The birth of Iberia
Marisa Cannon looks back at the history of the Spanish flag carrier, launched nine decades ago
This year marks 90 years since Iberia made its first commercial flight. On December 14, 1927, the Spanish airline made its inaugural journey from Madrid to Barcelona using a three-engine Rohrbach Roland with a top speed of 205km/h. Attended by two crew, the aircraft was able to hold ten passengers seated on woven wicker armchairs.
The airline’s first routes served the Iberian Peninsula and popular holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands and the North African coast, only launching flights to Europe some 12 years later with its Madrid-Lisbon service in 1939. This was followed shortly afterwards by London, Paris and Rome, and later the airline’s first transatlantic route, to Buenos Aires, in 1945.
In 1961, Iberia unveiled its first set of four-engine DC-8s, considered the “kings of long distance” and capable of speeds of 966km/h. These served popular long-haul routes including Buenos Aires, Caracas, Havana, New York and San Juan in Puerto Rico.
In 2011, the carrier merged with BA and formed parent company IAG, which now also manages Aer Lingus, Vueling and new low-cost carrier Level. Today, Iberia flies to 120 destinations in 45 countries, offering access to 150 countries through the Oneworld alliance.