After years of rumours and “maybe next year” speculation, Iberia is finally putting Toronto (YYZ) on the map.
Starting June 13, 2026, the Spanish flag carrier will launch non-stop flights between Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Madrid (MAD), operated five times weekly and timed nicely for both Canadian leisure travellers and onward connections across Spain, Europe, and beyond.
The route is part of Iberia’s Flight Plan 2030 growth strategy, which includes a planned €6 billion investment and an expansion of its long-haul fleet from 45 to 70 aircraft over the next decade. Toronto will become Iberia’s 49th destination in its network, and its only point in Canada.
It’s a welcome addition to Toronto’s nonstop options to Europe, and more importantly, another way to put Avios to work.
Toronto (YYZ) to Madrid (MAD) on the A321XLR
Iberia’s new service will operate five weekly during the summer season on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with the following schedule:
- IB367: Madrid (MAD) 12:00 p.m. → Toronto (YYZ) 3:00 p.m.
- IB368: Toronto (YYZ) 5:10 p.m. → Madrid (MAD) 6:55 a.m. (+1 day)
The flight is blocked at around 9 hours westbound and 8 hours 45 minutes eastbound, covering roughly 3,774 miles each way.
Iberia will deploy its Airbus A321XLR, configured with:
- 182 seats total
- 14 lie-flat business class seats
- 168 economy seats
The A321XLR is Iberia’s new long-range narrow-body workhorse, featuring Airbus’s Airspace cabin with larger overhead bins, modern lighting, and updated interiors. It’s designed to give widebody-like range with single-aisle economics – which airlines love, even if some passengers still side-eye a narrow-body for an overnight Atlantic crossing.
Iberia expects to offer around 37,000 seats between Madrid and Toronto over the first summer season, which is a meaningful but modest capacity increase compared to widebody operations.
Iberia has also announced it will roll out free, high-speed Wi-Fi powered by Starlink starting in 2026. Once available on the A321XLR to this route, passengers can look forward to in flight connectivity fast enough for streaming and work.
Redeeming Avios on Iberia’s Toronto–Madrid Flights
The flights are already loaded into Iberia’s system, and initial economy award pricing out of Toronto (YYZ) is showing 25,000 Avios or 31,500 Avios one-way with taxes and fees from about $112.43 USD.
That’s a bit higher than Iberia’s lowest published rates on this route’s distance band, where Economy Basic awards start as low as 16,000 Avios off-peak and 19,500 Avios on peak dates. Early signs suggest we’re either seeing dynamic pricing or that true “saver” inventory simply hasn’t been loaded yet.
Historically, comparable routes – such as Iberia’s A321XLR service from Washington Dulles – have priced lower at off-peak, saver levels, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Toronto eventually align with those bands once the dust settles.
A few practical notes for booking with Avios:
- Book via Iberia Plus where possible for lower surcharges compared to British Airways Executive Club on Iberia metal.
- Iberia Plus awards on Iberia flights can be changed or cancelled (for a fee) up to 24 hours before departure; within 24 hours, changes and refunds are not allowed.
If you’re flexible with dates, it’s worth monitoring the calendar for when 16,000 Avios off-peak pricing becomes available. And even if 25,000 or 31,500 Avios is the best you can do in the short term, it’s still a fair deal for a transatlantic nonstop, especially if you’re leveraging a transfer bonus.
How to Earn Avios
The happy part of this announcement is that Avios are very easy to earn, and you get several levers to play with:
- RBC Avion: Avion points transfer 1:1 to British Airways Avios, and you can then move Avios between BA, Iberia, and other Avios “flavours.” Currently, there’s a 30% transfer bonus from RBC Avion to British Airways Avios, which can meaningfully lower your effective cost for these flights if you lock in early.
- American Express Membership Rewards: Amex MR also transfers to Avios, providing another flexible source of points you can direct toward Iberia, British Airways, or Qatar Airways.
- Hotel points: Marriott Bonvoy remains a last resort, with 60,000 Bonvoy points converting to 25,000 Avios, but you’ll definitely get better value using bank currencies first.
Stack those sources, and a round-trip economy redemption (or even business in the future) to Madrid on Iberia from Toronto can be very achievable – especially if you catch a transfer bonus window like the one currently available with RBC.
Conclusion
Iberia’s new Toronto (YYZ) – Madrid (MAD) service launching June 13, 2026, adds another useful nonstop route to Europe for Canadians on the Airbus A321XLR.
With five weekly flights, award availability already loaded, and seamless connectivity into Iberia’s broader network, it’s a smart expansion that fits neatly into the airline’s Flight Plan 2030 and the oneworld transatlantic partnership.
If you’ve been stockpiling Avios, or thinking about getting started, the timing couldn’t be better. With the ongoing 30% Avion to Avios transfer bonus, it’s easy to lock in a great deal to Spain.
