Hello from the United States, as I’ve completed my quick Aer Lingus & Iberia A321XLR adventure. On the way out, I flew Aer Lingus’ Airbus A321XLR business class, which I’ve already covered. Then for the return, I flew Iberia’s Airbus A321XLR business class on the eight hour flight from Madrid (MAD) to Washington (IAD), which I’ll be talking about in this post. For what it’s worth, I booked this ticket using 57,500 American AAdvantage miles.
The primary reason I took this specific flight is to fly the A321XLR, the longest range narrow body commercial jet in production, which only commenced operations in recent months. I’ll share more thoughts on flying the A321XLR as such in a separate post. It’s cool to note that the jet I flew — EC-OIL — was the world’s first A321XLR to enter commercial service.
So, what was my takeaway from this Iberia business class flight? Honestly, I’m conflicted. There were aspects of the experience that I quite liked, like the cabin design, the technology, and the bedding. But there were also some shortcomings, like the actual seat comfort, and aspects of the meal service. Below I’ll share some initial thoughts, and then soon I’ll publish my full trip report.
In this post:
Iberia’s A321XLR business class seats are… I’m conflicted
Iberia’s A321XLRs feature 14 business class seats, spread across seven rows, in a 1-1 configuration. The airline opted for the the Thompson Aero VantageSOLO seat, the same seat that you’ll find in JetBlue Mint on the A321LR. My first impression of the cabin was positive, and that it was really swanky-looking. There’s just something undeniably cool about premium configured narrow body aircraft.
Iberia’s A321XLR business class has herringbone seats, meaning that your head is near the window, and you face the aisle.
Unlike on JetBlue, Iberia elected not to install doors at seats. At first I was puzzled by this decision, but I’ve gotta say, that actually didn’t bother me one bit. Due to how these seats are angled and positioned, you basically don’t see anyone from your seat, including the person across from you.
Many people will appreciate that there’s quite a large ottoman you can place your feet on, so there’s no small footwell you have to place your feet into, unlike in some other configurations. Note that unlike on JetBlue, the bulkhead seat isn’t some sort of a “business class plus” product, and it actually has a smaller footwell than the other seats.
The counter by the seat has a fair bit of exposed storage, plus AC, USB-A, and USB-C charging.
On top of that, there’s a fairly large enclosed storage compartment opposite that, which is a handy place to store things during the flight.
Based on looking at the seat, I had a very positive impression. I also had a positive impression when initially sitting in the seat. However, as the flight went on, there were aspects of it that I found to be quite uncomfortable.
For example, the left and right armrests are at different heights, and and also different distances from the seat, so your arm on one side is sort of just dangling, due to the lack of support. Furthermore, the seat feels on the narrow side (and I’m not a huge guy), and you just can’t help but feel a bit constrained.
The bed also feels tight, but then again, at least the footwell isn’t small, unlike with some other seats.
At least the bedding was great, with a comfortable pillow and blanket, and even a mattress pad.
Before I took this trip, I was thinking that I’d far prefer Iberia’s hard product to Aer Lingus’ hard product. But now I’m not so sure.
Iberia’s A321XLR entertainment & tech are excellent
The Iberia A321XLR has phenomenal tech. Each seat has a gorgeous 18″ 4K monitor that folds out. Not only is the picture quality great, but the system is easy to use, and highly responsive.
On top of that, there’s bluetooth audio, so that you can use your own headphones with the entertainment system.
I found the entertainment selection to be solid, with hundreds of movies and TV shows to choose from.
Iberia also offers Panasonic Wi-Fi on its A321XLRs. Iberia Plus members and business class passengers receive free messaging, while a full flight Wi-Fi pass with no data caps cost €20.49. I found that pricing to be fair, and found speeds to be more than sufficient throughout the flight.
Iberia’s business class catering is tasty but limited
I found Iberia’s business class catering to be quite good in terms of quality, but lacking a bit in terms of quantity. Lunch was served after takeoff. That began with a drink service (I had a glass of Spanish white wine and a sparkling water), served with some crackers, meat, and cheese.
Next up, the appetizer and main course were served on the same tray. Of the two starters, I selected the green tomatillo ceviche with roasted sweet potato, avocado, heart of palm, and cherry tomato. Then of the three mains, I selected the grilled king prawns in a creamy seafood sauce served with squid ink black rice and roasted zucchini. They were served with two pieces of bread.
Then there was the choice of two desserts or cheese, and I selected the Catalan cream ice cream with white chocolate sticks and crispy wafer. Yum.
