Site Search
Social

Advertisement

25% Off Iberia Flights With Amex, Includes Cheap Thanksgiving Business Class ($1,280 total JFK-MAD!)

by on October 14, 2011 · 26 comments

in American Express, Iberia

I’m usually skeptical of “special discounts” on airline fares, because I feel like they always restrict the cheapest fare classes, thus negating most of the value of the discount. However, I was happily surprised when I researched the current 25% Off Iberia fare sale when you use an American Express card until 10/31/11.
To test it, I priced out a business class fare during the discounted Thanksgiving weekend. For JFK-MAD November 25-29 the regular fare came to $1,495.10, which is pretty good in itself.
With the 25% off the fare dropped to $1,280.10, which is pretty incredible for roundtrip, total JFK to Madrid (7,177 miles roundtrip). These are I fares, which earn 100% base miles, 25% class of service bonus, 1.5 EQPs and any elite bonuses.
Plus, this would qualify for the current Oneworld transatlantic bonuses that AA is offering (25,000 bonus miles for first trip). Also, you get 3 points per dollar on airfare if you book this using your Amex Premier Rewards Gold card, which is another easy 3,600+ points.

Many of these flights are actually on AA 757′s which aren’t the best and certainly not the worst. For my recent review of JFK-MAD on AA in business class check out this post.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author.s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

Previous post:

Next post:

  • Maury

    Brian, just a suggestion to you. Not all people that read this blog are interested in business class seats like you, so when you quote prices please quote them also for coach. Thank you

  • Maury

    Brian, just a suggestion to you. Not all people that read this blog are interested in business class seats like you, so when you quote prices please quote them also for coach. Thank you

  • thehappytraveler

    Agreed. I really love your blog and it has helped me quite a bit but sadly as i dont really accrue so many points I really only spend my points on coach seats. It would be wonderful to get more of a look at coach rewards and such as well. But keep up the good work. Your blog is awesome!

  • Mark

    Not to put words in Brian’s mouth, but his blog is around, in part, to show people that they can “afford” to fly business. Heck, look at his Citi AAdvantage card posts and all the recent Chase stuff. For the most part, I don’t think Brian pays cash for many of his premium travel…he uses the points he earns. But, when a US-Europe business class fare come to $1,200 (the price of coach, in many cases) and there are scads of bonuses, what’s the point of listing the coach fare? In fact, in this case, the coach fare might be equal or more expensive than the business class fare.

  • Caroline

    I do agree with you, Mark, and I think Brian highlighted business in this case because it is clearly an INCREDIBLE deal… nevertheless, coach is way cheaper for this time of year. I just checked and regular coach fare on Iberia JFK-MAD for the same dates Brian checked (25-29 Nov) is $670. Assuming this deal applies to coach (which it sounds like it does, but I didn’t check), that would mean that this fare is just over $500 with an Amex card. The business deal may be a *far* better value, but as one of the poorer readers of this blog (grad student!), I have to admit that, if it were me, I would certainly buy the coach ticket myself. The difference in price is enough for another transatlantic flight on another date!

    But, like I said, I agree that Brian was highlighting a *truly* phenomenal deal. I certainly don’t fault him for that.

  • Maury

    Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate all the hard work you do for us and I surely enjoy the blog. I just think that you should also quote coach.

  • Anonymous

    “These are I fares, which earn 100% base miles, 25% class of service bonus, 1.5 EQPs and any elite bonuses.”

    Is there a blog describing what the above means?
    As a novice, limiting my activity to the best sign-up bonuses, getting past spend triggers efficiently, & then using those points/miles in timely fashion, some of the above don’t apply…?

    Also: noticed some blogs disappear or are modified with “the deal is dead” & negative reactions from those missing out;
    maybe these blogs should, from the start, be subtitled, “FLASH Deal Alert” or similar to indicate ephemeral nature…?

  • Mitch Cumstein

    When I first read this I thought you meant quote the tv series “Coach”.

    Remember that? Unfortunately there weren’t many memorable quotes there.

