Iberia is adjusting the schedule on one of its routes to the United States, and I’m a huge fan of this change…
In this post:
Iberia’s Madrid to Dallas reverse redeye flight
Generally speaking, flights between the United States and Western Europe are redeyes in the eastbound direction, and daytime flights in the westbound direction. There are a limited number of eastbound daytime flights (typically between the East Coast and London), but there are currently no westbound redeye flights. Well, that will be changing, as flagged by @JoeTravels and @IshrionA.
With the start of the IATA winter 2025-2026 season, Iberia will be adjusting the schedule on its route between Madrid (MAD) and Dallas (DFW). Through October 27, 2025, the route operates with the following schedule:
IB363 Madrid to Dallas departing 4:00PM arriving 8:10PM
IB364 Dallas to Madrid departing 9:40PM arriving 2:20PM (+1 day)
Then as of October 28, 2025, the route will operate with the following schedule:
IB363 Madrid to Dallas departing 12:55AM arriving 5:30AM
IB364 Dallas to Madrid departing 1:55PM arriving 6:15AM (+1 day)
As you can tell, it’s that westbound flight that’s worth noting here, as it leaves Madrid at 12:55AM, arriving in Dallas at 5:30AM the same day. There’s so much that’s awesome about this flight:
- It’s just generally really efficient to fly overnight, especially given the length of the flight, since you can have a full day in Madrid and a full day in Dallas
- This new schedule is so much better for connectivity, since an early morning arrival in Dallas will give unlimited connection opportunities, while the 8:10PM arrival in Dallas is less than ideal for connections
It’s worth noting that there are plenty of reverse redeyes from Europe to the Americas, for destinations like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, etc. However, this will be the only one operating between Western Europe and the United States (I specifically say Western Europe, because Turkish operates some reverse redeyes from Istanbul).
The one thing that’s inefficient about the routing is how much time the aircraft spends on the ground in Dallas, in order to maximize connections. But I assume that in the winter schedule, Iberia has some frames to spare.
I wish we’d see more reverse redeye flights!
Back in 2016, I wrote a post about how I’d love to see airlines add more reverse redeyes between Western Europe and the United States. Okay, clearly not every airline immediately listened to me, but nearly a decade later, at least we’re seeing one such flight, so that’s kind of cool.
Admittedly there are some general challenges with reverse redeyes operating to the United States on a widespread basis:
- Many European airports (in particular) have curfews, so this wouldn’t work so well out of Frankfurt (FRA), London (LHR), etc.
- It’s important for flight schedules to align with connecting banks of flights, so landing in New York at 3AM isn’t exactly useful
- In some markets it’s just not feasible due to the lack of time change between the origin and destination, when adjusted for local time
London to Los Angeles? Of course that wouldn’t work, given the Heathrow curfew, the eight-hour time change for most of the year, and the flight time of roughly 11 hours. That would basically mean the flight would depart at 10PM and land at 1AM, so that’s hardly a redeye.
But a Lisbon or Madrid to Miami flight departing at 12-1AM and arriving at 4-5AM? I’d say that would be pretty useful. Anyway, I doubt we’ll see these on a widespread basis, but I’m happy to at least see something.
Bottom line
Iberia’s Madrid to Dallas flight will see an interesting schedule change as of late October 2025, whereby the flight will depart at 12:55AM, and land at 5:30AM. This will be the only reverse redeye between Western Europe and the United States, and I think that’s really cool to see.
Here’s to hoping this flight proves successful, and that we see more of these flights added over time.
What do you make of Iberia’s reverse redeye flight? Would you take it?
Meh.
I hate those kind of flights, whether I have a flatbed or not.
Morning or afternoon departures and an afternoon (or depending on the location, evening) arrival always works better for me.
As I type this, there is a westbound transatlantic redeye flight in the air from the second busiest airport in Europe to the US: Turkish Airlines Flight 111 left IST at 12:45am local IST time and is scheduled to arrive in NYC at JFK at 4:40am local JFK time.
I guess I might be in the minority here but I will 100% avoid those. Having to wait late nights to get on a flight only to arrive at the crack of dawn, not having a hotel room ready, and very likely having slept poorly between turbulences, cabin announcements etc and having to be up all day after that... I won't compete with you for awards on those hah!
Dependsn if you are in business or main cabin. A full night's rest in lie flat bed. Yes.
I just like having choice. Sometimes a flight like this works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
If you live in Madrid or Dallas, it may work for you fine, same if you're on business or connecting, or simply want to maximize your time in Madrid at a cost of booking a cheap night at a hotel or using points.
Also, MAD-DFW flight time is 10h40 so plenty of time for a good night's sleep, unlike on the eastbound sector. So a pretty comfortable red-eye if in J...
If I lived in Dallas, I wouldn't like to take the MAD-DFW leaving so late. That might mean 2 red eyes for the round trip.
If I lived in Madrid, I wouidn't like to the MAD-DFW because no hotel will be ready that early. A few hotels in the US may have a room that early and they are usually nice about early checkin.
The chances of me taking the red eye to DFW is zero. If I lived in poorly served markets, like Amarillo TX or Lubbock TX, maybe.
Just adding this tidbit; Losing a good night of sleep while travelling Westbound means poor sleep and a 6 hour longer day. Kind of the worst thing for jetlag.
Dependsn if you are in business or main cabin. A full night's rest in lie flat bed. Yes.
I wish there were more day frights Eastbound across the Atlantic. I know AA had a day flight from JFK to LHR, not sure if it still goes.
I’ve found most day “frights” operate to and from MIA, regardless of origin.
Not a fan. Arriving anywhere at 5:30AM is never pleasurable. For me at least. My ideal for TATL is to Europe as late as possible in the evening and sleep right away avoiding all food, etc. Return to the U.S. at 5PM or so with an arrival mid-late evening. Easier to adjust, easier to manage, and you get nearly full days in both places.
There is nothing about this idea that I find attractive.
Bueno! This is excellent news IMO. I use the MAD-MEX redeye about 3-4x a year, with a connection back into the states. This gives me a full work day in and a business dinner and/hor drinks meeting in Madrid before flying home, plus I get home in time for a full workday on the other end.
If you are using MEX as a transfer point to the U.S. and claiming you get a full day of work on arrival I am left with confusion. You arrive in MEX at the ungodly hour of 3:30AM on AeroMexico and then connect to what? To where? Seems the best is you get in early to mid afternoon. Ok? That is not a full day of work and just briefly before a non-stop in the morning from MAD might leave. Makes no sense to me unless I am missing something.
Iberia has operated this late night bank from Madrid for years. Up until now it's been to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima. Leaves late at night from Madrid, enabling connectivity from all of Europe, arrives early in the Americas, then leaves midday arriving Madrid early allowing connectivity to all of Europe. These Dallas schedules mirror those long standing Latin American destinations. First time in the US though. I think it's a great schedule. Great...
Iberia has operated this late night bank from Madrid for years. Up until now it's been to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima. Leaves late at night from Madrid, enabling connectivity from all of Europe, arrives early in the Americas, then leaves midday arriving Madrid early allowing connectivity to all of Europe. These Dallas schedules mirror those long standing Latin American destinations. First time in the US though. I think it's a great schedule. Great connectivity at both ends in Madrid and in DFW to AA flights. It's perfect
There’s nothing efficient about taking a red-eye flight out of Madrid if you’re a visitor.
Most hotels require check-out by midday, and even with elite status, the best you can usually get is a late checkout until around 4 PM. After that? You’re stuck with a huge gap of time—often eight hours or more—before your flight. What are you supposed to do? Book the room for an extra night just to kill time? Camp out...
There’s nothing efficient about taking a red-eye flight out of Madrid if you’re a visitor.
Most hotels require check-out by midday, and even with elite status, the best you can usually get is a late checkout until around 4 PM. After that? You’re stuck with a huge gap of time—often eight hours or more—before your flight. What are you supposed to do? Book the room for an extra night just to kill time? Camp out at the airport for half a day? It’s a miserable experience either way.
These kinds of departure times might make sense if you live in the destination, but for travelers, they’re brutal. I avoid them whenever possible—they’re just not worth the hassle. I hate em and avoid them at all cost.
Wait, what? Lol. You leave your luggage at the hotel, go find yourself a nice place to work from with a glass of wine in the sun; join colleagues, friends, business partners for an early dinner for Spain; collect luggage, easy ride to the airport due to no traffic; check-in, lounge, off you go.
Easy-peasy.
Or you could do literally anything else with your time - see the city, have a nice dinner, go to the office, etc.
Were you seriously unable to think of other things besides staying in a hotel room or going to the airport early?
Or head to the airport mid-morning, check in - leaving your bags with the airline or in an airport locker if you're just doing carryon - and then go spend the day doing something in the northeast part of the city.
