Iberia plane. Credit: Instagram @iberia

Spanish airline Iberia has announced major changes to its frequent flyer programme, which will take effect from April 1, 2025.

The revamped programme, now called Club Iberia Plus, will move towards a spending-based points system rather than calculating points based on distance travelled.

This shift follows a similar move by British Airways in December 2024, though BA later amended parts of its scheme after facing criticism. Both airlines are part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), alongside Aer Lingus and LEVEL.

Club Iberia Plus: Earning points based on spending

Under the new system, Iberia Plus members will earn 1 Elite Point for every euro spent on airfares, additional services like seat selection and priority boarding, and purchases from brands associated with the programme. Passengers purchasing Óptima, Confort, or Flexible fares will receive extra points per flight segment based on route and cabin class.

Iberia claims this approach is “a fairer and more transparent way of rewarding our most loyal customers.” Beatriz Guillén, Iberia’s Director of Global Sales and Loyalty, stated, “Including the possibility of accumulating Elite Points with our main airline and non-airline partners undoubtedly strengthens our network and offers our customers more and better benefits.”

Club Iberia Plus will introduce a fifth membership tier: Platinum Prime, which comes with greater benefits, including more Avios points accumulation, additional free cabin upgrades, and exclusive redemption campaigns.

Platinum Prime status can only be achieved by spending a specific amount of money, whereas the standard Platinum level can still be earned through flight numbers. Both Platinum and Platinum Prime correspond to Oneworld Emerald status.

Additionally, Iberia will lower the number of required flights per year to attain Silver (Plata) and Gold (Oro) membership.

No changes to Iberia’s Avios system

The way Avios, the programme’s rewards currency, is earned and spent remains unchanged. Customers can continue accumulating Avios when flying with Iberia, partner airlines, and affiliated businesses such as hotels, car rental companies, and credit cards. These points can then be redeemed for flights, accommodation, car rentals, and leisure activities.

For expats who frequently travel within Europe or between Spain and other destinations, these changes could be beneficial if they spend more on flights and additional services rather than relying on long-distance travel. Those who often book Iberia’s higher-tier fares will also see faster status progression.

However, those accustomed to earning status through mileage rather than spending might need to rethink their strategy under the new system.

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