The meal quality was quite good, though the service was really slow — it took 85 minutes after takeoff for the first drink to be served, which is an awfully long time to wait, especially with two flight attendants working the cabin. As a point of comparison, on my Aer Lingus flight on the outbound, the entire meal service was done within an hour of takeoff. The crew was well intentioned, so I suspect they’re still getting used to this aircraft.
What really disappointed me was the pre-arrival meal. We’re talking about an eight hour daytime flight, and the extent of the pre-arrival meal was one of two options, both of which I’d describe as being appetizer sized.
I ordered the cod pie with roasted artichoke and sundried tomato. It tasted great, but it was tiny — there no bread, or side, or dessert, or anything else. I heard multiple people comment about the tiny portion. This has to be one of the smallest pre-arrival meals I’ve seen on any airline, for a flight of this length.
Here was one more downside — somehow there was no hot water on the aircraft, so no hot beverages were available, including drip coffee. That’s pretty rough!
Bottom line
I’m delighted I had the chance to fly Iberia’s Airbus A321XLR, and specifically, the first-ever A321XLR to enter commercial service. Iberia’s A321XLR business class is pretty swanky, with a spiffy-looking and intimate cabin, excellent tech, and comfortable bedding.
However, there were also some downsides to the experience. The A321XLR business class seats feel tight, and I found the main meal service to be very slow, while I found the pre-arrival service to be very limited. I wouldn’t mind flying the Iberia A321XLR again if the price or schedule was right, but it’s not necessarily an experience I’d specifically seek out again. I do still want to fly Iberia’s new A350 business class in the near future, though…
What’s your take on Iberia’s A321XLR business class?
All thumbs down on herringbone seats. This will be avoided. Computer says NO!
Once we get over the shiny thing (new seats!!!! new plane!!!!) we'll quickly realize that herringbone sucks and widebody is still more comfortable than narrowbody, if flying in lie-flat Business. I'll fly on a single-aisle plane if schedule/availability/route are compelling but thanks to Ben's previews and reviews it's becoming clear that there are limits to the inflight experience on these smaller planes. And since I'm a windowgazer, I don't find herringbone layout appealing at all.
Once we get over the shiny thing (new seats!!!! new plane!!!!) we'll quickly realize that herringbone sucks and widebody is still more comfortable than narrowbody, if flying in lie-flat Business. I'll fly on a single-aisle plane if schedule/availability/route are compelling but thanks to Ben's previews and reviews it's becoming clear that there are limits to the inflight experience on these smaller planes. And since I'm a windowgazer, I don't find herringbone layout appealing at all.
Thanks for the review
I’m a little torn about the xlr
It’s just hard to prefer a narrowbody over a wide body and the 321 just seems to fly so much lower than most aircraft since the wing is at its max
Flew the MAD-BOS leg on the XLR ~2 months ago. Had a very similar experience to yours re: food quality vs quantity and [more importantly] seat comfort. I'm definitely on the wider side and, while the seat itself at 21" might be fine, the immediate area surrounding the seat was very closed off giving it a cramped feeling. I felt very much sandwiched in from my shoulders, especially in bed mode. Gives a coffin feel...
Flew the MAD-BOS leg on the XLR ~2 months ago. Had a very similar experience to yours re: food quality vs quantity and [more importantly] seat comfort. I'm definitely on the wider side and, while the seat itself at 21" might be fine, the immediate area surrounding the seat was very closed off giving it a cramped feeling. I felt very much sandwiched in from my shoulders, especially in bed mode. Gives a coffin feel for sure.. Having flown JFK-LIS on TP 321LR with P2 in a non-throne seat, I'm not sure which seat alone I prefer for comfort (although comfort aside, the IB experience is better in every way)...
Iberia has had these extremely small pre-arrival meals for years. First they did it due to Covid. I’ve alwys been wondering how you have never pointed this out.
You even have a post about Iberia reintroducing full meal service after covid. But they kept the ridicolusly small pre-arrival meal portions.
They also have a press release from 2023, that they are starting a more “sustainable” approach to meals. Aka = downgrade.
34.000...
Iberia has had these extremely small pre-arrival meals for years. First they did it due to Covid. I’ve alwys been wondering how you have never pointed this out.
You even have a post about Iberia reintroducing full meal service after covid. But they kept the ridicolusly small pre-arrival meal portions.
They also have a press release from 2023, that they are starting a more “sustainable” approach to meals. Aka = downgrade.
