Iberia Announces NYC as Its First A350 Destination, Adds Seasonal SFO Flights
Iberia ordered 16 A350 aircraft to add to its fleet during 2014 and 2015. On Thursday, the Spanish carrier released some of the first renderings of its new A350, as well as its first destination — New York (JFK).
In June, Iberia's expecting to take delivery of its first A350-900, all of which will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines. According to its Twitter account, once Iberia takes delivery of the A359, it will first fly to London (LHR) to acclimate pilots before launching with service to New York.
Iberia's A359 will be equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, improvements to the on-board entertainment system, higher ceilings, more space for hand luggage and an advanced cabin air renewal system. In addition, Iberia says business-class passengers will see larger IFE screens, wider seats and more space for personal items. The A350 operate with 30% more fuel efficiency. There's no information yet as to how the aircraft will be configured.
Currently, Iberia flies a combination of A330s and A340s on its flights to JFK. So, the addition of the A350 to its fleet represents a change for the better as far as passenger comfort and fuel efficiency. Check out these TPG reviews of Iberia products: business class on the A340, premium economy on the A340, business on the A330 and economy on the A330.
As part of this A350 announcement, the Madrid-based airline also announced that it's set to receive its first two A320neo aircraft this year for short- and medium-haul routes.
Iberia's also announced that it's going to launch nonstop flights to San Francisco (SFO) and Managua (MGA) in 2018. Service to SFO will launch as a seasonal route with 3x weekly service with an A330 between April 25 and September 28, 2018 — with service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flights are already loaded on Google Flights, so you can search directly from there and book through Iberia. Service to MGA will also operate 3x weekly, beginning October 1, 2018 — with service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Check out this post for all the details on transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia.
Making New York its first A350 destination is big news for Iberia. While there's still much to be revealed about the aircraft, there's plenty to be excited about. The A350 is one of the most innovative aircraft in the skies, and should be a major upgrade for passengers who frequent the JFK-MAD route.
