Lie-flat seats and 1-2-1 rows: the 'Secret Business Class' for flying from Europe to America at Economy prices (and it's not a hoax)
To New York round trip with lie-flat seats and 1-2-1 cabin for 900 euros? Or to Los Angeles (always [...]
Oneworld
To New York round trip with lie-flat seats and 1-2-1 cabin for 900 euros? Or to Los Angeles (also round trip) for 1,100 euros? No, these are not the 'one-off' offers from those sites or blogs that scoop up business class deals. Nor the so-called 'error fares', i.e., fares accidentally posted by airlines.
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They are, however, the prices on the website of Level, the Spanish airline owned by Iberia that operates from Barcelona airport With a fleet of Airbus seven A330-200s to North America (Boston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles and only in the Summer also San Francisco) and South America (Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile).
Level offers on board its two-class aircraft Premium Economy and Economy. Four of those A330s have the premium cabin configured with a classic 2-3-2 and a pitch (the distance between rows) of 37 inches (94cm). And a fifth has file 2-2-2, a pitch of as much as 51 inches (130cm) and 'angle flat' seats (i.e., beds that are not completely horizontal), which is already an outstanding Premium Economy product.
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During 2024, however, the carrier took two ex-Virgin Australia A330-200s into the fleet, equipped with a 20-seat front cabin in a 1-2-1 row configuration and lie-flat seats. That is, a 100% Business Class product. Which by the way is also sold as Premium Economy. And at prices we found out to be Economy, in some cases (Level is a low-cost).
Taking a look at Flightradar24, one of the two planes over the past week has rotated twice between Barcelona and New York (JFK), twice between Barcelona and Boston, twice between Barcelona and Los Angeles, and once between Barcelona and Miami.
The other, three times between Barcelona and Buenos Aires, twice between Barcelona and New York, and once between Barcelona and Miami.
The Flight Club scrolled through Level's website a bit, to discover that between Barcelona and New York (and in the opposite direction) the Spanish airline has tickets that in Premium Economy start at less than 450 euros one way to New York and around 550 euros one way to Los Angeles.
This is if you choose the 'Light' tariff, which still guarantees Dedicated check-in desks, priority boarding, the ability to carry a 10kg carry-on luggage in the cabin in addition to a purse or backpack, and amenity kit on board.
Doing the math, that's 900 euros round trip on JFK and 1,100 euros (round trip) on LAX, i.e. prices that other airlines charge in peak season to fly to the same cities in Economy.
Seat selection is separate, but costs only 30 euros (50 if you want the front row), while fast track and lounge access is not included (not even if you choose the other two rates 'Comfort' and 'Extra') Because this, formally, is not a business class. And, not being a Business, not even the food & beverage will be at the level of those du a Business. But the cabin, seat and screen of the IFE (18-inch) are from real Business.
Very good, but one wonders: how do I 'catch' one of the two 'right' planes, that is, the ones with lie-flat seats? Simple: after identifying the date(s) with the lowest rates, just simulate a reservation until you get to the 'choose your seat' step, when the seat map opens and you can see whether or not the cabin is the 'right' one.
The risk of machine change (i.e., that, on the day of travel, the 'right' A330 is replaced for maintenance or schedule reasons with one of the others) exists, of course. But it is a risk that can be taken, considering that the 'Light' fares charged by Level are more than competitive even for a 'normal' Premium Economy. Plus, as the company is owned by Iberia and International Airlines Group (IAG), by flying you can earn Avios.
