Iberia Connecting Flights

This is an Iberia connecting flights guide.

The guide contains information on how to book connecting flights with Iberia. Also, you’ll learn more about passenger rights, baggage policy and compensation regulations in the EU. Iberia is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, the airline, together with its subsidiaries, operates flights to over 100 destinations. Iberia is a member of the Oneworld alliance.

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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1. Iberia Connecting Flights

Iberia is a full-service traditional airline.

Full-service traditional airlines offer airline-protected connecting flights and other services such as free seat selection, free meals and free baggage allowance. Low-cost airlines don’t offer any of that. That’s why travelers choose to fly with traditional airlines. 

When it comes to connecting flights, airline-protected connecting flights are better than self transfers.

Airline-protected connecting flights are:

• Safer. Your airline takes care of flight problems.
• More convenient. Baggage transfer is automatic.
• Easier to book. You book several flights as a single journey.

Yes, Iberia sells airline-protected connecting flights.

1.1 Connecting Flights, One Airline

In some situations, your Iberia connecting flight will be operated only by Iberia. You will have two or more flights, and all of them will be operated by Iberia. These will be Iberia airplanes and Iberia staff.

But it’s not always the case with all Iberia connecting flights. Many connecting flights are operated (partly or fully) by partner airlines.

1.2 Iberia Codeshare Partners

Sometimes airlines share their flights.

Airlines share flights to widen the flight network. Connecting flights with different airlines are very common in the aviation industry. These kind of flights are called codeshare flights, and airlines collaborating — codeshare partners.

Through code-sharing agreements with other airlines, Iberia can offer flights also to destinations it doesn’t operate flights to.

What you should know is that:

• If you miss a connecting flight through no fault of your own, contact Iberia. They have to offer you a new flight if you miss your connection due to delay or cancellation of the previous flight. As long as it’s an Iberia connecting flight booked from Iberia (they are called marketing airline), the airline has to find a solution. Even if a part (or even whole) of the flight was operated by their codeshare partner / partners.
• If your flight is heavily delayed, cancelled or overbooked, compensation is paid by airline operating this particular flight. If it’s operated by some other airline, not Iberia, then they are called operating airline — they have to pay compensation when it’s due.

See a list of Iberia codeshare partners here.

2. What If Iberia Cancels a Flight?

Why is Iberia cancelling flights?

There are many reasons why flights are being canceled and delayed, ranging from the usual reasons (bad weather, technical problems, staff shortage or strikes) to specific reasons, like the pandemic or natural disasters.

2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled

Iberia is a European airline.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights.

If you miss your Iberia connecting flight due to the cancellation of the previous Iberia flight, you have a right to ask for an alternate flight to your final destination. It’s Iberia’s responsibility to provide it free of charge, and get you to your final destination. The rules are the same for all Iberia cancelled flights. You may also opt for a full refund instead.

You may have a right to compensation (more on this below).

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled

Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Iberia must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights.

Refund must be paid within seven days.

You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.

2.3 Iberia Refund for Cancellation

Yes, you have a right to ask for a full refund.

If the alternate flight you were offered doesn’t fit your travel plans, request a refund. This refund has to be paid within 7 days by bank transfer.

You don’t have to accept any vouchers or coupons.

All of this is stated in the EU Regulation 261/2004.

3. Iberia Missed Connecting Flight

Why do people miss connecting flights?

You could miss a connecting flight because your previous flight was delayed or cancelled. You could miss a flight because of airport congestion and long queues. Or it could be a simple error, like waiting at the wrong gate or falling asleep while waiting for the flight.

3.1 What Happens If You Miss Iberia Connection?

If it’s your fault that it happened — it’s your responsibility.

If it’s not your fault, then your airline has to take care of that. If you booked a flight from Iberia, it doesn’t even matter if the flight is operated by Iberia or not, you should contact Iberia. It’s their responsibility to find a solution. You missed a connecting flight (and it wasn’t your fault), so Iberia must offer you a solution.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Take you to your final destination as soon as possible.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay 

3.2 Right to Compensation from Iberia

Sometimes you have a right to compensation.

If your Iberia flight:

• Arrives to destination 3 or more hours late;
• Is delayed or cancelled due to the fault of the airline,

Then you might be entitled to flight compensation from Iberia.

Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?

You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

3.3 Right to Care from Iberia

On all Iberia flights, you have a right to care.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:

• Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
• Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
• Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. So you can get in touch with your family and friends and notify about the changes in your travel plans.

