Have you ever dreamed of traveling to Europe in business class, but the cost is holding you back?

What if I told you that you could fly to Spain roundtrip in business class for less than $300 out of pocket?

Well, it’s possible with points and miles award travel!

I’ve been using travel rewards credit cards to earn points and miles for free travel since 2015.

What I love about travel rewards credit cards is that they allow me to earn points on purchases that I was going to make anyway.

That’s exactly how I was able to earn enough Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points to book roundtrip business class flights to Spain on Iberia Airlines.

You can do this too!

In this post, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to find and book business-class flights to Spain by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points to Iberia.

So if you’re looking to travel to Spain in the lap of luxury but on a budget, you’re in the right place!

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Why Iberia Airlines?

I don’t always fly to Europe in business class, but when looking for redemption options I always like to search the sweet spots for the type of points that I have.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® are my favorite because of the flexibility that they provide.

If you have the right credit card, these points are flexible and transferrable to several travel partners at a 1:1 ratio.

  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Iberia Plus
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United Airlines MileagePlus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

In my research, I realized that Iberia Airlines, an airline operating out of Spain, offered business class flights from the east coast to Madrid for as little as 34,000 points + tax for one way.

In comparison to my flight the year prior from Miami to Paris on Air France in business class for 70,000 points + tax one way this was an amazing deal.

For a roundtrip flight from Miami to Madrid I spent 85,000 points +$277 per person. The cash price for this exact roundtrip flight was $4,164 per person. This was a steal!

Total price of $8,390.90 for flights from Miami to Madrid, including additional options like voucher refund
The cash price for the same flight we booked with points for 2 people

Follow the deal, not the destination

Whenever I’m redeeming points, I like to come in without a specific destination in mind. This opens me up to more opportunities for really great redemption deals like this one with Iberia.

I let this redemption determine that our next trip to Europe would be to Spain and we would start and end in Madrid.

From there I planned our trip around that.

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Let’s Do this!

The best credit cards for earning Iberia Avios

I had already racked up a good amount of Chase Ultimate Rewards® so I was prepared to transfer my points to Iberia to book my roundtrip business-class flight.

Here are the credit cards that I would recommend apply for if you’re looking to do the same:

If you don’t think you are eligible for business credit cards, you may be surprised.

Promotional image for 'Getting Started with Points and Miles: A Lazy Person’s Guide,' showing a laptop with course content and text: 'Learn how I saved over $13,000 in travel expenses' and '$27.
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How to Book Iberia Business Class for Under $300

Once I had settled on a trip to Madrid, the next step was to find the award availability.

The key to finding award availability is to be flexible on your dates and sometimes even the airports that you fly in and out of.

Flexibility is the key to saving money on travel.

I’m fortunate that one of my home airports is Miami and I’ve found some great award availability.

This is really convenient for me because I don’t have to book a positioning flight. I can spend less time traveling and more time enjoying my destination.

A screenshot of the Iberia airline booking page showing a flight search form with departure from Miami (MIA) to Madrid (MAD) on December 12, 2024, for one passenger. The background features a promotion for Premium Economy Class with the slogan "More space, more comfort.

Finding Award Availability with Iberia

Before we start looking for award availability with Iberia, you’ll want to make sure that you have signed up for an Iberia Plus loyalty rewards account.

It’s free to join and you’ll need this for when you’re ready to transfer points.

I always recommend creating an account as soon as possible because some loyalty programs have rules for how long your account needs to be open before you can transfer points.

Once logged into Iberia Plus, input your travel dates and search for availability.

Don’t forget to select “Pay with Avios” (Iberia’s loyalty currency).

Iberia provides an option to view flexible dates, which can help you find the best award flights.

For a round-trip business class flight, you might find options around 42,500 Avios plus taxes and fees, which is a great deal compared to the $4,200 cash price for one person.

Business class selection for a flight from Miami to Madrid, highlighting available seats and details about baggage and changes

Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points to Iberia

Once you’ve found the flight you want, it’s time to transfer your points!

