UK domestic connection with Iberia

[Jill Kinkell]

If I book Santiago to Heathrow and the options are Iberia Scl-MAD /MAD-LHR, can I still phone up and get the domestic LHR-INV added on? ( using 241 ) hopefully get BA direct, but just exploring options.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Why not just book it as SCL-MAD-LHR-INV ?

[Colin MacKinnon]

Yes, can book the whole SCL-MAD-LHR-INV .

Normally, I would say bin BA and get Easyjet etc straight back to Scotland. We while away the afternoon with a leisurely lunch in nearby Barajas town.

But there are no direct flights to Inverness, and I notice that – of the two SCL-MAD flights – one arrives in MAD at 05:35. So loads of time to get the 09:10 MAD-LHR and then – if that is cancelled – you have the next one at 10:40 which will still connect to the INV flight arr 14:55.

You then have the back-up of the 19:20 LHR-INV – but a long wait in London.

The other SCL-MAD flight arrives at 16:55, so you have a night in MAD or LHR before the INV flight.

My big concern with going via LHR is “inclement”, not even “bad” weather cancellations. Hence the Easyjet flight to Edinburgh. There is an Iberia at 08:15 arr EDI at 10:05. I might be tempted to go for that and then take the tram to Edinburgh Gateway and the train to Inverness.

Or have a sub-24-hour break in LHR and a night out there? Time your MAD-LHR flight – there are loads – so you arrive just under 24 hours before the 14:55 and you can have a night out!

[danstravel]

Colin MacKinnon wrote:

Yes, can book the whole SCL-MAD-LHR-INV .

Normally, I would say bin BA and get Easyjet etc straight back to Scotland. We while away the afternoon with a leisurely lunch in nearby Barajas town.

But there are no direct flights to Inverness, and I notice that – of the two SCL-MAD flights – one arrives in MAD at 05:35. So loads of time to get the 09:10 MAD-LHR and then – if that is cancelled – you have the next one at 10:40 which will still connect to the INV flight arr 14:55.

You then have the back-up of the 19:20 LHR-INV – but a long wait in London.

The other SCL-MAD flight arrives at 16:55, so you have a night in MAD or LHR before the INV flight.

My big concern with going via LHR is “inclement”, not even “bad” weather cancellations. Hence the Easyjet flight to Edinburgh. There is an Iberia at 08:15 arr EDI at 10:05. I might be tempted to go for that and then take the tram to Edinburgh Gateway and the train to Inverness.

Or have a sub-24-hour break in LHR and a night out there? Time your MAD-LHR flight – there are loads – so you arrive just under 24 hours before the 14:55 and you can have a night out!

Is the MAD to EDI Iberia flights not summer only? Easyjet or Ryanir on that route pair

[Jill Kinkell]

Thanks all. The Inv flight won’t have been released at the time of booking the SCL flight. I always have to phone up to get CS to add it on. We usually end up with a few hours layover at LHR as long haul lands at an hour I’m very unfamiliar with normally! I’d spotted the Madrid flight at 0535 and various Heathrow /inverness connections. My question was really related to the number of flights in getting the domestic added on. I wondered if there was a cap. We’ve always done
Xx-LHR-inv. so 2 flights. In our Iberia trip it’ll be 3. But thanks for reassurance.
We’d rather sloth it out in the lounge and wait for the Inverness BA flights than faff around with EDI trams and train . Any issues it’s on one pnr so BA can sort out if there is any ‘inclemancy’.
Interestingly the avios and cash to go on Iberia is significantly less than BA, just not so convenient( and youthfulness is not on our side!)

[CJD]

Colin MacKinnon wrote:

Yes, can book the whole SCL-MAD-LHR-INV .

Normally, I would say bin BA and get Easyjet etc straight back to Scotland. We while away the afternoon with a leisurely lunch in nearby Barajas town.

But there are no direct flights to Inverness, and I notice that – of the two SCL-MAD flights – one arrives in MAD at 05:35. So loads of time to get the 09:10 MAD-LHR and then – if that is cancelled – you have the next one at 10:40 which will still connect to the INV flight arr 14:55.

You then have the back-up of the 19:20 LHR-INV – but a long wait in London.

The other SCL-MAD flight arrives at 16:55, so you have a night in MAD or LHR before the INV flight.

