Iberia will consolidate its recovery after the pandemic in the summer of 2023, with a focus on its long-haul markets: Latin America and the United States.
For the airline sector, the summer season begins on March 25 and runs until October 28, six months in which Iberia's biggest bet will be concentrated in Latin America.
After the recovery of its entire network of destinations, the airline has scheduled capacity increases in its most strategic markets in this region, will deploy marketing campaigns and other communication, public relations and sponsorship actions to increase its brand recognition in the 16 Latin American countries where it flies.
"Latin America and the Caribbean have always been at the centre of our strategy but this year we will go further to have more presence in markets such as Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, strengthen our leadership in routes between Latin America and Europe and, at the same time, defend the position of Madrid airport as a bridge between both regions", commented Mª Jesús López-Solás, Commercial, Network and Alliances Director of Iberia.
It has already recovered its entire network of destinations and has scheduled for this summer about 280 weekly flights between Spain and Latin America, 23.4 percent more operations than in 2022 and already above 2019With Mexico, Iberia already offers three daily flights, in Bogotá it will go from 14 to 18 weekly frequencies and in Lima it will grow another three frequencies, from seven to 10In the U.S. it also increases its flights by about 15 percent compared to 2022, recovers the summer routes to San Francisco and Washington and will fly to Dallas every day.It will offer its customers attractive summer destinations in Greece (Corfu, Mykonos and Santorini), Croatia (Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb), Italy (Catania and Olbia) and Portugal (Faro)In addition, it grows on other European routes such as Stockholm, Dusseldorf, Oslo and Venice, as well as Milan and Rome in Italy.In Spain, the biggest bet continues to be the Air Bridge between Madrid and Barcelona, where Iberia has already scheduled the same capacity as in summer 2019
In the summer season, Iberia will recover all its pre-pandemic flight offer and has even scheduled a growth of its operations of 23.4 percent over 2022 and also above 2019: 2 percent more flights in the summer season, and five percent more than in the global year.
Specifically, it will offer about 280 weekly flights with 18 destinations in 16 Latin American countries:
Bogotá: Colombia is being one of Iberia's star markets. In the last year it has grown from 10 to 14 frequencies; From June, it will operate 18 frequencies and the company's intention is to offer 21 frequencies – three daily flights – from November, which would triple its capacity compared to 2019.
Buenos Aires: The two daily flights with the capital of Argentina are consolidated
Lima: Iberia grows from seven to 10 frequencies from June until the end of the year, with the intention of reaching the double daily flight.
Mexico: The three daily flights reached in December 2023 are maintained throughout 2022, already above the pre-pandemic capacity.
Quito: The six weekly frequencies are also consolidated -two more than last summer-, which are added to three other frequencies with Guayaquil.
Montevideo: Since January, Iberia offers up to seven weekly frequencies, which will be maintained for most of the year
In Santiago de Chile the daily flight is consolidated.
Rio de Janeiro: The operation continues with three weekly frequencies, in addition to another seven with Sao Paulo
In Central America, the increase in daily flight on the Guatemala-El Salvador route that occurred in December is consolidated, as well as in San José, Costa Rica. Panama will have between five and seven weekly frequencies throughout the summer, and daily flight from November.
In the Caribbean, Havana will have five frequencies from September, in Santo Domingo the pre-pandemic operation is consolidated with a daily flight, and in Puerto Rico the six weekly frequencies will be reached in July and August.
And in Caracas, the three weekly frequencies with which Iberia resumed the route last November are consolidated.
Return to Washington and San Francisco
In the US, Iberia will recover its summer routes with Washington and San Francisco. In addition, starting in June, it will grow to the daily flight with Dallas. In total, it has scheduled about 15 percent more flights with the US than in 2022: up to 124 weekly flights between Spain and eight destinations in the United States. Specifically:
New York: Two daily flights from March, which will remain beyond the summer season until the end of the year
Miami: Two daily flights that will also be maintained throughout the year
Chicago: Daily flight from March to December
Boston: Daily flight from April to October
Dallas: Iberia has operated this route throughout the winter – initially launched as seasonal last June with four weekly frequencies – and from April it will grow to five frequencies, six in May and will reach the daily flight from June to October.
Los Angeles: This route will have four frequencies in April that will be increased to five from May to October and, in addition, Iberia will operate it with its largest aircraft, the Airbus A350 with capacity for 359 passengers.
Washington: Iberia will resume this route from April to October with four weekly frequencies.
San Francisco: This seasonal route returns from May to October with three weekly frequencies.
Summer destinations in Europe
Iberia will resume all its summer routes in the coming months: Bergen, in July and August with two weekly frequencies; and in Italy, Catania, from June to September; and Olbia, from the end of June to September.
In Croatia, Dubrovnik -with up to two daily flights in August-, Split and Zagreb, which will arrive at the daily flight in August.
In Greece, in addition to Athens – which will have more than three daily frequencies in August – Corfu is added – in July, August and September – Mykonos and Santorini, both from the end of June to September.
In Portugal, to the routes that Iberia already offers throughout the year to Lisbon, Porto and Funchal, Ponta Delgada and Faro are added in summer, from June to September and operated by Iberia Regional / Air Nostrum.
And in the rest of the short- and medium-haul network, the largest increases will occur in Dusseldorf, where up to four daily flights will be offered; Stockholm, where Iberia goes from a daily flight to nine frequencies in May and 10 since July; Milan, with up to five daily flights; Rome, which goes from 32 to 37 weekly frequencies compared to last summer; and Venice, with 25 weekly frequencies (five more than in 2022).
Also Bordeaux, two to three daily flights; and Nantes, which will have three daily flights; all these routes are operated by Iberia Regional / Ar Nostrum.
The commitment to the Air Bridge is consolidated
In Spain, Iberia's biggest bet will be on the Air Bridge between Madrid and Barcelona, which this summer will have up to 86 weekly frequencies, the same capacity as before the pandemic and 11 more than last summer.
The rest of the most significant growth corresponds to Bilbao, which will have up to 38 weekly frequencies -six more than last summer; A Coruña, which will have up to 31 weekly frequencies -five more than in 2022-; and Santander, which this summer goes from three to four daily flights.