Review: Iberia A350 Business Class from Madrid to Quito

Wednesday newsletters feature a hotel or flight review.

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed a fabulous holiday with Metropolitan Touring in mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: Iberia A350 Business Class from Madrid to Quito (today)
Review: Casa Gangotena, best luxury hotel in Quito, Ecuador
Review: Mashpi Lodge, luxury hotel in Ecuador’s cloud forest
Review: Finch Bay Hotel, Galapagos Islands
Review: Luxury cruise in the Galapagos Islands aboard the La Pinta Yacht
Review: Iberia A350 Business Class from Quito to Madrid

Review: Iberia A350 Business Class from Madrid to Quito

I chose Iberia for my flight from Europe to Quito, Ecuador, traveling aboard the carrier’s flagship aircraft, the Airbus A350. Founded in 1927, Iberia is Spain’s national airline and one of Europe’s leading carriers, with its largest international market being the routes connecting Europe and Latin America. The Airbus A350 plays a central role in its long-haul operations, although not all aircraft offer the same Business Class experience. Iberia currently operates two versions of the A350, one featuring conventional Business Class seats and another equipped with sliding privacy doors, marketed as Iberia NEXT. Fortunately, I was assigned one of the latter aircraft for my flight to Quito, giving me the opportunity to experience Iberia’s most recent Business Class product.

Iberia is one of those airlines that regularly attracts criticism, particularly regarding its onboard service and cabin crew. However, my own experience could hardly have been more different. The hard product is excellent, with a modern suite featuring sliding doors, a fully flat bed and plenty of personal space. In fact, I would rank it among the best Business Class seats currently available worldwide. The soft product was also very good, from the friendly cabin crew to the onboard catering and amenities, although some aspects lacked the refinement and polish offered by certain leading international airlines. Nevertheless, my overall experience was a very positive one, and I would happily fly Iberia again.

Have you ever flown in Iberia’s Business Class aboard the Airbus A350? I’d love to hear about your experience! Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Flight details:

Trip: Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) to Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO)
Airline: Iberia
Aircraft type: Airbus A350
Aircraft registration number: EC-OES (built in 2023)
On time departure: Yes (10 am)
On time arrival: Yes (6 pm)
Distance: 8,710 km (5,430 miles)
Flight time: 10 hours
Seat: 7L
Class: Business Class

In this review (more information & photos below my YouTube video):

Cost of my ticket
Lounge
Business Class cabin
Business Class seat (+ best & worst seats)
Amenities & bedding
Meals
Entertainment
Onboard internet
Other inflight experiences
My verdict (score)

1. Cost of My Ticket

I monitored award flight availability for several months, hoping to book this Iberia Business Class flight using frequent flyer miles. Unfortunately, no award seats ever became available for my preferred dates. In the end, I decided to purchase a regular ticket, paying €2,858 for the flight. While this was certainly not an inexpensive fare, it allowed me to secure the itinerary and travel dates I wanted.

2. Lounge

The Iberia Premium Lounge Velázquez is located in Madrid-Barajas Airport’s satellite terminal, Terminal 4S, which is separate from the main Terminal 4 building. Terminal 4S is primarily used by Iberia for its intercontinental flights, so this is where you will most likely end up when flying long-haul with the airline from Madrid. Getting there can take considerably longer than you might expect, so make sure to allow plenty of time before your flight. Madrid is a massive airport, and it took me approximately 30 minutes to get from check-in to the lounge, including the journey to the satellite terminal. Even finding the lounge entrance can be a challenge, as it is tucked away inside a duty-free shop rather than having a conventional, clearly visible entrance. However, once you have found your way inside, you are rewarded with one of the most impressive Business Class lounges in Europe.

The lounge is essentially one long, rectangular space, lined with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side that offer wonderful views of the airport apron and the aircraft parked outside. A particular highlight is the striking contemporary design, featuring elegant red and grey accents that reflect Iberia’s corporate branding, sophisticated finishes and plenty of natural light. The result is a stylish yet welcoming environment that feels considerably more refined than many conventional airport lounges.