My big concern with going via LHR is “inclement”, not even “bad” weather cancellations. Hence the Easyjet flight to Edinburgh. There is an Iberia at 08:15 arr EDI at 10:05. I might be tempted to go for that and then take the tram to Edinburgh Gateway and the train to Inverness.

Or have a sub-24-hour break in LHR and a night out there? Time your MAD-LHR flight – there are loads – so you arrive just under 24 hours before the 14:55 and you can have a night out!

How long would you allow to get from landing at T4S to get to T1 for the easyJet flight?

[AeFondKiss]

Can I jump on and ask if you were able to do this Jill? I’m looking at booking Buenos Aries to Madrid with Iberia using my companion voucher, and onward to Edinburgh. I can book the first part online, but not the connecting flight. When I search Buenos Aries to Edinburgh it automatically defaults to BA via LHR and an extra 45k avios, hence why I want to connect via Madrid. Is it best to call to book both flights? Or book first one, and call BA to add on flight to Edi?? Thanks in advance.

[Jill Kinkell]

Not sure about adding EDI from Madrid but I don’t see why a phone call can’t sort it for you. I’d try BA and see what they say. I’m assuming it’s an Iberia flight.
I booked the return leg of our 241 on BA. I had enough avios to stump up the full whack of 220k avios and fees of £454 and a few pence! When the INV was released I phoned up to get it added on and to refund half . So I got back the 110k avios and no extra to pay. It took a week or so to be re ticketed and on phoning up was reassured all was fine and no further charges.
Returning via Madrid wasn’t really an option as we would still need to connect via LHR for Inverness and make the return too long. OH was not keen! Yes… more avios in the end but still felt the overall cost to us was acceptable

[NorthernLass]

AeFondKiss wrote:

Can I jump on and ask if you were able to do this Jill? I’m looking at booking Buenos Aries to Madrid with Iberia using my companion voucher, and onward to Edinburgh. I can book the first part online, but not the connecting flight. When I search Buenos Aries to Edinburgh it automatically defaults to BA via LHR and an extra 45k avios, hence why I want to connect via Madrid. Is it best to call to book both flights? Or book first one, and call BA to add on flight to Edi?? Thanks in advance.

Don’t forget you should be charged some avios and cash because it’s not a domestic connection. I think there may have been the odd case of BA “forgetting” to charge but don’t count on it.

Is there an IB flight MAD-EDI? If so BA should be able to add it to your booking.

You can save on both by doing MAD-U.K. in economy if that’s an option for you.

[dundj]

NorthernLass wrote:

AeFondKiss wrote:

Can I jump on and ask if you were able to do this Jill? I’m looking at booking Buenos Aries to Madrid with Iberia using my companion voucher, and onward to Edinburgh. I can book the first part online, but not the connecting flight. When I search Buenos Aries to Edinburgh it automatically defaults to BA via LHR and an extra 45k avios, hence why I want to connect via Madrid. Is it best to call to book both flights? Or book first one, and call BA to add on flight to Edi?? Thanks in advance.

Don’t forget you should be charged some avios and cash because it’s not a domestic connection. I think there may have been the odd case of BA “forgetting” to charge but don’t count on it.

Is there an IB flight MAD-EDI? If so BA should be able to add it to your booking.

You can save on both by doing MAD-U.K. in economy if that’s an option for you.

Depending on if it is Winter or Summer season, Iberia Express run flights to EDI from MAD during the Summer season.

[CJD]

NorthernLass wrote:

AeFondKiss wrote:

Can I jump on and ask if you were able to do this Jill? I’m looking at booking Buenos Aries to Madrid with Iberia using my companion voucher, and onward to Edinburgh. I can book the first part online, but not the connecting flight. When I search Buenos Aries to Edinburgh it automatically defaults to BA via LHR and an extra 45k avios, hence why I want to connect via Madrid. Is it best to call to book both flights? Or book first one, and call BA to add on flight to Edi?? Thanks in advance.

Don’t forget you should be charged some avios and cash because it’s not a domestic connection. I think there may have been the odd case of BA “forgetting” to charge but don’t count on it.

Is there an IB flight MAD-EDI? If so BA should be able to add it to your booking.

You can save on both by doing MAD-U.K. in economy if that’s an option for you.

There is in summer, but it’s incredibly early morning. I think it’s something like a 7 or 8am departure from Madrid.