Arriving MAD Iberia Express business, departing PE, do I have lounge access?

[TimM]

Sorry to trouble you but I have searched everywhere and all the relevant links are broken.

I have used the BA lounge access rule in the past at LHR when I arrive business but depart economy. With a bit of consulting, it has worked in transit. So we are arriving in MAD from MAN on Iberia express. If booking business on the MAN-MAD leg is enough to give us access to the T4S lounge while waiting for our flight to Brazil on Iberia, I will do. If not, then I will book economy.

The only Iberia Express rule for lounge access I can find is “Identification card and boarding pass valid for the same day on any flight operated by IBERIA EXPRESS. + 1 guest”. There is no mention of arriving or connecting.

Any better information/experience? Many thanks in advance.

[tiriavpo]

Sorry, don’t know – but I think there is a paid lounge option at T4S which might be a lot cheaper than the upgrade to business?

[cinereus]

I’ve got away with it before but not sure if that’s official policy.

[AJA]

I don’t think flying from MAN to MAD in business will give you access for the flight in PE that departs MAD to Brazil. I’ve always worked on the departing flight counting for lounge access unless you have access via Oneworld status.

I found this on the Iberia website:

Your boarding card will indicate permission to use the lounge before the departure of your flight, so simply show it to the reception staff. They may also ask to see your ID card or passport.

If you are a frequent flyer with the right to use this service, you may have to show your loyalty card.

https://www.iberia.com/gb/vip-lounges

Edit to add that I think the reports you are seeing about lounge access on any Iberia Express flight in Business only works if you are an IB Plus member

[TimM]

Thanks AJA.

I have actually now discovered the rule. Much like BA Club tickets, if I were arriving with Iberia on their ‘Business Plus’ fare then I would have lounge access providing the connecting flight is with a OneWorld carrier. However, Iberia Express have no equivalent of ‘Business Plus’ and their lounge access is, as you say, only pre-departure.

That settles the question of whether to invest in Iberia Express business on the short hop to MAD. Next I need to find a good pay-lounge in MAD. We are potentially there for 8 hours unless timetables change (for April) so it could be rather awkward. We are flying to Sao Paulo to join a transatlantic, trans-equator cruise, so plenty of time redundancy has to be built-in!

[Michael C]

TimM wrote:

Thanks AJA.

I have actually now discovered the rule. Much like BA Club tickets, if I were arriving with Iberia on their ‘Business Plus’ fare then I would have lounge access providing the connecting flight is with a OneWorld carrier. However, Iberia Express have no equivalent of ‘Business Plus’ and their lounge access is, as you say, only pre-departure.

That settles the question of whether to invest in Iberia Express business on the short hop to MAD. Next I need to find a good pay-lounge in MAD. We are potentially there for 8 hours unless timetables change (for April) so it could be rather awkward. We are flying to Sao Paulo to join a transatlantic, trans-equator cruise, so plenty of time redundancy has to be built-in!

I’d do direct airport train into Recoletos in the centre (32 mins) and have lunch and a stroll!