You're about to unlock a world of travel possibilities by understanding how Iberia and American Airlines connect! Whether you're aiming to earn miles, redeem points for incredible flights, or enjoy elite benefits across both carriers, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
Ready to maximize your travel rewards? Let's dive in!
The Power of the oneworld Alliance: The Foundation of Connectivity
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it's crucial to understand the fundamental link between Iberia and American Airlines: they are both founding members of the oneworld® alliance. This global airline alliance is the key to their interoperability.
What does this mean for you?
Reciprocal Benefits: As oneworld members, Iberia Plus (Iberia's frequent flyer program) and AAdvantage (American Airlines' frequent flyer program) offer reciprocal benefits. This includes earning and redeeming miles, lounge access, priority services, and more, across the entire alliance network.
Codeshare Agreements: Both airlines have extensive codeshare agreements, meaning you can often book a flight on American Airlines that is operated by Iberia, or vice versa, with a single ticket.
Now, let's get to the practical steps!
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| How To Link Iberia And American Airlines |
Step 1: Ensure You Have Accounts with Both Programs
Are you already a member of Iberia Plus and American Airlines AAdvantage? If not, this is your crucial first step! Without an account in each program, you won't be able to leverage their partnership.
Sub-heading: Creating Your American Airlines AAdvantage Account
Visit the American Airlines Website: Go to AA.com.
Locate "AAdvantage": Look for a link related to their frequent flyer program, often found in the top navigation or footer.
Enroll: Click on "Enroll Now" or "Join AAdvantage."
Fill Out the Form: You'll need to provide personal details like your name, address, date of birth, and contact information. Choose a secure password.
Receive Your AAdvantage Number: Once registered, you'll be assigned an AAdvantage number. Keep this number safe! It's your key to earning and redeeming miles.
Sub-heading: Creating Your Iberia Plus Account
Visit the Iberia Website: Navigate to Iberia.com.
Find "Iberia Plus": Look for the Iberia Plus section, typically in the main menu or a dedicated loyalty program link.
Register: Click on "Join Iberia Plus" or "Register."
Complete Registration: Provide your personal details, including your name, email, and preferred communication.
Get Your Iberia Plus Number: Upon successful registration, you'll receive your Iberia Plus card number. This is your Avios account!
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Step 2: Understanding How to Earn Miles/Avios
While you can't directly "link" the accounts in the sense of merging balances (you can't transfer AAdvantage miles to Avios, or Avios to AAdvantage miles, directly), you can ensure your flights on one airline earn rewards in the program of your choice.
Sub-heading: Earning AAdvantage Miles on Iberia Flights
When you fly on Iberia, you can earn AAdvantage miles.
Book an Eligible Flight: Ensure your Iberia flight is marketed and operated by Iberia (or an Iberia affiliate like Iberia Express or Air Nostrum), or an Iberia codeshare flight operated by another oneworld carrier.
Provide Your AAdvantage Number: This is the most important step. When booking your flight on Iberia's website, through a travel agent, or at check-in, always provide your American Airlines AAdvantage number.
Mileage Accrual: The number of AAdvantage miles you earn will depend on the flight distance, the fare class of your ticket, and your AAdvantage status. For travel starting October 18, 2023, American Airlines calculates miles based on the ticket price (excluding government-imposed taxes and fees) for flights marketed by American and select partners. For Iberia marketed flights, it's also based on ticket price.
Basic Economy tickets may earn fewer miles.
Elite Status Bonus: If you have AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum status, you'll earn bonus miles on top of your base miles.
Sub-heading: Earning Iberia Plus Avios on American Airlines Flights
Similarly, when you fly American Airlines, you can earn Avios in your Iberia Plus account.
Book an Eligible Flight: Your American Airlines flight must be marketed and operated by American Airlines, or an American Airlines codeshare flight operated by a oneworld partner like Iberia.
Enter Your Iberia Plus Number: During the booking process on AA.com, with a travel agent, or at check-in, provide your Iberia Plus (Avios) number.
Avios Accrual: The number of Avios you earn will depend on the flight distance and the fare class.
Iberia has recently shifted to a revenue-based earning system for Elite Points (which determine status) on Iberia Group and partner airline flights, meaning you'll earn 1 Elite Point for every euro spent on the net cost of your ticket (fare and carrier-imposed charges). This also applies to flights with an American Airlines code.
Step 3: Redeeming Miles/Avios Across Airlines
This is where the oneworld alliance truly shines. You can use your accumulated AAdvantage miles to book flights on Iberia, and your Iberia Plus Avios to book flights on American Airlines.
Sub-heading: Redeeming AAdvantage Miles for Iberia Flights
Go to AA.com: Log in to your American Airlines AAdvantage account.
Search for Award Travel: Select the option to "Use Miles" or "Book Award Travel."
Enter Flight Details: Input your desired departure and arrival airports, dates, and number of passengers.
Select Iberia Flights: The search results should display available flights on American Airlines and its partner airlines, including Iberia. Look for flights marketed and operated by Iberia.
Review and Book: The award chart will show you how many miles are required for a one-way flight. Confirm your booking and pay any applicable taxes and fees.
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Sub-heading: Redeeming Iberia Plus Avios for American Airlines Flights
Go to Iberia.com: Log in to your Iberia Plus account.
Access "Book with Avios": Navigate to the section for redeeming Avios for flights.
Search for American Airlines Flights: Enter your desired American Airlines route and dates.
