[Expired] [Award Alert] Wide-Open Business Class Availability to Spain From 45k Miles

Want to redeem your points and miles to get to Europe in lie-flat seats? Want a wide-open range of dates that you could book?

Starting at just 45,000 miles per person, you can fly from multiple U.S. cities to Spain’s capital. Here’s what we’re seeing from December 2024 to September 2025.

Award Deal — Details

These flights are operated by Oneworld airlines, including American Airlines and Iberia. If you’re willing to add a connection, you also can find flights on British Airways, though those come with a massive increase in taxes and fees. The American and Iberia routes can get you to Madrid nonstop.

The best pricing on these awards comes from the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program, starting at 45,000 miles per person in business class — regardless of which airline you fly.

• Class: Business
• Route: Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), or New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD)
• Cost: 45,000 miles and $19 in taxes and fees
• Travel Dates: December 2024 to September 2025
• Award Seats: Up to 9 passengers per route in business or 9 passengers in economy

If you’re flying from Dallas-Fort Worth or further west, you’re better off booking through American Airlines AAdvantage at 57,500 miles per person, as Alaska’s pricing will be higher for these longer distances. From the East Coast, 55,000 miles per person is standard, though you can get that down to 45k on the shortest distances, such as flights from Boston (BOS).

How To Book

Numerous dates are available, and you can use the Alaska Airlines award calendar to find them quickly.

It’s also possible to use a tool like Seats.aero to see options from multiple airports at once.

If you need more Alaska Airlines miles, you can earn them with a business or personal credit card, transfers from Bilt Rewards, or from Marriott Bonvoy.

If you’re booking through American AAdvantage, you still can transfer points from Marriott. You also can earn American Airlines miles in other ways, such as dining out, shopping online, or through multiple credit cards.

It’s also possible to book directly with Iberia Plus. If you can find off-peak dates, you can fly between Madrid and the East Coast for as few as 34,000 Avios per person in business class. It’s one of the best award sweet spots in existence. However, it can be tough to find these awards. On peak dates, you’ll pay 50,000 Avios for the same flight out of Boston — the same flight Alaska Airlines is charging 45,000 miles for.

You can transfer points to Iberia from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, as well as Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio. You also can transfer Avios between Iberia, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and Finnair — freely and instantly at a 1:1 ratio.

You can transfer

Final Thoughts

Flying over the ocean in business class is more comfortable and can help you arrive feeling more rested. If the fantastic museums, nigh life, and restaurants of Madrid are calling your name, there’s a great amount of award availability with Oneworld from late 2024 through early fall in 2025.