Hrdcorhays

I am trying desperately to avoid the low cost carriers for my honeymoon intra-Europe flights. One leg is going to be Barcelona-Tenerife (preferably South). I am hoping to use AA miles for this leg if possible.

I can fly from Barcelona via Madrid stopover to TFS. While the stopover isn’t ideal it’s still more desirable to me than the low cost carriers. The low cost carriers more frequently seem to fly into Tenerife north, which is about an hour+ drive from my hotel. When I search on AA.com, I am able to use their miles if I search for only the BCN-MAD leg. The next leg MAD-TFS is listed as Iberia express on Iberias site, but doesn’t show via the AA app/website and thus not bookable with AA miles. I obviously don’t want to have those two flights on a separate itinerary and have to deal with baggage in MAD.

I guess my question boils down to whether or not it is expected to NOT be able to use AA miles on Iberia express flights?

craigthemif

I can't really answer the question about Iberia Express using AA miles. Have you actually found award space via IB (Blue) or BA.com and simply can't see it on aa.com?

But your expectations are certainly too high for IB and I2. You are far better off flying direct to TFS on Vueling and paying for lounge access, priority boarding, front row seats, etc. than connecting via MAD to arrive into TFN.

Hrdcorhays

If Vueling went to TFS at a good time, I would roll with that but they go to TFN more. Iberia (and TAP, and United who I’ll be flying home direct to EWR) all go to TFS, which is only 10 minutes from my hotel.

thanks for the feedback - I may ultimately just do Vueling to TFN if I can’t do Iberia for free w/AA miles and it isn’t much of an upgrade vs Vueling. I did fly Lufthansa this past summer and thought their product was as good or better than united so I was assuming The experience would be similar with Iberia.

tobsw

Mmhh... I've noticed that Iberia Express awards are not available online on American Advantage. No idea if they are available via phone. Would be interesting to know though.

I agree with @craigthemif , I'd travel with Vueling if fare is ok. Just make sure to pay for a nice seat and the correct fare. In the back, IB and VY product is pretty similar.

Regarding TFN vs TFS, TFS is focused on international travel, while TFN is the domestic airport by default.

Hrdcorhays

That makes sense for TFN. I forget that Tenerife is still "in" Spain. We are doing EWR-Paris-Barcelona-Tenerife because United isn't doing any 787s to Barcelona as of now, and we want to do Premium Plus on the way over. I wish we could do BCN first as there are directs from Paris to Tenerife on Air France.

hur88

I also have this question. Iberia Express award space available on BA/IB sites, but not showing up on AA.com - wondering if it's worth calling or if what I see is what I get on AA.com

ukinny2000

I2 has not shown up for a long time IME on AA.com, over a year+ now. And looking at say MAD-PMI on days were IB's website shows Blue Class in 2024 AA's shows nothing. Doesn't matter how many times you try to explain it to agents nobody does anything