One of the lounge’s other strong points, alongside its beautiful design, is undoubtedly the food selection. The main space is organised around two virtually identical self-service buffet stations, positioned at opposite ends of the lounge. This symmetrical arrangement is particularly practical, helping to distribute passengers more evenly and avoid unnecessary queues. I was genuinely impressed by the variety and quality of the buffet offerings, which included a generous selection of hot and cold dishes, salads, snacks, desserts and other refreshments. At one end, the main lounge flows into a Spanish wine bar, complete with comfortable seating, providing a more tranquil setting away from the busier dining area. At the opposite end, a corridor leads to a separate dining room, which was completely empty during my visit.

Additional facilities include six spacious shower cubicles, supplied with amenities kits, as well as dedicated spaces for working and relaxing. Families traveling with children are also catered for with a separate entertainment area featuring a television, traditional games and video game consoles. If I had to point out one weakness, it would be the limited number of lavatories. During my visit, there were surprisingly long queues for both the men’s and women’s facilities, which felt somewhat out of place in an otherwise exceptionally well-appointed lounge. Nevertheless, the Iberia Premium Lounge Velázquez is an outstanding airport lounge, combining attractive design, excellent buffet dining and generous space. Just remember to factor in the time needed to reach Terminal 4S and find the entrance!

Iberia Velázquez Premium Lounge at Madrid Airport

3. Business Class Cabin

The Business Class cabin on Iberia’s Airbus A350 features 31 Recaro CL6720 seats arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, spread across eight rows. The layout is slightly asymmetrical, with eight seats along the right-hand side, eight pairs of seats in the center and just seven seats on the left-hand side. Because of the staggered configuration, there is some variety in the seating arrangements. It is therefore worth paying attention to the seat map when selecting your seat, as the seat differences can have a noticeable impact on your overall experience:

The window seats alternate between so-called ‘true’ window seats, positioned directly alongside the fuselage with the side console providing an additional privacy barrier, and seats located closer to the aisle, with the side table positioned next to the window. The former offer noticeably greater privacy and are therefore my preferred choice for solo travellers.
The center seats also alternate between pairs positioned close together, making them ideal for couples traveling together, and seats separated by the side consoles, offering considerably more personal space for passengers travelling alone.

In terms of aesthetics, Iberia has opted for a modern, minimalist design with clean lines and a predominantly grey color scheme. While the overall look is contemporary and understated, I personally found the cabin a little too sterile. During boarding, the entertainment screens display a red welcome message featuring the word “¡Hola!”, while the open storage compartments, with their distinctive red interiors, add another welcome touch of color. Once airborne, however, the welcome screens are replaced by each passenger’s own entertainment selection and the compartment doors are closed, leaving very little colour in the cabin beyond the various shades of grey. In my opinion, a few more subtle color accents could have given the space a bit more character and warmth. On the positive side, the cabin feels exceptionally spacious, thanks to the removal of the overhead storage bins above the center seats, which creates a wonderfully open and airy feeling throughout the cabin.

Iberia Business Class on the Airbus A350 — Iberia A350 Business Class cabin

4. Business Class Seat (+ Best & Worst Seats)

The Iberia A350 Business Class seat is a thoroughly modern product, offering a generous amount of personal space and a well-thought-out layout. The Recaro CL6720 seat measures 23 inches (58 cm) in width and offers a pitch of 78 inches (198 cm), providing plenty of room to stretch out during a long-haul flight.

Each seat comes with its own sliding privacy door, allowing passengers to create a more secluded personal space. However, the doors do not extend all the way to the ceiling or floor, leaving some open space above and beneath them. This design choice provides an additional degree of privacy without completely isolating passengers, allowing the cabin crew to maintain visual contact when needed.

Directly in front of the seat is a large 18-inch 4K entertainment screen, mounted on the partition, with a footwell and footrest positioned underneath. A large fold-out tray table is stored beneath the screen and, once deployed, measures 16 by 18 inches (40 by 46 cm). It is positioned at a comfortable height while leaving plenty of room for your legs.

On one side of the seat is a substantial console that houses most of the seat’s features and storage options. Its surface doubles as a generously sized side table, providing plenty of room for drinks, personal belongings and other small items. Above the table, a raised partition incorporates the handset for the inflight entertainment system, alongside a selection of power outlets, including a universal AC power socket, a USB-A port and a USB-C port. There is also a small, strap-secured storage compartment, initially intended for the amenity kit ; once you have unpacked its contents, this little holder can be used to store a water bottle or other personal items within easy reach.

