Iberia, the Madrid-based flag carrier, will expand capacity between Spain and Brazil by a further 25 percent in 2026 after already adding 27 percent this year, corporate director Juan Cierco told Reuters. Two new routes—Madrid-Fortaleza and Madrid-Recife—plus daily Rio de Janeiro flights will be launched using the long-range Airbus A321XLR, of which Iberia is the launch customer.
The narrow-body jet’s extended range lets the airline serve secondary Brazilian cities more profitably than with wide-bodied A330s, opening fresh options for Spanish exporters and project teams operating in the North-East’s energy and agribusiness sectors.
![Iberia Plots 25 % Seat Growth to Brazil as A321XLR Unlocks New Routes]()
Travel managers welcome the improved connectivity, noting that one-stop routings via Lisbon or Paris add up to six hours. The extra seats should also ease fare pressure during Brazil’s booming trade-fair calendar. However, compliance teams must update Posted Worker notifications, as the new ports of entry require fresh social-security filings under bilateral accords.
Iberia’s move underscores a broader European push into Latin America: Air France-KLM and TAP have also announced capacity hikes amid an 18 percent jump in Brazil’s international traffic this year.
Negotiations with Brazilian airports include fast-track lanes for Schengen passport-holders, which could shorten connections for Spain-based multinational staff heading onward to Chile or Argentina.
The narrow-body jet’s extended range lets the airline serve secondary Brazilian cities more profitably than with wide-bodied A330s, opening fresh options for Spanish exporters and project teams operating in the North-East’s energy and agribusiness sectors.
Travel managers welcome the improved connectivity, noting that one-stop routings via Lisbon or Paris add up to six hours. The extra seats should also ease fare pressure during Brazil’s booming trade-fair calendar. However, compliance teams must update Posted Worker notifications, as the new ports of entry require fresh social-security filings under bilateral accords.
Iberia’s move underscores a broader European push into Latin America: Air France-KLM and TAP have also announced capacity hikes amid an 18 percent jump in Brazil’s international traffic this year.
Negotiations with Brazilian airports include fast-track lanes for Schengen passport-holders, which could shorten connections for Spain-based multinational staff heading onward to Chile or Argentina.
