Spain's Iberia set to launch new flight routes to US and Canada

Spanish airline Iberia said Wednesday it plans to expand its fleet of long-haul planes from 45 to 70, enabling it to increase flight frequencies and add new destinations to its route map, mostly in North and South America.

The new planes will help turn Madrid's Barajas airport "into a major European hub and enhance Spain's global connectivity", Iberia CEO Marco Sansavini said in a statement.

Iberia plans to grow its network with new routes from Madrid to Toronto, Canada's largest city, as well as to Philadelphia and Orlando in the United States, Monterrey in northern Mexico and Recife and Fortaleza in Brazil.

Iberia is also analysing other locations in the Americas "with potential to increase frequencies," including San Juan (Puerto Rico), San Francisco (USA), Santo Domingo, Caracas, Guayaquil, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo.

It also intends to renew its short- and medium-haul fleet, replacing nearly all older-generation aircraft with more efficient and less polluting Airbus A320 and A321neo models.

The plane purchases are part of Iberia's new strategic plan for the coming years, which also includes building a new premium lounge at Madrid airport and increased use of AI to improve customer service.

Iberia plans to invest €6 billion ($6.9 billion) as part of the plan.

IAG, owner of Iberia and British Airways, announced in May a multi-billion-dollar order for Boeing and Airbus planes for delivery from 2028 to 2033.

In 2024, the company's full-year net profit hit €2.7 billion, an increase of three percent compared with a year earlier.

With additional reporting by Alex Dunham, The Local Spain's Editor.