A large storage compartment is concealed inside the console. It is among the biggest I have come across on an aircraft, providing ample room for personal belongings, headphones and other items you might want to keep close at hand throughout the flight. The compartment door incorporates a small mirror on its inside, a thoughtful detail that comes in handy when freshening up or doing your makeup during the journey.

The seat controls are conveniently integrated into a panel on the side of the console, allowing you to adjust your seating position without having to reach too far. Just below the side table, there is also a movable armrest that can be raised or lowered depending on your preference, offering additional support when sitting upright or relaxing.

At the push of a button, the seat transforms into a fully flat bed with a length of 78 inches (198 cm). I found the bed particularly comfortable, especially with the bedding provided by Iberia, which makes a noticeable difference when settling in for a good night’s sleep. Overall, Iberia has done a particularly good job of combining comfort, privacy, practical storage and functionality, with plenty of useful features integrated into the seat.

What are the best Business Class seats on Iberia’s A350?

For solo travelers, the best choice is a true window seat in positions A or L. These seats are located closer to the window, offering noticeably more privacy and a more enclosed feel. By contrast, the C and J window seats are less desirable, as they are positioned closer to the aisle and feel more exposed due to the staggered configuration.
Couples or passengers traveling together should opt for the “honeymoon” middle seats (E and G), available in rows 1, 3, 5 and 7. These seats place travelers closer together (with the consoles of both seats on the aisle side, creating a cocoon), making them well suited for shared travel. A divider can be raised for additional privacy if needed.

What are the worst Business Class seats on Iberia’s A350?

The least desirable seats are found in row 11 (the first row of Business Class) and, to a lesser extent, the last row, due to potential noise from nearby galleys and lavatories.
Solo travelers should also avoid the honeymoon seats, as the close proximity to a stranger can feel awkward in this configuration — more similar to an Economy-style pairing. While a privacy divider is available, it does not fully replicate the separation of a true window seat.
In addition, the C and J window seats are less private than A and L seats, as their aisle-facing orientation makes them feel more exposed and open to foot traffic.
I would recommend avoiding seat 8J. Not only is it one of the window seats positioned closer to the aisle, with the large console located alongside the window, but the console also partially obstructs the view outside. This is particularly disappointing if you enjoy looking out of the window during a flight. Furthermore, 8J is located in the last row of the Business Class cabin, directly next to the galley. As a result, you may experience more noise and activity from the cabin crew preparing meals and drinks. IMHO, it is the least desirable seat on Iberia’s A350 Business Class.

5. Amenities & Bedding

On long-haul flights with Iberia, Business Class passengers receive the following amenities:

Amenity kit: Designed in collaboration with Spanish fashion designer Teresa Helbig, the toiletry bags are made from recycled plastic and take inspiration from the uniforms she created for Iberia. They feature a combination of blue, red and yellow. The kit contains a pair of night socks, an eye mask, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and earplugs, alongside vegan cosmetic products made entirely in Spain by Uvas Frescas. On a separate note, the kits are packaged by Envera, an Iberia employee association that provides employment opportunities for more than 400 people with disabilities.
Bedding: The bedding set consists of a thick pillow, a duvet and an additional cushion that can be unfolded and used as a mattress pad, providing an extra layer of cushioning when the seat is converted into a fully flat bed.
Noise-cancelling headphones: Provided for use with the inflight entertainment system.

6. Meals

Iberia’s long-haul Business Class catering follows a fairly traditional meal-service format, with a three-course lunch served after take-off, a selection of snacks available in the galley throughout the flight, and a pre-arrival meal served approximately 90 minutes before landing. Passengers can also order additional snacks from the menu during the flight. Catering is provided by DO & CO, one of the best-known names in the airline catering industry.

On this particular Madrid to Quito flight, lunch started with a selection of amuse-bouches, including breadsticks, Manchego cheese and mixed nuts, followed by a choice of starters. I opted for Iberian pork presa marinated in white garlic sauce, accompanied by sun-dried tomatoes and roasted almonds. For the main course, I chose grilled salmon with creamy spinach and edamame, served alongside corn mousseline. Dessert was a white chocolate and raspberry mousse.

