miamimango

Found 4 economy seats for MIA-MAD next Thxgiving. Since need to hook into an IB flight for ultimate arrival @BCN, taxes are the same, which would you fly. Also have the possibility to upgrade 2 of the seats to business on IB but not on AA.

seawolf

"Taxes" should not be the same when using AA miles on AA flight vs IB flight. AA charges a fuel surcharge on IB flights.

smilinganddialing

+1

Flying on AA metal should be substantially cheaper than IB metal. IB fuel surcharges are usually 30 Euros per long haul segment and these fuel surcharges (YQ/YR) generally trigger a number of additional taxes that are usually not due on award tickets.

Furthermore, since you will be doing MAD - BCN on IB metal anyway, you'll still get hit with some fuel surcharges so the main difference will be the 30 Euros per person (assuming the pricing desk does this properly which is not to be expected given how many errors they make on award tickets involving YQ/YR).

If you want to do 2 Business and 2 Economy Seats, IB is obviously the winner. If you want to save money have everyone go in Economy, go with AA. Alternatively, if you can find getting to BCN on AA metal, you will save even more money as you'll avoid the IB YQ/YR.

mvtm

IB 333 MIA-MAD should be refurbished with the new J cabin. I flew this in October and it's a leaps ahead their previous J product. In all, a nice J experience. There's a mini cabin which is people's favorite and offers a bit more privacy. Ultimately i chose 1C, couldn't beat to have it printed at the BP.

If traveling in coach i would choose AA. There's nothing worse than Iberia's Y. Creepy, even AA imho is better in coach. AA MIA-BCN could be one of the refurb 77D (777-200) which have the same new Y,J product as the 777-300 (77W), i am not sure of this but i suspect it a lot. Of IB having their new J product in the MIA-MAD route i am sure.

Since you are 4 traveling i think the best would be to go AA. I am not sure if you would feel comfortable with having 2 in coach and 2 possibly (because we are not sure) in business. AA MIA-BCN is direct, while as you know going Iberia would mean you have to stop at MAD.

It all comes down if you decide to travel in business or go with coach. For me Iberia business is tad bit better than AA (food), and in coach AA should better. The crappiest flights i have done in economy have been IB's, planes are often dirty..filthy and food's a joke. IB has a few good things, nice lounges at the T4S.... good chance of "op up" OW elite but their long haul Y is subpar.

miamimango

The MIA-BCN non-stop is 45K miles in economy which is why I started looking at IB. although saving on the taxes might not be a bad idea. Appreciate all the feedback, think I will stick with the AA economy on the outbound and save some miles. We are flying out of MAD in business on the way home and yes putting 2 twenty somethings in coach. Figure if they were paying themselves they would have booked steerage class on some charter