AA or Iberia in J??
#1
Original Poster




Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ireland
Programs: BA: GOLD, MARRIOTT: TITANIUM, IHG: PLAT, HILTON: GOLD
Posts: 517
AA or Iberia in J??
I'm looking at flights to DUB via MAD.
Choice I have is MIA-MAD with either AA or IB in Business.
Who has the best seat / service for overnight flight?
Thanks
Mark.
Choice I have is MIA-MAD with either AA or IB in Business.
Who has the best seat / service for overnight flight?
Thanks
Mark.
#2




Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS Platinum, AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,668
We flew IB J from MAD to JFK earlier in the year, and we found the fully flat seat on IB's A340 was vastly preferable to AA's 767 J seat. It was hard (i.e. not well padded), but flat is flat. I recall that we enjoyed IB's food and AVOD as well, and the service was perfectly satisfactory. The lounges in MAD are probably the same irregardless of which OW metal you fly.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Definitely take IB metal. The product and service is much better than the AA counterpart (and this is coming from an AA elite!)
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
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#6
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX and Everywhere
Programs: *Alliance, OneWorld
Posts: 248
Another vote for IB. I've had both good service and bad service from them (nothing horrible), but as AA_EXP09 and jbalmuth mentioned, their hard product is definitely preferable.
The IB MAD lounges are also quite nice, whatever you decide about which OW carrier.
The IB MAD lounges are also quite nice, whatever you decide about which OW carrier.
#8




Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,766
I'm looking to compare on the ORD-MAD route, whether to go IB or DFW-MAD with AA. I originate in Kansas City. Right now, there are no J awards available for Oct. 23 on either AA or IB. Whichever comes available first is the one I'll take. if I can get the seats on AA I might be able to change to IB if the seats open up later.
#11


Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,784
The fact that IB sometimes cancels intl. flights (close to departure) and the inferior service would cause me to choose AA. I had read about IB cancelling flights, thinking I'm glad that has never happened to me. Recently it did. Luckily AA put us on their MAD-DFW flight. Also, if something went wrong at the airport prior to departure, I'm not sure how accomodating IB would be.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QRPC PLT/OW EMD; Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 14,571
#14




Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,766
The fact that IB sometimes cancels intl. flights (close to departure) and the inferior service would cause me to choose AA. I had read about IB cancelling flights, thinking I'm glad that has never happened to me. Recently it did. Luckily AA put us on their MAD-DFW flight. Also, if something went wrong at the airport prior to departure, I'm not sure how accomodating IB would be.


