Iberia A330 Business Class Review: Madrid to Medellin

We tried out the Iberia A330 Business Class service from Madrid to Medellin purchased with Avios in business class to get to know Colombia better.

Iberia have an impressive network to South America from Madrid, including destinations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay. Although the catering can be somewhat variable, I admit to having a soft spot for Iberia, and always find it to be a laid-back business class experience. We were excited to experience the Iberia A330 Business Class product. 

A330 Business Cabin

This time we were flying to Medellin on Iberia’s a330-200, which features a small business cabin with just 19 seats. We were taking advantage of an Iberia half-price avios redemption offer, which meant paying just 21,250 avios plus an additional €99. This represented excellent value, essentially resulting in a redemption for the same price as a standard avios economy ticket.

Lounge

Iberia have an excellent lounge in Madrid, which we’ve previously reviewed here. We were on a daytime flight, which tends to be my favourite time to fly. Although it means less use of the lie flat seat, it allows a better opportunity to relax and enjoy the experience business can offer.

The Cabin

Boarding was prompt, and a welcome drink of either orange juice or cava was swiftly offered. Also waiting at the seat was an amenity kit, blanket, pillow and earphones. We were in seats 3E and 3F. These are great if you’re travelling with someone. If you’re not, aim for an even numbered row and either seats A or L, as these provide a good level of privacy for solo travel. Iberia have a great layout in business class, and although J class is now evolving to a ‘suite’ concept, I’ve always found Iberia to offer a good deal of privacy and relaxation.

While I rarely use in flight entertainment, apart from to make use of the moving map, the range of options was good, and the screen of a high quality. Meanwhile, I find the seat comfort on Iberia to be excellent, making it easy to sit back and relax, even on a long flight such at this.

Service

Although in the online forum world Iberia crew often get mixed reviews, I’ve always found them to be personable. I tend to find they offer a good balance between being friendly, and allowing you to sit-back and relax. Iberia don’t offer a dine on demand service. Prior to travelling from Madrid you’re able to request the main meal you’d like online.

When meals are being served drinks are are offered multiple times proactively. At other times, they’re not. I understand this can sometimes be an irritation, but in a way I prefer it. The cabin remained peaceful during the flight. Instead I used the call bell a number of times to request drinks, and each time the crew were more than friendly.

Food and Drinks

The meal service itself commenced shortly after boarding and began with pre-dinner drinks. I’m a big fan of Iberia’s wine list, which provides some solid Spanish wine options without trying to be pretentious. During boarding a separate food and wine menu was distributed. On this flight I sampled both the red and white Rioja options. Both were very enjoyable.

Iberia’s catering tends to be better when departing from Madrid. From outstations it can be variable (word to the wise, on flights from Havana keep your expectations very low, and then lower them again). The service consists of a tray starter, offering a number of tasting options, followed by a main course and dessert. On this flight the starter consisted of a chicken consommé, a salad, smoked salmon and cheese. All were very enjoyable.

The main course was a choice between either beef, fish or pasta. I chose the beef cheeks. Whilst the presentation wasn’t anything to get excited about, the quality was excellent. The beef was of a high quality and tender. Dessert was either ice cream or a coffee cheesecake. I sampled both, and although nothing to write home about, both were perfectly fine.

A second meal was served before landing. This involved a selection of cold meat meats, bread and fruit. If you’re hungry during the flight, it is possible to request some pre-wrapped sandwiches. These, however, are unlikely to be a highlight and Iberia could do with making an effort to provide something slightly more appealing for mid-flight snacking.

Conclusions

Overall I’m a fan of Iberia. They provide a consistent product, which although not cutting edge, wins on providing a relaxed experience. On flights from Madrid you can make use of an excellent lounge facility, while onboard the service is reliable and to an overall high standard. Expect good wines, generally good catering (albeit with some weak points) and a solid business class hard product. The Iberia A330-200 Business Class product is interesting. Due to its smaller size we found the cabin to feel quieter, and we found it to be an enjoyable way to fly.