A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
My *guess* is that the first example is using TAP in the alliance so that LIS is a valid connecting point from USA to BCN. However, for the second example, to connect to BCN through MAD would require IB, which belongs to oneworld rather than *A.