Iberia's Record Latin America Summer Schedule: What It Means for UK Avios Collectors

Iberia has just announced its most ambitious Latin America schedule yet for summer 2026, and this is excellent news for UK-based Avios collectors. The Spanish carrier will offer over 3.3 million seats across the region—a 7.6% increase compared to last summer—with significant capacity boosts to some of the most sought-after destinations in South and Central America.

As an IAG airline alongside British Airways, Iberia's expansion means more award availability for those of us collecting Avios. With flights bookable using the same points currency we earn through our BA Amex cards and everyday spending, this capacity increase could translate into better chances of snagging those elusive award seats to Buenos Aires, Rio, or the Caribbean.

Iberia will operate up to 366 weekly flights between Europe and Latin America this summer, connecting Madrid to 18 destinations across 16 countries. The airline is adding 236,000 additional seats compared to summer 2025, which is substantial growth in a market that's historically been competitive for award availability.

This expansion is part of Iberia's Flight Plan 2030, which involves adding new aircraft to the fleet—always a positive sign for us points collectors, as new aircraft typically mean more seats and potentially better availability across all cabin classes.

The star of Iberia's expansion is Argentina. Buenos Aires will become Iberia's first long-haul destination to exceed three daily flights, with 23 weekly frequencies during June, July and August (up from 21). That's nearly four flights per day during peak summer.

Iberia will offer 456,000 seats to Buenos Aires alone—a 12% increase. For context, that's more capacity than many airlines offer to entire regions. Buenos Aires has long been one of my bucket-list destinations (the steak, the tango, the architecture), and seeing this level of frequency is encouraging for award availability.

From a redemption perspective, BA off-peak business class to Buenos Aires via Madrid costs 80,000 Avios plus around £150 in taxes one-way. It's not the cheapest redemption in the Avios universe, but with this level of frequency, you've got a much better shot at finding availability when you actually want to travel. You can check current Avios pricing using our BA Avios calculator.

From 2 June 2026, Iberia will launch a brand new route between Madrid and Monterrey, Mexico's third-largest city. The route will operate three times weekly, adding 36,288 seats through the end of summer.

Monterrey isn't typically on most UK travellers' radar—it's an industrial city in northern Mexico—but it's actually a fascinating destination with excellent food, nearby natural parks, and a growing cultural scene. More importantly for us, new routes typically mean excellent award availability in the first few months as airlines try to build demand.

Mexico redemptions from London using BA Avios cost 30,000 off-peak or 35,000 peak in economy, and 90,000/100,000 in business class. Factor in connecting through Madrid, and you're looking at a two-stop journey, but if you've got the time and want to explore a less-touristy part of Mexico, this could be a winner.

Iberia's Brazil expansion is particularly noteworthy. The airline recently added Recife and Fortaleza to its network, and combined with increased Rio de Janeiro operations, they'll offer nearly 400,000 seats—15% more than last summer.

Brazil has always been a tricky redemption from the UK. BA's direct flights to Rio and São Paulo are heavily booked, and taxes on BA metal can be steep (£500+ in business class). Connecting via Madrid on Iberia might add time, but it could offer better availability and potentially lower taxes depending on the routing.

One-way business class to Brazil costs 100,000 Avios off-peak or 110,000 peak. Not cheap, but if you've been building your Avios balance through the best UK Avios credit cards, this expanded capacity could be your ticket to Carnival or the Amazon.

Caribbean destinations are seeing significant growth too. The Dominican Republic will see 21% more seat capacity, with frequencies increasing from 7-8 to 10-11 weekly flights. Puerto Rico jumps from 7-9 to 10-12 weekly frequencies.

These Caribbean routes are particularly attractive for Avios redemptions. At 30,000 Avios off-peak in economy or 90,000 in business class, they represent solid value—especially when you consider you're crossing the Atlantic. With this level of frequency increase, finding availability for winter sun escapes should become notably easier.

Santiago de Chile will see nearly 240,000 seats this summer—a 7% increase—thanks to 12 weekly frequencies (essentially two daily flights five days per week). While not as dramatic as the Argentina expansion, this is still meaningful growth on what's already a popular route.

More capacity generally equals better award availability—it's basic maths. When airlines add seats, they typically release more award space proportionally. However, don't expect this to be a magic bullet that suddenly makes peak summer business class wide open.

What I do expect to see:

Remember, you can book Iberia flights using BA Avios at the same rates as BA metal. The Award Travel Finder is excellent for searching Iberia availability alongside other oneworld partners, and Smart Redemptions can help you quickly see Avios requirements when searching on Google Flights.

This is genuinely positive news for the Avios ecosystem. Latin America has historically been challenging for award availability, particularly in premium cabins during peak travel periods. Having a major oneworld carrier significantly expand capacity gives us more options and potentially more flexible routing via Madrid.

Yes, connecting via Madrid adds time compared to BA's directs from London, but if it means the difference between using your hard-earned Avios or not, I'll take the connection. Plus, Iberia's business class product on their A350s is solid—lie-flat seats, decent food, and competitive service.

The Buenos Aires expansion particularly excites me. Four flights per day is serious frequency, and Argentina has been on my list for years. The combination of increased capacity and the country's current economic situation making it relatively affordable on the ground could make 2026 the year I finally tick it off.

If you're sitting on a pile of Avios and have been eyeing Latin America, I'd recommend setting up some award alerts now. Once this schedule goes live for booking (typically 11 months out), jump on it early for the best selection. The early bird really does get the business class seat to Buenos Aires.

If this announcement has you dreaming of South American adventures but your Avios balance is looking a bit thin, now's the time to strategise. The BA Amex Premium Plus card regularly offers welcome bonuses that could get you well on your way to a return trip to Buenos Aires in economy, while business card holders might want to look at the Amex Business Platinum or Capital on Tap for earning on business spend.

You can also keep an eye on Avios purchase promotions—both BA and Iberia periodically offer bonuses when buying points, though I generally only recommend this for topping up an existing balance for a specific redemption rather than speculatively buying points.

Iberia's expansion to Latin America represents one of the most significant capacity increases we've seen to the region in recent years. For UK-based Avios collectors, this is unequivocally good news—more flights mean more opportunities to use our points on routes that have historically been difficult to book.

Whether you're planning a tango adventure in Buenos Aires, carnival in Rio, beach time in the Dominican Republic, or exploring Mexico's industrial heartland in Monterrey, this summer's expanded schedule should give you better odds of making it happen with points.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some award availability to search and a Buenos Aires hotel guide to research. Those 23 weekly flights won't book themselves.

Safe travels,

Jack