Select and Confirm: Choose your preferred flight. The Avios cost will be displayed, along with any taxes and surcharges. Complete the booking.
Step 4: Leveraging Elite Status Benefits
If you hold elite status with either American Airlines AAdvantage (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum) or Iberia Plus (Plata, Oro, Platino, Infinita, Infinita Prime), you are eligible for reciprocal benefits when flying on the partner airline. This is a significant advantage of the oneworld alliance.
Sub-heading: Benefits for AAdvantage Elites on Iberia Flights
Priority Check-in: Use dedicated oneworld elite check-in counters.
Priority Boarding: Board the aircraft with your corresponding oneworld tier.
Lounge Access: Depending on your AAdvantage status (Platinum and above generally grant lounge access), you can access Iberia's VIP lounges, including Business Class lounges (for oneworld Sapphire and Emerald equivalents).
Additional Baggage Allowance: Enjoy extra baggage allowance beyond what's included with your ticket.
Priority Baggage Handling: Your checked bags will be tagged for priority delivery.
Preferred Seating: Access to preferred seats at no extra charge.
Sub-heading: Benefits for Iberia Plus Elites on American Airlines Flights
Priority Check-in: Access dedicated check-in lines.
Priority Boarding: Board with your oneworld elite group.
Lounge Access: Iberia Plus Oro (oneworld Sapphire equivalent) and Platino/Infinita/Infinita Prime (oneworld Emerald equivalent) members can access American Airlines Admirals Clubs and Flagship Lounges (where applicable).
Extra Baggage: Benefit from increased baggage allowance.
Priority Baggage Delivery: Your luggage will be among the first to arrive at the baggage claim.
Preferred Seating: Ability to select preferred seats.
Step 5: Special Considerations and Troubleshooting
While the system is designed to be seamless, a few nuances and potential issues are worth noting.
Sub-heading: Mileage Posting Timeframes
American Airlines Flights (earning Avios): Allow up to 7 days for Avios from American Airlines flights to appear in your Iberia Plus account.
Iberia Flights (earning AAdvantage miles): Allow 1-3 days for AAdvantage miles from Iberia flights to post. For other AAdvantage partner airlines, it can take up to 30 days.
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Sub-heading: Missing Miles/Avios
Keep Your Records: Always retain your boarding passes and ticket confirmations until your miles or Avios have posted to your account.
Online Request Forms: Both American Airlines and Iberia have online forms for requesting missing mileage credit. You'll typically need your ticket number and flight details.
Contact Customer Service: If the online forms don't work after the specified timeframes, contact the customer service of the frequent flyer program you intended to earn miles with.
Sub-heading: Upgrades
Mileage Upgrades: American Airlines allows mileage upgrades on British Airways and Iberia flights (and AA codeshares operated by BA and Iberia) for eligible fares. However, there are limitations, and these upgrades are often from full fares only and for a one-cabin upgrade. Note that American Airlines has announced changes to mileage upgrade award requests for British Airways and Iberia, with new requests no longer accepted after August 12, 2025. Always check the latest policies.
Iberia Plus Upgrades: While Iberia Plus has its own upgrade system, using Avios for upgrades on American Airlines flights is generally not directly supported in the same way. You'd typically redeem Avios for an award ticket in a higher class directly.
The Bottom Line
Linking Iberia and American Airlines isn't about merging your accounts into one, but rather maximizing the benefits of their strong oneworld alliance partnership. By consistently providing your preferred frequent flyer number when booking and understanding the reciprocal benefits, you can truly enhance your travel experience, whether you're earning points for future trips or enjoying elite perks on your journey. Happy travels!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to ensure I earn miles on partner flights?
Always provide your frequent flyer number (AAdvantage or Iberia Plus) at the time of booking or during check-in, ensuring it matches the program you wish to credit.
How to check if a flight is eligible for mileage accrual?
Refer to the earning charts on the American Airlines AAdvantage or Iberia Plus websites, which detail eligible fare classes and flight numbers for partner airlines.
How to redeem Avios on American Airlines flights?
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Log into your Iberia Plus account on Iberia.com, navigate to the "Book with Avios" section, and search for American Airlines flights.
How to redeem AAdvantage miles on Iberia flights?
Log into your AAdvantage account on AA.com, select "Book Award Travel," and include Iberia in your search filters.
How to access airport lounges as an elite member?
Present your boarding pass for a same-day flight on a oneworld airline and your frequent flyer status card (digital or physical) at the lounge entrance.
How to deal with missing mileage credit?
First, wait the specified posting time (typically 1-7 days for flights). If miles still haven't appeared, use the online missing mileage request form on the respective airline's website. Keep your boarding passes and ticket details handy.
How to transfer points between American Airlines and Iberia?
Direct transfers between AAdvantage miles and Iberia Plus Avios are not possible. However, you can transfer certain credit card points (like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards) to Avios, which can then be used on American Airlines flights.
How to book a codeshare flight?
You can book codeshare flights directly on AA.com or Iberia.com, as well as through travel agents. The operating carrier will usually be indicated next to the flight number.
How to understand baggage allowance on partner flights?
Your baggage allowance is generally determined by the operating airline's policy for your class of service and frequent flyer status. Always check with the operating carrier or your ticket details.
How to find out about upgrades on partner airlines?
Check the specific policies on the American Airlines or Iberia websites regarding mileage upgrades on partner carriers, as these can be complex and have specific eligibility requirements.
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