British Airways vs Iberia — Compare Airlines

Policy comparison

Structured operational tokens — verify current fare rules on each airline before booking.

Policy	British Airways	Iberia
Cabin baggage	Included	Included
Checked baggage	Not on Basic; 1×23 kg on standard long-haul	1×23 kg long-haul economy; 2×32 kg business
In-flight Wi-Fi	Paid	Paid
Economy seat pitch	30–31"	31–32"
Loyalty programme	Executive Club (Avios)	Iberia Plus (Avios)
Lounge access	Galleries / Concorde Room for Club World/First and BA Gold	Iberia Dali VIP Lounge MAD; oneworld Emerald/Sapphire
Changes & refunds	Basic non-refundable; standard fares change fee + difference	Flex fares allow changes; Basic restricted

Individual profiles

Editorial profiles

United Kingdom · BA/BAW · #1 in this comparison

British Airways

To Fly. To Serve.

#9 Global 4-Star

7.7 / 10

Quick Answer

British Airways scores 7.7/10 on FlightLogic (safety 9.1/10), ranking #9 globally. verified in-flight Wi-Fi averages 5 Mbps on measured routes. Catering: Special meals (VGML, MOML, NFML) ordered 24h ahead — reliable on long-haul; short-haul buy-on-board limited

Is British Airways a good airline?

British Airways scores 7.7/10 (Very Good) on FlightLogic, ranking #9 globally with a safety score of 9.1/10. British Airways is the UK's flag carrier and oneworld founding member, operating roughly 280 aircraft from its London Heathrow Terminal 5 fortress hub to 200+ destinations worldwide. Long-haul Club Suite business class — with direct aisle access, closing doors, and full plated dining — has transformed BA's premium product and now competes credibly with Virgin Upper Class and US carrier suites on transatlantic routes. Short-haul Euro Traveller remains dated, and operational punctuality trails European rivals, but for UK-based Avios collectors BA's Heathrow dominance, Reward Flight Saver pricing, and credit card ecosystem make it the default loyalty programme. See full profile →

Overall 7.7 Very Good

Safety 9.1 Excellent Safety

Service 7.8 Cabin crew & ground

Value 7.0 Fare vs product

Star rating 4★ FlightLogic tier

Rating basis Editorial FlightLogic methodology

Score breakdown

Customer Service

7.8

Seat Comfort

8.4

Food & Beverage

7.5

In-Flight Entertainment

7.8

On-Time Performance

7.5

Value for Money

7.0

Key facts

Hub: London Heathrow (LHR)
Alliance: oneworld
Founded: 1974
Fleet: 280 aircraft
Region: europe
IATA / ICAO: BA / BAW

Passenger policies

Cabin baggage	Included — standard carry-on allowance applies
Checked baggage	Not on Basic; 1×23 kg on standard long-haul
In-flight Wi-Fi	Paid Wi-Fi or messaging packages
Economy seat pitch	30–31"
Lounge access	Galleries / Concorde Room for Club World/First and BA Gold
Changes & refunds	Basic non-refundable; standard fares change fee + difference
Loyalty programme	Executive Club (Avios)

Strengths

Club Suite business class with direct aisle access and privacy doors on most long-haul widebodies
Concorde Room and Galleries lounges at Heathrow T5 — among the UK's best ground experiences
Avios loyalty programme with Reward Flight Saver, household accounts, and strong UK credit card earn
Unmatched London Heathrow connectivity across oneworld and partner airlines

Weaknesses

Short-haul Euro Traveller uses buy-on-board catering on many European routes
High carrier-imposed surcharges on long-haul Avios redemptions reduce reward flight value
Heathrow T5 congestion and occasional ATC-related delays affect punctuality scores

Awards & recognition

Best Business Class Club Suite
Best UK Full-Service Carrier

Spain · IB/IBE · #2 in this comparison

Iberia

Your Iberia

#22 Global 4-Star

8.0 / 10

Quick Answer

Iberia scores 8.0/10 on FlightLogic (safety 9.2/10), ranking #22 globally. in-flight Wi-Fi is paid or partial on most long-haul routes. Special meals require pre-order on long-haul.

Is Iberia a good airline?

Iberia scores 8.0/10 (Excellent) on FlightLogic, ranking #22 globally with a safety score of 9.2/10. Iberia is Spain's flag carrier and an IAG oneworld member, operating from Madrid with strong UK–Latin America connectivity via Terminal 4 and Avios-shared Iberia Plus loyalty. See full profile →

Overall 8.0 Excellent

Safety 9.2 Excellent Safety

Service 8.2 Cabin crew & ground

Value 8.1 Fare vs product

Star rating 4★ FlightLogic tier

Rating basis Editorial FlightLogic methodology

Score breakdown

Customer Service

8.2

Seat Comfort

7.9

Food & Beverage

8.3

In-Flight Entertainment

7.6

On-Time Performance

8.0

Value for Money

8.1

Key facts

Hub: Madrid Barajas (MAD) & Barcelona (BCN)
Alliance: oneworld
Founded: 1927
Fleet: 130 aircraft
Region: europe
IATA / ICAO: IB / IBE

Passenger policies

Cabin baggage	Included — standard carry-on allowance applies
Checked baggage	1×23 kg long-haul economy; 2×32 kg business
In-flight Wi-Fi	Paid Wi-Fi or messaging packages
Economy seat pitch	31–32"
Lounge access	Iberia Dali VIP Lounge MAD; oneworld Emerald/Sapphire
Changes & refunds	Flex fares allow changes; Basic restricted
Loyalty programme	Iberia Plus (Avios)

Strengths

Madrid hub 7.9/10 with Dali VIP Lounge 8.3/10
Iberia Plus shares Avios with BA and Aer Lingus
Dense Latin America network from MAD Terminal 4S

Weaknesses

Short-haul product is basic on older A320s
MAD terminal transfers for some oneworld connections

Awards & recognition

oneworld member
Best hub for UK–Latin America via Madrid

FAQ

Which is better — British Airways or Iberia?

Iberia scores higher on FlightLogic at 8.0/10 vs 7.7/10 for British Airways. Policy comparison below covers cabin baggage, checked bags, Wi-Fi, and seat pitch.

Does British Airways or Iberia include a carry-on bag?

British Airways: Included. Iberia: Included.

Which has free Wi-Fi — British Airways or Iberia?

British Airways: Paid. Iberia: Paid.

Does British Airways include checked baggage?

British Airways checked baggage: Not on Basic; 1×23 kg on standard long-haul.

Does Iberia include checked baggage?

Iberia checked baggage: 1×23 kg long-haul economy; 2×32 kg business.