The menu was relatively straightforward, without particularly elaborate dishes or a signature culinary concept. Given Spain’s reputation as one of the world’s leading gastronomic destinations, with a particularly high number of Michelin-starred restaurants, I found it somewhat surprising that Iberia had not created a more distinctive onboard dining concept in collaboration with a renowned Spanish chef. Nevertheless, the lunch itself was enjoyable, and the quality of the catering was generally good.

In between the main meal services, passengers could help themselves to snacks in the galley or request additional items from the menu. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, I ordered the Iberian ham, cream cheese and rocket warm sandwich, which made for a convenient mid-flight snack.

Approximately 90 minutes before landing, the crew served the pre-arrival meal. This consisted of a selection of Spanish cold cuts and cheeses, including Iberian ham, Iberian pork loin, Manchego cheese and smoked cheese, accompanied by sobrasada. While the main lunch was satisfying and the overall food offering was in line with what one would typically expect on a transatlantic Business Class flight, I found the pre-arrival service somewhat less impressive. Both the selection and the portion size were a little disappointing, particularly compared with the earlier meal.

IMHO, Iberia offers good-quality onboard catering, with some welcome Spanish touches, although there is room to make the dining experience more distinctive and ambitious.

7. Entertainment

Iberia’s Airbus A350 Business Class features the airline’s next-generation inflight entertainment system, known as IFE Next, developed in collaboration with Panasonic. Each seat is equipped with an 18-inch 4K touchscreen, delivering sharp images and a high-resolution viewing experience. The screens also incorporate night lighting designed to reduce eye strain and minimize disturbance to nearby passengers when watching entertainment in a darkened cabin.

The system features a modern, interactive and intuitive interface, making it relatively straightforward to navigate. Its entertainment library includes a large selection of Hollywood blockbusters, international films, television series, documentaries, music and games, offering plenty of options to pass the time during a long-haul flight.

One of the main features of IFE Next is its integrated Bluetooth connectivity, allowing passengers to connect their own wireless headphones directly to the entertainment system. This is a welcome addition, providing greater freedom of movement and eliminating the need for wired headphones. Passengers can, of course, also use the noise-cancelling headphones provided by Iberia.

8. Onboard Internet

Iberia offers Wi-Fi connectivity on its long-haul flights, with both free and paid options available. Passengers can access a complimentary messaging service, allowing them to use apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Telegram throughout the flight. This service is available to Business Class passengers, Iberia Club members and travelers who register for the loyalty program during the flight. Paid Wi-Fi packages are also available for passengers who need more extensive internet access, including web browsing, email, streaming, and sending or downloading documents. Below you can see the different Wi-Fi packages that were available during my flight.

9. Other Inflight Experiences

# Crew: The cabin crew on this flight could not have been friendlier, kinder or more efficient. Service was attentive and professional throughout, with a genuinely warm approach that made the journey particularly pleasant. This was also a contrast to the stories that occasionally circulate about Iberia’s supposedly rude cabin crew, an experience I have personally never encountered on any of my flights with the airline. On the contrary, my interactions with Iberia’s crew have consistently been positive.

# Lavatory: Iberia’s Airbus A350 has three lavatories accessible to Business Class passengers: two located at the front of the cabin and one at the rear, in the galley separating Business Class from Economy Class. They are stocked with toiletries from Spanish brand Uvas Frescas, consistent with the cosmetics featured in Iberia’s Business Class amenity kits.

10. My Verdict

Iberia’s Airbus A350 Business Class offers an excellent hard product, particularly on aircraft equipped with the newer Iberia NEXT suites featuring sliding privacy doors, fully flat beds and generous personal space. The cabin is modern and spacious, the inflight entertainment system features large 4K screens, and the bedding is very comfortable. The airline also delivers friendly and efficient service, good-quality catering and a decent selection of amenities, although the overall experience lacks some of the refinement found at the world’s leading airlines. Despite a few minor shortcomings, Iberia offers a very competitive long-haul Business Class experience and one I would happily recommend.

Here’s my verdict of Iberia’s Business Class on the Airbus A350-900: