kdoughboy

I will be booking some Avios redemptions for my honeymoon next year, and was wondering if it is worth it to spend the extra Avios to fly the aforementioned segments in business instead of economy. These will be connected to international J redemptions on IB metal to and from the United States. If all goes according to plan, the rough itinerary will be:

Inbound: US-MAD(J) -- 2.5 hour layover -- MAD-AGP
Outbound: BCN-MAD -- ~2 hour layover -- MAD-US(J)

I know MAD-AGP is operated by IB Express, and that in general intra-EU business class is basically economy plus, but I'm thinking maybe it's worth the extra Avios for lounge access in MAD during the 2.5 hour layover. Or will my J ticket from US-MAD give me lounge access anyway? If so, I'd probably save the Avios and fly economy MAD-AGP. If not, I'll probably spend the extra Avios unless the lounge really isn't worth it.

Same issue with BCN-MAD. I know I will have lounge access at MAD due to the international J flight I will be connecting to, but is it worth spending more avios for the BCN-MAD segment to have lounge access in BCN?

Thanks all for your advice!

Koby

If you have an IB long haul J ticket, you will already have access to the arrival lounge at MAD. Just keep in mind that it's not the same as the departure lounges so it will take longer to get from there to your departure gate. (Haven't used it myself yet - so I don't know if it's airside or landside.)
Leaving from BCN I'd say it's not worth it. BCN is an airport where you can arrive about 1 hour before your flight without problem. And if you want to arrive earlier, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you happy for a while.

David-A

Actually if they have arrived on a longhaul business class flight they should have access to the departure lounges before their short haul flight under standard oneworld lougne access rules.

And same on the return.

http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

In a word, no.

Very short flights. Same seat product, only differences are nobody sitting beside you and free drinks and very (very) basic snacks on IB domestics in J (think 3 TINY tapas dishes or small sandwiches or something like that).

While IB does get some stick on FT for being a buy-on-board service in short haul economy, the prices are not outrageous, the quality is decent, the portions more sizeable than J - and I find the IB crew service far more friendly in Y than J.

And even if you needed it for lounge access (which you should not), very limited time in the lounge.

Keep your inbound BP, you should get lounge access in MAD before the MAD-AGP flight as you have arrived same day on a longhaul J oneworld flight.

You will arrive into T4(S) - the satellite part of T4.

Your AGP flight will almost certainly depart from T4(main). So you will go through Spanish immigration (entering Schengen area), and proceed using the transit train to T4(main), where you will be able to use the lounge - which is up in the roof rafters (very impressive roof).

Keep in mind T4 is notorious not just for the striking roof architecture - but for very long walks. So do leave the lounge when it is time to do so!

There is tiny chance your flight to Malaga could depart from the downstairs Schengen level of T4(S). But unlikely.

Won't see your luggage until Malaga. (I know you didn't ask that, but helps to remind others).

Since I assume you will be through checking your luggage all the way to USA, checkin should be able to give you your onward BP if you don't have it.

You should be entitled to lounge access, so ask them at checkin if that onward BP is enough to get into lounge access, or if they need to give you a physical pass/sticker to alert the lounge agents.

Again, I wouldn't worry too much about the lounge in BCN if for any reason you can't get in. Plenty of bars, and things.

Your flight from BCN to MAD will most likely arrive in T4(main), so you will get the transit train to T4(s), exit Schengen as you head upstairs in the satellite.

The lounge in the non-Schengen upstairs level of T4(S) is the best of the three IB lounges, for drinks, snacks etc.

Now, worth pointing out, obviously there is the chance your flight from BCN could come into the downstairs Schengen level of T4(S), in which case no transit train, just head up stairs exiting Schengen as you do so.

But, with BCN-MAD there is actually usually one flight a day which operates as a non-schengen flight, i.e. even though the flight is purely domestic (it has not arrived form anywhere, and it is not continuing anywhere), it would depart from the non-Schengen part of BCN, and arrive into the non-Schengen part of T4(S).
This flight is designed to support connecting passenger through to BCN, without them needing (or perhaps being able) to enter Spain (the Schengen area).

Just mentioning that for completeness.