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Iberia has brought back a deal that we saw earlier this year in which it’s selling gift cards with a 25% discount. As before, these gift cards can be used to make some truly fantastic savings on already discounted Business Class fares for travel from the US to Europe or from Europe to the US but there are a few things that you’ll need to know about this deal before you dive in.
Iberia’s Gift Card Sale
Through 2 May 2021, Iberia is running a promotion in which it’s selling gift cards with a discount of up to 25% and while this may appear to be the same promotion as we saw earlier in the year, in one very key way it’s significantly different.
First, a few key bits of information:
- Gift cards can be purchased in USD, Euro, or GBP so you should be covered whichever Iberia website you use and for whichever currency your fares are quoted.
- The gift cards are only valid for one year from the date of purchase.
- The gift cards can only be used to purchase flights operated by Iberia, Iberia Express, and Air Nostrum.
That last point is especially important because it means that you cannot book some of the non-stop American Airlines codeshares that may appear in your search results, and you cannot book flights with a connection in the US as the connecting flight will not be operated by Iberia.
Unlike the promotion we saw earlier in the year, this deal only offers a 25% discount on purchases of $500 gift cards (the discounts for buying lower denomination gift cards ranges from 10% to 20%) and, most importantly, if you try to buy a gift card costing more than $500, the discount offered is only 10%.
Because the Iberia website only allows you to use one gift card per transaction, this looks like it could be an issue…but it doesn’t have to be. Per Iberia, its website also allows users to combine gift cards (here)…
…so it should be possible to buy multiple $500 gift cards and combine them into one gift card before going on to use it to book whatever great fare you’ve found.
Make The Most Of This Deal
Not only is Iberia offering a great deal on gift cards right now, but it’s also offering some great Business Class deals for travel across the Atlantic (in both directions).
Currently, it’s possible to book an Iberia Business Class fare for travel between New York and Madrid in January next year for just $1,523 (using discounted gift cards this could cost as little as $1,142):
In September of this year, it’s possible to fly Iberia Business Class between Chicago and Madrid for $1,845 (using discounted gift cards this could cost as little as $1,391):
If you wish to fly in the other direction (Europe – USA), you’ll find Business Class fares from Madrid starting in the low $1,500’s and with some of the very best deals reserved for travel to the West Coast:
Booking this fare between Madrid and Los Angeles using discounted gift cards would see the cost drop to just $1,186.
Anyone concerned about leaving cash on a gift card that they then have no use for should only buy gift cards totaling a little under the cost of their intended booking. In the case of the Madrid – Los Angeles fare above, it should be possible to use 3 x $500 gift cards, 1 x $50 gift card, and a credit card to book the fare for a total cost of $1,201.85.
Not only would that give someone a truly fantastic deal but if they also used a credit card with good travel protections to pay the residual amount (e.g. an Amex Platinum Card), their trip would also be covered by the credit card’s insurances. That’s another nice bonus!
Bottom Line
Iberia is currently offering some great Business Class fares for travel between the US and Europe and it’s also offering a 25% discount on gift card sales. By combining the great Business Class fares with the gift card sale it’s possible to lock in some truly amazing deals for transatlantic travel into 2022.
Will you be buying Iberia gift cards in this sale?