It applies to all domestic and international flights with Iberia. Again, it’s because Iberia is a European airline. With non-European airlines like Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, and American Airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports.

4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Iberia?

You can do it directly from Iberia or via a third-party.

The best way is to book Iberia connecting flights directly from the airline. It’s safer, but it’s not always cheaper. Alternatively, you can use kiwi.com, edreams.com or other third party flight booking websites to book connecting flights. Often third party flight booking sites offer flight discounts. That is the reason why so many choose to book flights using third party flight booking sites. 

Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?

5. Iberia Connecting Flights: Baggage

Since Iberia is a traditional airline, everything’s very easy.

Baggage rules on connecting flights with Iberia are simple.

In short, Iberia takes care of your baggage. You check in your bag once, before the first flight. You don’t have to collect and recheck your bag between flights. Unless you have a self-transfer or you are traveling through a country that requires everyone to collect and recheck their baggage (e.g., United States).

Ask the staff if you aren’t sure about the destination of your bag.

5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines

What happens if there are several airlines?

What if one of your flights is operated by different airline, not Iberia? As we already talked, you may experience this, because Iberia does share some of its flights with its codeshare partners. In this situation the rules are the same — your baggage is being taken care of by an airline. In most situations you won’t have to worry about baggage at all (unless it gets lost).

Read more: 

• Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
• Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
• Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
• What is Checked Baggage?

5.2 Iberia Free Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.

It varies depending on the airline, travel class, ticket type and destination.

Don’t know what is the baggage allowance for your flight? Check the booking confirmation sent to your e-mail. Or go to “Manage my booking” on Iberia web page. Log in using your flight details, and you will see all information about your flight, like, date, time, flight number, duration, travel class, ticket type and cabin and checked baggage allowance.

When you are booking a flight, you can see baggage allowance when you are choosing the seating class (economy, business, etc.) and ticket type.

5.3 Economy Light

This is the cheapest option for long-haul flights.

Economy Light comes without free baggage allowance.

We see this all across the industry. Full-service traditional airlines are offering also tickets without free checked baggage allowance. The wording is also often the same — Economy Light. So, if you see this, most likely it’s without checked baggage (carry on baggage only).

When you see cheap Iberia flights, pay attention to this. Because Iberia also offers “Light” tickets. This ticket type is called “Basic Fare”. If you want to travel with a checked bag, this option is not for you.

Basic Fare is not available on every flight.

Read more: What Is Carry-on Bag / Baggage?

6. Connecting Flight Examples

Here are two connecting flight examples with Iberia.

6.1 Protected Connecting Flights with Iberia (Most Common)

For this example I’ll use the website of Iberia.

For example, you want to fly from Madrid to Bangkok.

You have searched for flights for October 9, and these are the options:

On their website Iberia sells protected connecting flights. However, as we can see, not all connecting flights are operated by Iberia. In fact, 4 out of 6 connecting flights are operated by Qatar Airways, one of the members of Oneworld alliance (Iberia is a member, too).

If you want to travel on an Iberia flight, you need to find another date. Because in this example on Iberia flights, there are no Economy Class tickets left. If this matters to you, and if you want to be on an airplane of Iberia, you must pay attention to details like these.

Note that total flight duration, number of stops and price also vary.

6.2 Self-Transfer Flights with Iberia

Now, let’s assume, that Bangkok is not your final destination.

You want to fly from Madrid to Bangkok, and from Bangkok onwards to Phuket, where you have booked a stay at a beach-front resort. But before that, you want to spend two days in Bangkok, to explore the city.

1. You book a connecting flight to Bangkok, like in the example above. For example, you’re taking one of the cheapest options, the third one, which arrives in Bangkok at 7:05 am. 
2. And then you go to kiwi.com, or some other flight search website, and book a flight from Bangkok to Phuket. Leaving yourself, let’s say, 2 days in Bangkok (a 2-day stopover in Bangkok). You may also book directly.

Your Madrid — Bangkok connecting flight is airline-protected. If the first leg is delayed or cancelled, Iberia will will book you on another connecting flight for free. However, the last flight, Bangkok – Phuket, includes a self-transfer and a stopover. This is a separate flight — you will need to check in for it separately, and check in your luggage as well. Take this into account when booking a self-transfer. Do not risk with short layovers!

What is your experience with Iberia? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Iberia? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive compensation from Iberia / cancellation refund from Iberia?

Featured photo by Miguel Ángel Sanz on Unsplash