, I made my way back to the A-gates via the walkway on level -4. It is not recommended for passengers to take the shuttle back, as it takes you to passport control, and you would then have to go through security again. In general, if you are comfortable and have plenty of time before your flight, visiting the B-gates Galleries Lounge is a good way to escape the crowded Club Lounges at A.

Hola Iberia 

Our first flight of the day is IB716 to Madrid, onboard a 7-year-old Iberia A320neo, EC-MXY, with an average flight time of two hours. This route is served by both BA and IB over ten times a day, with Iberia operating seven daily flights. The high frequency of flights offers passengers greater flexibility and the opportunity to connect to a variety of destinations across the network. 

Boarding commenced strictly by boarding groups from Gate A7, and business-class passengers were among the first to board the aircraft. Entering an Iberia aircraft for the first time, I was warmly greeted by the crew and noticed that the seats used by the airline were the same as those used by Oneworld partner, British Airways – the Aerospace Pinnacle. Being part of the IAG group, this was perhaps unsurprising.

Onboard

I settled into my seat, 3F, and familiarized myself with the surroundings. Iberia serves its European routes predominantly with the Airbus A320 family, featuring a standard 3-3 configuration. As standard in intra-European flights, the business class section is dynamically sized according to demand, with a curtain separating the cabins. With almost identical seats across both cabins, there is little difference between the classes, except for a light meal and bar service, as well as a blocked middle seat. 

The seat features an adjustable headrest, an extendable tray table, a literature pocket, and a universal power outlet below. Each seat also has its overhead air vent and light. Our aircraft is equipped with Wi-Fi, and messaging services are complimentary for all business class and Iberia Plus customers.

Taxi, Takeoff

Boarding was completed promptly, and we promptly began our pushback and start sequence. A lengthy taxi to our departure runway followed, providing great views of the apron. 

Taxiing parallel to 27L, we spotted several government aircraft, including the Bahrain Boeing 767 and the Brunei Government Boeing 787. Heathrow also treated us to special appearances, such as the Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER in the Champions League livery and Malaysia’s Airbus A350 in Negaraku colours.

It was finally our turn for departure, and we became airborne after a short takeoff roll. The impressive NATS Air Traffic Control Tower came into view, and looking down at the huge airfield below, I set my eyes on where we began our journey, Terminal 5. 

Did you know that the main building in the T5 complex is the largest free-standing structure in the UK? We climbed out of the busy London airspace, taking in stunning views of the British countryside, and set course to the south towards Spain.

Inflight

Once the seatbelt signs were turned off, the Purser handed out the menu, and a quick decision was made about lunch, with only two options to choose from. 

The in-flight service began with drinks, offering a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, including wines, juices, and soft drinks. I went for a refreshing Sprite and a (very sweet) pineapple juice. Soon after, our in-flight meal was served, where I opted for the Baked Cod in a paprika stew.

Unable to choose between brown and white artisan bread rolls, I opted for both, accompanied by organic extra-virgin olive oil and butter. The freshly warmed bread was lovely, and it complemented the meal nicely. 

The starter was simple but acceptable, and the fish was delicate, with a richly flavored sauce, which was one of the best short-haul mains I’ve ever had. Finishing off with the largest plate of tiramisu I've ever seen on a plane, I was very impressed with the overall quality of the meal service. 

As our catering was by Do&Co, this wasn’t a surprise, and they continue to provide premium airline dining. The crew worked well to provide an excellent service and constantly kept our glasses topped up throughout the flight. 

Cruise

We reached our cruising altitude of FL350 and had time to admire the sleekness of the CFM Leap-1A engines from the comfort of our seats. The A320neo is 50% quieter and 15-20% more fuel efficient, enhancing the IB fleet as part of its aircraft renewal strategy while also providing increased passenger comfort.

I also tested out the in-flight WiFi, which IB has installed on 90% of its fleet. Messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, worked well, and the connection remained stable throughout the flight. A feature I liked was the option to view the in-flight menu for our current and upcoming flights when connected to the Iberia WiFi network.

Arrival

Our descent started about thirty minutes before landing, and we took in the views of the vast Spanish mainland. The crew handed out specialty Spanish chocolate before the cabin was secured for landing, a nice touch to finish the service. 

Eventually, we arrived in Madrid, where we disembarked at a remote stand and said our farewell to our fantastic crew. We were greeted with the beautiful, warm Spanish sunshine, which ended the first sector of our journey on a high note.

Conclusions

My first time onboard an Iberia flight left a very positive impression, made memorable by the crew and their excellent service. Although our aircraft was one of the older A320neos and only the second of its type delivered to Iberia, the cabin and seating were in excellent condition, with minimal wear and tear. Our short 2-hour flight passed quickly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly short-haul onboard the Spanish flag carrier again.

Fleet Growth

Iberia has a strong relationship with Airbus, and its fleet consists entirely of Airbus aircraft. Today, June 18, the airline has announced its aim to increase their long-haul fleet from 45 to approximately 70, as part of their ‘2030 Flight Plan’. This will be driven by the deliveries of the Airbus A350, A321XLR, and potentially the A330neo, allocated across their partner airlines.

Simultaneously, the airline plans a comprehensive renewal of its short- and medium-haul fleets, replacing its older-generation aircraft with the next-generation A320neo and A321neo. This reinforces Iberia’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.