  • JA

    For this deal, can one originate anywhere other than hub cities JFK, MIA, ORD, DFW?

  • Federico

    Take a deep look

    JFK-MAD-BCN
    BCN-MAD-BCN

    $1,278.40 for 7,778 AA miles + 25%= 9,722 miles + 25,000 AA Onewolrd promotion= 34,772 AA Miles

    1,278.40/34,772= 3,6 cents per mile + 3,835 MR points

    Take another transatlantic flight and get 9,722 miles + 35,000 AA Onewolrd promotion= 44,772 AA miles (2,85 cents per mile)

    2 transatlantic flights in Business for $2,556.80 and you get 79,5k AA miles, almost enough to take 2 more transatlantic flight from US to EU next year from Oct 15 to May 15.

    If you want to take just 2 coach flights, is 67x.xx for each pax, so $1,350 and just 15,4k AA miles. The difference is $600 between both classes, with that little difference you get an extra AA Award flight for the future.

  • Caroline

    Thanks for the reply… but I’m a little confused.
    1) Where are you getting the 25,000 AA Oneworld promotion? Sorry I’m not on top of everything!
    2) Does AA give full mileage credit for Iberia? I thought they did not, and I recently flew Iberia. I thought it had to be a Codeshare, and if so, I’m not sure you could get the deal with Iberia?

    Nevertheless, point taken that the bonuses from flying in a higher class do very much add up.

  • Caroline

    Just noticed that Brian commented that many of the flights were on AA metal, so that probably answers question #2. :)

  • Federico

    1) http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/AAdvantageBoost.jsp

    2) http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/earnMiles/travel/airlines/iberia.jsp

    1) The first flight on Biz is 25k, the second is 35k and 45k each after that

    2). Iberia on Biz (Business, J class) earn 100% miles + 25% bonus (extra), and if you are AA Gold you get another 25% bonus miles, if you are AA Plat or Ex Plat, you get 100% bonus

    http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/eliteStatus/bonus.jsp?anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=elitestatusbonus

  • Anonymous

    There happened to be a really good business class deal, made even better with the 25k bonus, so he rightfully pointed it out. In this case, the coach fare is nothing special, so no point in highlighting it.

    He has posted on excellent coach fares plenty of times in the past. It’s not like he exclusively posts on premium fares.

  • Caroline

    Ohh, right, I remember seeing that. Thanks! Wow, what a deal. ..

  • Asdfasdfas

    Assuming you are not trolling, you need to do some homework on your own!

    I would argue that especially as a novice, all of the above do apply.

    I would start with google. Then flyertalk.

    The negative reactions are human nature and no special titling will stop the disappointment.

    Hope that helps! <–(just saying that in case you are trolling) haha

  • sil

    For the 25k bonus with AA registering with promo code EUR11, only Iberian flights with codes J C D R I Y will earn you this. The sample you gave for JKF to Madrid, it shows Business Classic. Is this one of the codes that would qualify?

  • Anonymous

    Yes- as mentioned in the post it is an I fare

  • Anonymous

    Yes- anywhere. I just gave JFK as an example

  • JA

    After clicking on the link, the booking page has a drop down menu listing only a few US cities. I don’t see how you can enter a different city or 3 letter code. How would you book from a city not shown on the drop down?

  • Anonymous

    I believe AA’s new turboMiles promotion (code: TURBO) would make these flights even more tempting: http://www.americanairlines.es/intl/es/AAdvantage_en/turboMiles.jsp

    Sorry if this is incorrect or even misleading info; first post from a points newbie here. :)

  • SillyBilly

    Maury, just calculate it yourself dude. He’s sharing a deal that he found. He’s not here to spoon feed things to you. Grow-up champ.

    Also it would be “Not all people WHO read this blog…”

    Spanks!

  • TravelShooter

    No, it didn’t.

  • Bohemiana

    The deal 25k bonus AA points apply for quite a few business fares but only coach full fare so it’s not such a great deal for coach.

  • Asdfasdfas

    Then there is no hope!

  • JA

    Could you please explain how you book from a city other than the 5 or 6 listed in the drop down menu?