34.000 miles for TATL bizclass is still great tough.
I flew this plane back in January (MAD-BOS). I had a much more positive impression on the seat. I am on the tall side and found it to be surprisingly spacious. Loved the tech, and it felt quite private. The first meal was rather slow, but for a daytime flight I was not bothered by this. Second meal was small, but since the first one took so long there was not that much time between...
I flew this plane back in January (MAD-BOS). I had a much more positive impression on the seat. I am on the tall side and found it to be surprisingly spacious. Loved the tech, and it felt quite private. The first meal was rather slow, but for a daytime flight I was not bothered by this. Second meal was small, but since the first one took so long there was not that much time between them. Besides, there was a big snack basket that they really encouraged people to take from. Of note, with the smaller plane and setup, they cut back on some of the alcohol choices in business class, but actually kept the nicer stuff. For instance, they have Johnnie Walker Blue, but not the Black Label they carry on the A350s, etc.
This was the first time I have flown Iberia since 2018, and overall I thought it was much improved. The food & alcohol were better, the flight attendants were much nicer, and there were small touches that added to the premium feel (like how the amenity kit matches the chic new flight attendant uniforms).
That pre-arrival meal is unfortunately in line with what I got on Air France biz from Paris to New York last summer... a small and very boring brioche bun with some vegetables and cheese on it. The first meal service however was good!
No hot water is definitely not a standard feature of the IB service. I guess something was broken and they obviously didn’t want to delay or cancel for this reason.
Were you worried some people might think no hot water was standard?
Just wondering, how does a narrowbody handle in turbulence especially crossing the Atlantic from a passenger standpoint? From all my years of flying, I've never been on an A320 family a/c! And while I assume you would prefer to be on a widebody when crossing the Atlantic, is the difference that great?
There’s more turbulence across American Mid-West than over the Atlantic. Turbulence is nasty on both wide and narrow body jets.
Ben - thanks for the great report. Should someone avoid Row 1 all together? I know it has a smaller footwell but has a much larger side table. I have 2 upcoming flights and am continuing to vacillate on my seat selection :-).
@ Bryan -- Personally I wouldn't want to be that close to the lavatory and galley, and I think the further back, the better. But then again, I always prefer to sit in the back. If you have two upcoming flights, maybe try sitting in different parts of the cabin, and report back? :-)
I'm curious why you would use 57.5k AA miles for this vs 50k IB avios?
@ Omar -- Fair question! Avios would've been a slightly better deal, but I have a bigger balance of AAdvantage miles. The main reason, though, is the flexibility. With American, I could cancel the ticket up until departure at no cost. With Iberia, you can't cancel within 24 hours of departure. My layover in Madrid between separate tickets wasn't that long, so I valued the flexibility to get a refund, in the event that I misconnected.
Seat width its 21" which its not bad.
@ Ivan -- Yeah, but I think it's one of those situations where seat width doesn't really do justice to the overall feeling, given how high the walls and partitions around you are.
Wait a minute- there is ONE olive in that meal?
Herringbone seats are inferior by every measure of customer experience. No one is demanding them, or prefers them.
Airlines are installing them because they allow them to cram more seats into a smaller space. That’s all it is. This arrangement doesn’t need that little standing space next to the seat, as you just back into the seat and flop down. Slicing that space out of multiple rows adds up to the most valuable inches this side of Tom Jones.
Facts. Herringbone has got to go. We're looking at you VS and ANZ. It's 2025, people need to get with the program.
I wish more airlines would get creative with their ice cream and serve it in ceramicware rather than just serve it out of the tub.
Interesting. So overall was this about on par with Aer Lingus? I'm tempted to do a somewhat similar European trip, especially with Aer Lingus' own website doing a great job displaying award flights now.
Ben,
Can I ask you about the view out the window? With the seat facing away can you still have decent views outside?
@ 777TimetoFly -- You do have to turn your head a bit to look out. It's not too bad if you want to look mostly forward, but it's only tricky if you want to look back at the wing.
I was on one of the early EI flights (YYZ to Dub so short overnight flight) on the 321 NEO and it was over an hour for a drink. That was despite being told it would be quick after take off.
Like you say, I'm sure they're just working it out.
Still better than American's new first row suite!!!
Everything looks better than AA's, even the PTVs.
Well, the numerical data don't always do the justice.
Wider seats? Doesn't necessarily mean more comfort.
L.
Did you eat the forbidden ham?!?!
@ Sel, D. -- Absolutely not! :p