You’ll want to log in to your Chase account:

  • Select Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • Select “Travel” from the main menu
  • Select “Transfer points to partners”

Once you see a list of transfer partners, select Iberia Plus and follow the steps to transfer points to Iberia.

Input the number of points you need.

The transfer often happens almost instantly, but Chase advises it could take up to seven days.

Once your transfer has been confirmed make sure you’ve logged out of your Iberia Plus account and log back in to see your updated balance.

You can then proceed with booking your award flight just like you would with a cash booking.

Booking Tip

I was not able to select our seats during the checkout process. I think it was because it was close to a year out. I waited a couple of months before trying again and I was able to select our seats online without challenges.

A screenshot of the Chase Ultimate Rewards page showing the Iberia Plus program details. The page includes information on transferring points, customer service contact, and program terms, with an arrow pointing to the "Transfer points to partners" option

Final Tips

  • Always check award availability before transferring points.
  • Once points are transferred to a loyalty program, they cannot be transferred back.
  • Plan and join loyalty programs in advance.
  • Book as soon as you find award availability to avoid missing out.

Important Note: Navigating the Iberia website can be a bit of an adventure in itself! It’s not exactly the smoothest experience and can be a bit glitchy.

For example, when selecting the country the United States wasn’t immediately visible in the country list. After a bit of detective work, I discovered you have to select “USES” first, which then magically transforms into “U.S.”

Hot TIP

For a more detailed tutorial, check out the YouTube video below.

FAQs

How far in advance should I book to find the best award availability? I recommend checking for award availability about a year in advance or last minute. If you’re looking last minute you’ll need to be very flexible.

Are there any additional fees for baggage in Iberia Business Class? You should check the Iberia website, but we were able to bring 2 hand luggage on board. They also included 2 checked bags, but we did not need them.

Can I use my frequent flyer miles to upgrade to Business Class? I recommend booking the class that you intend to fly. Ther is no guarantee that you will be able to upgrade to business class whether its with cash or points.

What are the lounge options available at Miami International Airport for Iberia Business Class passengers? Iberia does not have an airport lounge at MIA, but since they are part of the One World alliance we were able to access both the Admirals Club and the Flagship lounge.

How early should I arrive at the airport for an Iberia Business Class flight? You should arrive at least 3 hours early for an international flight. Our tickets did not include fast-track service through security at MIA but did in Madrid. At the time, Iberia did not participate in TSA Precheck.

Can I transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards to Iberia Plus? Yes, Iberia Plus is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards.

Also, since the currency for the Iberia Plus loyalty program is Avios, it is possible to book flights with Iberia with other airlines that also use Avios.

Can you avoid paying taxes and fees with award flights? This depends on the individual airline and the country you are flying to or from. Some airlines pass these fees to the consumer and others do not. So be sure to check with other airline alliance partners for the combination of award points and cash that works best for you.

Are there blackout dates for booking Iberia Business Class with points? Although there are no explicit blackout dates, award availability is always limited. There are only so many award flights available. So I recommend staying away from major holidays and being flexible with your flight dates and times.

Ready for your Business Class Flight to Spain?

As you can see from this post, you don’t have to spend over $4,000 on a business-class flight to Spain.

With a bit of strategic planning and savvy point usage, you can stretch your travel budget to include those plush lie-flat seats and gourmet meals in the sky.

And our experience with Iberia Business Class from Miami to Madrid and Madrid to Miami was great!

When you’re ready to plan, make sure you read these essential tips for traveling internationally.

Check out these posts about Spain:

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Travel Blogger

Genni is a travel blogger based in South Florida, founder of Traveling Franklins and Lazy Budget Travel Academy.

Genni has been focusing on Budget Travel and earning Travel Points and Miles since 2015. She has a background in hospitality, working for companies like Hilton and Marriott. She has also worked in hospitality marketing software with clients like Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG.

But her true passion is teaching others how to travel more for less because everyone deserves to take their PTO and explore the world on their own budget!

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