Information on Air Europa Flights

If you frequently travel between Spain and Latin America, you may already be familiar with Air Europa’s extensive routes between the two continents. Otherwise, you may just know it as one of Europe’s top choices for lower fares. Either way, these expert tips will help enhance your experience the next time you take one of Air Europa’s 200 daily flights.

Lower fares on Air Europa

Europe is home to many more airlines than the US or even all of North America. This greater level of competition means there are more carriers offering lower fares. If you compare European flights to North American ones, this tends to be true across the board, but Air Europa fares are often even cheaper than the majority of other European airlines too.

Despite this, Air Europa is not classed as a budget airline, which means it still offers all the amenities of a full-service carrier. For example, you’ll be able to recline your seat and will receive complimentary beverage service and snacks or meals, depending on the length of your flight. But the Madrid-based carrier does offset lower fares with fewer bells and whistles, so it’s important to keep your expectations in check.

I tend to use Air Europa primarily for shorter flights around Europe, but I’ve also flown long-haul on the airline when saving on my air budget was especially important. On this occasion, I flew in the economy cabin and found it similar to economy cabins on other major carriers, such as Delta, American, and United.

Upgraded fare options on Air Europa

Air Europa offers Business Class fares for extra comfort and a touch of luxury in a dedicated cabin, and these Business fares tend to be less expensive than other airlines’ premium cabins. Because the added comforts and upgraded touches are not quite as luxurious as you might be accustomed to on other airlines, I recommend skipping this upgrade and spending a little extra for the airline’s Flex Fare.

Flex Fare allows you to reserve your desired seat in other cabins for free (particularly great if you’re traveling with a family). It also comes with perks like a complimentary checked bag and free reservation changes. While it doesn’t upgrade your seat assignment like a business class fare, it’s an inexpensive way to improve your overall experience on a lower fare airline and make your journey smoother.

On some long-haul flights, Air Europa also offers a mid-level fare class called Premium. This is similar to many domestic first-class cabins on US airlines, including wide, comfortable seats that recline far but don’t lie flat. It also comes with an enhanced meal service.

If you find available seats in this cabin at a cost that doesn’t stretch your budget, it can be worth purchasing these for longer flights. However, I wouldn’t seek it out or change my budget for it. If the price difference between Economy and Premium on your flight is steep, I recommend sticking to Economy and looking instead for an XL Seat upgrade.

Air Europa allows you to reserve emergency exit seats or XL seats with similar added legroom for a much smaller fee. This bit of extra space alone can significantly improve your longer-haul flight experience and doesn’t cost much. Because many emergency exit rows recline less, or not at all, I opt for XL seats instead.

While I have never done this, Air Europa also offers the option to reserve either one or two extra seats to guarantee an empty middle or even an entire row. You can only do this by calling the airline directly, but it could be worth the extra fares if you’re booking during a major sale. Your total may still be lower than a single seat on another airline, and you’ll at least double your space.

Air Europa loyalty program

While I don’t often recommend that US-based flyers dedicate their loyalty to international programs that are likely to offer fewer benefits and rewards, there is a potential exception here. Because Air Europa is so well connected throughout Europe and Latin America, it may be worth joining their Suma loyalty program if you’ll be based in Spain for an extended period or plan to take many of their flights.

Suma’s first elite level, Silver, is relatively easy to reach with just 14 flights and 18,000 miles flown, and it comes with immediate cost savings. Suma Silver members automatically receive a free extra checked bag and free seat reservations, adding up to instant savings. With Silver, you’ll also get priority boarding – but it’s the cash savings that are really worthwhile here.

There are two additional levels of Suma’s elite status: Gold and Platinum. As usual, these come with enhanced upgrades and perks from lounge access to fast-track lanes at some security checkpoints. These are also easier to obtain than on many major US airlines, but as you’ll already clear the cost savings at the Silver level, there’s no reason to engage in status races for more elite levels here.

Family-friendly check-in on Air Europa

At Air Europa’s hub airports, including Madrid (MAD) and Barcelona (BCN), the family-friendly airline often offers dedicated check-in lanes for those traveling with small children. This gets kids through the process more quickly and with less aggravation, and also allows dedicated agents to assist with any family-specific concerns.

This is not just a perk for families though. Expediting families through dedicated lanes takes larger groups out of the general check-in line, reducing wait times and potentially creating a calmer atmosphere by not exposing small children to long waits in boring lines. This thoughtful gesture is a bonus for all passengers.

I also love that Air Europa is one of the increasing number of airlines that offers kid-friendly meals on long-hauls. These are typically simple foods that children are more likely to eat, saving families the need to pack excess snacks and pre-packaged meals in their carry-on. Just be sure to reserve these in advance if you want one.

Wi-Fi on Air Europa

While free Wi-Fi is becoming standard from major US carriers, it’s not yet the norm across Europe, especially on lower fare airlines like Air Europa. Air Europa does offer Wi-Fi, but you’ll need to purchase a pass to use it during your flight.

If you only need an hour of email access or messaging, you can score a low-cost pass for a short period, but full-flight passes can be on the expensive side. As a bonus for Business Class customers, these fares include free Wi-Fi as one of the perks of flying Air Europa’s most premium offering.

Air Europa alliance

Air Europa is a member of SkyTeam, which is helmed in the US by Delta Airlines. In Europe, its other major members are Air France and KLM, offering Air Europa easy access to countless codeshares across the continent. If you’re looking for SkyTeam loyalty benefits through Air Europa, you’ll need to reach its Gold level for SkyTeam Elite Plus recognition, bringing the most alliance-wide benefits.

If you’re following my advice and remaining loyal to Air Europa’s Suma program while based in Spain for a period, you shouldn’t worry about reaching Gold for this Elite Plus ranking on SkyTeam. You’ll already receive most perks by flying directly with Air Europa during your time here, so don’t stress about this added recognition.

If you’re only flying Air Europa occasionally though, I advise devoting your official loyalty to a more major alliance member like Delta. You’ll still accrue toward Delta’s status with your Air Europa flights and be able to use advanced status levels for SkyTeam benefits on Air Europa and other partners, but your rewards and benefits will be more widely applicable to the global network’s offerings.

Air Europa pet policy

Air Europa allows dogs and cats to fly in the cabin with you. Your small pet will need to fit in a carrier that can slide under the seat in front of you, and exact measurements will be determined by the type of plane you’re boarding. For this and other reasons, I always advise calling the airline before booking your ticket to ensure your specific flight can accommodate your pet.

There are two other important considerations to keep in mind if you want to travel with a furry friend. Destinations have their own requirements for pet entry and it’s not the airline’s responsibility to confirm you’re in compliance (though they often try to check), so do your research. Just because your pet boards the flight doesn’t mean it will automatically be allowed into your destination country.

Additionally, because there is no under-seat space for a pet carrier, pets are not permitted in Business Class on long-haul flights or any short- or medium-haul flight on a Boeing 787. In this case, your only option is to check your pet as cargo but plan ahead. This requires a different carrier and some other considerations, so check with the airline in advance and be sure you’re complying.