Iberia already designed its flight schedule for the upcoming winter season, which will begin on October 28th and run until March 30th, 2024.
During those five months, the airline will focus even more on its long-haul network, with 17% more flights in this market, especially in Latin America, to reinforce its leadership and strengthen Madrid airport’s position as a bridge between Europe and Latin America.
With this objective, Iberia is increasing capacity on both sides of the Atlantic: in Latin America -where it will exceed 300 weekly flights for the first time- and in Europe, where it deployed historic capacity in destinations such as Paris, Rome, and Milan, as well as growing in other cities on the continent, such as Athens, Budapest, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, Hamburg, Oslo, Prague, and Zurich.
“We are developing an ambitious plan in Latin America and the Caribbean that will boost connectivity with this region and, above all, will allow the Madrid airport to reinforce its role as a bridge between Europe and Latin America. To this record increase in frequencies, we are adding a more sustainable fleet and improvements in our on-board experience, so that Iberia is the best option to fly between both sides of the Atlantic,” says Maria Jesús López Solás, Iberia’s Commercial and Network and Alliances Development Head.
More than Two Million Seats between Europe and Latin America
Throughout the winter season that runs from November 2023 to March 2024, Iberia will exceed 300 flights a week between Europe and Latin America, which represents a growth of around 14% compared to 2019. Throughout these months, Iberia will offer more than two million seats between both regions, a record number that demonstrates its commitment to this set of routes.
Mexico City, with 21 weekly frequencies, is Iberia’s destination in Latin America with the highest capacity, a figure that the airline will match with three daily flights in Bogotá throughout the winter season.
Peru will see a new increase and will consolidate the two daily flights between Lima and Madrid, except for Sunday, with a total of 13 weekly frequencies, one fewer than Argentina, with 14 weekly frequencies between both countries.
For its part, Chile fully recovers its pre-pandemic capacity, with 10 frequencies a week. Brazil will have the same connectivity level and will maintain its daily flight to Sao Paulo and one more frequency with Rio de Janeiro during the months of January and February, until it reaches four weekly flights with that city. Thus, at the beginning of 2024, Brazil will have 11 weekly frequencies with Europe.
Ecuador will also have 10 weekly frequencies, as this country will benefit from an increase in Quito, up to one daily flight, to which are added the three weekly frequencies with Guayaquil.
Another of the increases will be in Venezuela, where Iberia will go from three to five weekly frequencies between Madrid and Caracas.
In the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic will reach nine weekly frequencies in January and 10 in February. Puerto Rico will also increase its connectivity with Spain by one frequency in November, up to five weekly, while it will reach one daily flight at the beginning of 2024. The connection with Havana will be operated three times a week.
In Central America, Iberia’s routes with Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama, as well as Uruguay in the southern cone, will be operated by one daily flight.
Iberia Maintains its Momentum in the United States
Last year, Iberia made a strong commitment to the United States, with the launch of two new routes: Washington DC -which remains seasonal- and Dallas- which operates all year round. In the next winter season, Iberia will maintain that momentum with a growth of 24% over 2019 in the number of frequencies and more than 90 weekly flights between both regions.
For example, Boston will see an increase of two frequencies compared to 2019, reaching five flights each week.
In the winter season, Iberia will offer two daily flights to Miami, and between 11 and 14 weekly flights between Madrid and New York. In addition, it consolidates its daily flight with Chicago, four weekly frequencies with Dallas Fort Worth, and another three with Los Angeles.
Rovaniemi and Record Number of Flights in Paris, Rome, and Milan
The launch of the route to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland (Finland) this winter season will be Iberia’s main novelty in the European market. This destination will have two weekly flights and will connect Spain with the home Santa Claus from December 2nd to February 10th.
In total, in the European market, the Iberia Group will increase its frequencies by 5% compared to the years before the Covid-19 pandemic and will reach more than 800 flights a week.
Among the main routes, Paris stands out, with 50 weekly frequencies at Orly airport, a record-breaking capacity, with more than 57% more seats than in 2019.
Rome will also see its capacity boosted to record levels, with 39 weekly frequencies, an increase of 35% compared to this. In Italy, Milan will have 21 frequencies with Linate airport and 18 with Malpensa airport, 33% more than in 2019.
Other cities in Europe will see increases in their frequencies compared to the pre-pandemic winter. This is the case, for example, of Venice, with an increase of four flights a week with Madrid, reaching a total of 22.
In the same way, other high-demand destinations in Europe, such as Zurich, will see an increase of two frequencies, reaching 23 a week.
Also, for the winter season, the routes with Athens (Greece), Prague (Czech Republic) and Düsseldorf (Germany) will have an increase of three weekly frequencies compared to winter 2019.
Finally, Oslo (Norway), Stockholm (Sweden), Budapest (Hungary), and Hamburg (Germany), will benefit from an increase of two frequencies per week in their connectivity with Spain.
Another short- and medium-haul market in which Iberia will increase its capacity is Morocco. Thus, the route that connects with Marrakech will have an increase of four weekly frequencies, up to a total of 14 per week. Likewise, Iberia will also increase its frequencies with Casablanca to 11 weekly flights, while there will be one daily flight to Tangier.
Improved Connectivity Also Within Spain
For the winter season in Spain, the Iberia Group scheduled a growth of almost 6% on its Spanish routes compared to winter 2022/2023, with more than 680 flights a week, very close to pre-pandemic levels.
The greatest increase deployed by the Iberia Group will be on the route between Almería and Madrid, with an increase of seven weekly frequencies over last winter season. Likewise, the route to Granada will see an increase of five weekly frequencies.
Pamplona will also have four additional flights a week, Jerez de la Frontera will see an increase of three weekly frequencies, and La Coruña will have two more weekly frequencies, all compared to last winter season.