Flights out of Doha, Dubai, Delhi and a bunch of other cities that don't start with a D often leave at midnight or 1am. In fact that is usually the busiest time / bank of flights at those airports because those flights will get to Europe in the morning -- i.e., a westbound flight leaving at midnight for a morning arrival just like this MAD-DFW.
Yes, they can be a hassle at times, but they are very common outside of the TATL corridor.
Cool stuff but it kills the redeye there, which I’m very happily taking this summer. I couldn’t think of a better departure time for DFW-MAD and maximizing sleep.
I don't get why this is so special or rare. I have flown on such an Aeromexico flight from FCO. It was helpful in allowing me to easily connect from elsewhere in Europe without having to wake up at stupid o'clock, but sleeping in a bed is almost always preferable to any flat seat on a plane... and that's before one thinks about the plight of those unlucky enough to fly in Y.
Aeromexico has several reverse redeye flights (ie: London to Mexico City leaving London around 11:00pm and landing around 4:00am). I loved it as it gave me another day in London before heading to US via Mexico.
This always adds an extra hotel night leaving MAD, even with some hotels generous checkout policies, or you're at the airport way early or schlepping your bags all over creation.
You also have to pay for an extra hotel night in DFW arriving so early in the morning, unless you live in DFW or are going straight to the office.
Personally I don't care either way, but these are some of the drawbacks...
This always adds an extra hotel night leaving MAD, even with some hotels generous checkout policies, or you're at the airport way early or schlepping your bags all over creation.
You also have to pay for an extra hotel night in DFW arriving so early in the morning, unless you live in DFW or are going straight to the office.
Personally I don't care either way, but these are some of the drawbacks I've seen when I've had these types of flights to other non-US destinations.
You are omitting storing bags at the hotel which IME is very common. For instance, when in this situation, my go to is: check out and store bags with bell desk; lunch, afternoon activity, and perhaps early dinner (or tapas as here); then return to hotel, pick up bags, and proceed to airport. Works equally well if traveling on business and you can't bring our stuff to the client site. This doesn't cost anything extra...
You are omitting storing bags at the hotel which IME is very common. For instance, when in this situation, my go to is: check out and store bags with bell desk; lunch, afternoon activity, and perhaps early dinner (or tapas as here); then return to hotel, pick up bags, and proceed to airport. Works equally well if traveling on business and you can't bring our stuff to the client site. This doesn't cost anything extra (except tip for bell hops).
Regarding arrival, given the timing, I would assume most people taking this are either connecting or will be proceeding to a work site or to their home. But you're right that it could be tough if they did not have an arrangement for early checkin with the hotel.
Most hotels are more than happy to hold your bags for you even after you check out. And I'm not sure how you'd have an extra hotel night in Dallas? There's plenty of early morning connections out of Dallas allowing you to get most anywhere in the US by noon...
I ask genuinely: do Americans not know you can store bags at the hotel? I mean, you can rent a car to drive around in if you feel scared about walking on your two legs.
I can see how hanging out in Dallas is a problem. It's not a problem in civilized parts of the world.
I mean, you can rent a car to drive around in if you feel scared about walking on your two legs.
What's all the drivel about walking on two legs?
Leaving anywhere, even if you leave your bags at the hotel, and yes I do leave my bags at the hotel for a late night flight, at just before 1am is a PITA.
Normally you've been up all day, either sightseeing, doing business, seeing friends/relatives, had a few glasses of wine (if you drink) with dinner. It's tiring, just like your snotty comments.
I can see how it's a PITA, but that has nothing to do with needing extra hotel nights at BOTH ends of the trip. But thanks anyway for moving the goalposts of your original comment.
What about TK111 departs Instanbul 00:30 and arrives JFK 04:30? I just found about this a few weeks ago.
Technically not the only Europe-US red eye. TK has a IST-MIA frequency that departs Istanbul at 2am and arrives in Miami at 7am
@ 305 -- Great point. I updated the post to clarify that I'm referring to Western Europe, because you're totally right about Turkish. Thanks!
As someone who doesn't sleep on planes, this sounds like a nightmare. Red-eyes in both directions? I'd avoid at all costs.
I know the airlines will never do this for the sake of connecting efficiency, but given the flight is landing in DFW at 6:15am, I'd love to see it turn and fly back out DFW-MAD departing around 8am and arriving around midnight. The daytime flights to Europe from the east coast are amazing and there's no equivalent from mid-country.
Seems odd given the plane will be on the ground for what 8 hours in Dallas. I imagine that's part of the reason airlines don't do this as well. Unless they are planning some interesting 5th Freedom route to Central America it doesn't seem very effecient.