Elite status with an airline loyalty program offers benefits when flying. With Iberia Plus, this is earned separately from Avios, using a system of Elite Points. These can only be earned by flying, so status with Iberia Plus is genuinely just for frequent flyers. Once earned, Iberia Plus elite status will also give benefits on all oneworld airlines.

Status with Iberia Plus

There are three elite status levels (plus a base/entry level) with Iberia Plus – known as Plata (Silver), Oro (Gold), and Platino (Platinum). These bring increasing levels of benefits when flying with Iberia and with partner airlines (oneworld airlines plus LEVEL, Vueling, and Binter).

Status is earned based on the number of Elite Points earned from flights each year (based on an April to April year). This is a totally separate system from Avios points, and there is no way to earn status based on Avios earning. The lower two status levels can also be earned based just on the number of Iberia flights flown.

• Plata (Silver) is awarded with 1,100 Elite Points or 25 flights.
• Oro (Gold) is awarded with 2,250 Elite Points or 50 flights.
• Platino (Platinum) is awarded with 6,250 Elite Points or with 12,500 Elite Points over two years.

Iberia Plus has published lifetime status levels as well:

• You earn Infinita with 125,000 Elite Points.
• You earn Infinita Prime with 200,000 Elite Points.

Earning Elite Points

Elite Points can only be earned from flying. There is no way to earn Elite Points through credit cards or other spending. This is very different from the main US airline loyalty programs, where credit card spending can expedite status earning significantly these days.

All flights with Iberia, Vueling, LEVEL, Binter, or any oneworld partner will earn Elite Points. The amount of Elite Points depends on the airline, flight length, cabin flown, and booking/inventory code.

For Iberia flights, points earned range from 15 for the shortest discount economy flights, up to 400 for the longest economy flights, and up to 700 for the longest business class flights. These points are all awarded per sector flow, so two connecting flights will earn two sets of points depending on each flight length. The table below from Iberia Plus shows Iberia flight earning rates for some routes (for all routes and full details, see the Iberia Plus website):

For oneworld partner flights, a simplified system is used, differentiated discount economy, full fare economy (usually Y, B, H booking classes, but there could be differences), business, and first class. The table from Iberia Plus for all oneworld airlines is shown below:

There is a different system for non-alliance partners. For LEVEL, Elite Points are earned per sector flown based on booking code. For Vueling and Binter, the system is based on booking code and flight length.

The table for LEVEL Elite Point earning is shown below.

Benefits when flying with Iberia

Increasing status levels brings benefits and preferential treatment when flying on any Iberia-operated flight.

Silver/Plata benefits include:

• 25% Avios bonus on Iberia flights (also on British Airways and American Airlines flights).
• Priority check-in (use of business class check-in) and boarding.
• Additional baggage allowance (generally one bag).

Gold/Oro adds the following benefits:

• 50% Avios bonus.
• Free seat selection from the time of booking (not including exit / XL seats).
• Use of fast-track security.
• Access to business class lounges.
• Free parking at Madrid and Barcelona airports.

And top-level Platinum/Platino adds:

• 100% Avios bonus.
• Increased award seat availability (you can pay double Avios to secure a seat in commercial booking class V in economy and I in business).
• An additional weight allowance of 32kg for checked luggage.
• Two upgrades on Iberia flights, from economy and premium economy flex fare (Y, B, H, and W booking classes) to business.
• Avios credit allows your Avios balance to go down to -22,500 if needed for an award.

Liftetime Infinita status is valid for life and continues the benefits of Platinum level. Note the following:

• Infinita offers two upgrades each year; Infinita Prime offers four per year.
• With Infinita you can gift Gold status to one person: With Infinita Prime you can gift it to two people.
• With Infinita Prime you are given car transfers when traveling in full fare business class. This is valid between the airport and airport and city in Barcelona, Madrid, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo.

Elite status benefits on oneworld partner airlines

Elite status with Iberia Plus gives a corresponding status in the oneworld alliance. Iberia Plus Silver status is equivalent to oneworld Ruby status and offers the following benefits with all oneworld airlines:

• Access to business class check-in desks.
• Some access to preferred seating (varies by airline).
• Priority wait list and standby.

Gold status is equivalent to oneworld Sapphire status and offers:

• Access to business class lounges.
• Priority boarding.
• Priority luggage handling.
• Additional baggage allowance (generally one bag but can vary between airlines).

Platinum and lifetime Infinita statuses are equivalent to oneworld Emerald status and bring:

• Access to first class lounges
• First class check-in desk use
• Fast track security lane access
• Enhanced seat access with many airlines (sometimes this includes extra space seating or exit rows)

Elite status benefits on other partner airlines

Unusually, Iberia Plus extends elite status benefits to other partner airlines. These are LEVEL, Vueling, and Binter Canarias. The main benefit on all these airlines is the ability to earn Avios and Elite Points.

As they are not oneworld members, you do not automatically receive alliance benefits, nor do members of another oneworld loyalty program receive anything. Iberia Plus members, though, are extended some benefits - these are cut down from the main benefits and not well published.

• On Vueling, all flights receive Avios, but only Madrid to Barcelona shuttle services get an elite bonus. Vueling flights booked as an Iberia codeshare are eligible for lounge access at several airports and fast-track security at Madrid and Barcelona airports.
• On LEVEL and Binter flights, you earn Avios and Elite Points, but there are no further status benefits. Avios are awarded with elite bonuses, however.

Do you have elite status with Iberia Plus? What benefits do you find most useful? Feel free to discuss this in the comments section.

• 

  Iberia

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  IB/IBE

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Madrid Barajas Airport

  Year Founded:

  1927

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  Airline Group:

  IAG

  CEO:

  Javier Sánchez-Prieto

  Country:

  Spain