Air Europa, an airline headquartered in Mallorca, Spain, serves the US with flights to Europe from New York, Boston, Las Vegas, and Miami. Within Europe, Air Europa covers destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.
While I initially wasn’t familiar with the airline, a business class trip to Madrid several years ago helped me realize that they’re particularly convenient when flying to the Mediterranean, thanks to the airline’s strong presence there. This guide draws on my personal experiences of flying with Air Europa and covers everything from the airline’s fare classes and check-in procedures to its change and cancellation policies and loyalty program, SUMA.
Fare classes
Air Europa offers three main fare categories: Economy (Lite, Standard and Flex), Premium (on select routes) and Business Class (Standard and Flex). While I generally prefer business class when I can swing it, Economy Flex has become my go-to on Air Europa for its flexibility and value.
Economy Lite is the most basic Air Europa ticket, including a 10 kg carry-on and under-the-seat bag. You can add checked bags for a fee, but here’s where it gets interesting.
If you’re going with Economy Lite and need to check bags, I recommend booking them online when you purchase your ticket to avoid any last-minute surprises at the airport.
Economy Standard includes one 23 kg checked bag right off the bat.
My personal pick in this cabin is Economy Flex. It lets you make changes without a penalty and get a refund for a small fee. It also lets you choose a preferred seat. I’ve found this flexibility to be invaluable on trips, so having that option available is the way to go.
Moving up to Business Cabin Standard, you can bring three cabin items (two carry-ons totaling 14 kg plus an under-seat bag) and two checked bags at 32 kg each. A perk I love is that Wi-Fi is included, which is perfect for folks like me who need to get some work done at 30,000 feet. Business Cabin flyers also get VIP lounge access and Fast Track boarding.
If you want the whole package, Business Cabin Flex gives you all the same features plus the ability to get a full refund without penalty if you cancel before your flight. It’s real peace of mind.
In-flight experience
The Air Europa in-flight entertainment lets you stream movies directly to your mobile device through their Onboard Streaming Entertainment system (availability varies by aircraft and route), which has been incredibly useful on longer flights. Pro tip: always make sure your device is fully charged before boarding. Investing in a power bank can be a game-changer in this regard.
Air Europa seats vary by fare class. Economy and premium offer standard sizing with adjustable headrests, while XL seats give you increased pitch for longer flights. Business class has more space if you want to really stretch out.
In my experience, spending the extra money and upgrading to an XL seat can help make your flight much more enjoyable, thanks to the added legroom. I also like Air Europa’s system that allows you to bid on seat upgrades, when available, meaning you can potentially score a business class seat for a reduced price.
All passengers get access to Wi-Fi on most long-haul and select short/medium-haul flights, with different packages available depending on your needs. I usually have to do some work while traveling, so having fast and reliable Wi-Fi is a must. Air Europa certainly delivers on that.
On transatlantic flights, economy passengers get a meal service. In premium and business, you get two meal services. If you have dietary restrictions, they offer a variety of special meals (diabetic, gluten-free, vegan, you name it) and even have kids’ meals available.
Check-in process
Air Europa offers check-in via their mobile app or at kiosks in the airport terminal.
You can check into an Air Europa flight up to 48 hours before departure, except for those flying to the US, where check-in opens 24 hours in advance. Keep in mind that online check-in is not available for passengers who have special requirements, unaccompanied children, passengers traveling with animals in the cabin, or flights operated by other companies.
Change & cancellation policies
Air Europa change and refund policies vary by fare family. Standard fares allow changes with a penalty, while Flex fares let you change without penalty. Refunds, however, are generally only available for those who bought a Flex ticket, even in business class. This is another big reason I usually opt for one of the Flex fares.
Economy Flex and Premium Flex passengers will incur a small fee for requesting a refund, while Business Flex offers a refund before your flight at no additional cost. As a travel writer, I’m always hopping on and off planes, and plans can often change at a moment’s notice, so Flex fares are the only way to have peace of mind when preparing for a trip.
Air Europa’s SUMA Program
Air Europa’s loyalty program, SUMA, allows flyers to earn and redeem miles for flights, upgrades and other perks. If you are a frequent traveler I suggest checking the program in depth.
The program is free to join and has four tiers: SUMA (base), SUMA Silver, SUMA Gold, and SUMA Platinum. As you accumulate Level Miles (earned exclusively through flying with Air Europa and SkyTeam partners), you’ll move up and unlock increasingly valuable perks like bonus miles, priority boarding and lounge access.
SUMA Silver gets you perks like priority boarding, one free additional checked bag, free standard seat selection within 48 hours of your flight and check-in at Business Class desks.
The really good stuff like VIP lounge access (on international flights or connecting to/from them) and priority baggage collection kicks in at SUMA Gold. When you reach SUMA Gold, you’ll also gain SkyTeam Elite Plus status, giving you benefits across the entire alliance network.
Level miles can be earned through flights, credit card purchases, and partnering with retailers. I find that redeeming miles with Air Europa is easy – I can do so through their website when I book my flights, upgrade my seat or shop for products from Air Europa partners.
What’s more, I didn’t have to wait as long as I thought I would to enjoy the benefits of the loyalty program. Air Europa makes achieving upper status a breeze compared to many other airlines. Of course, the more flights you take, the more level miles you will earn, but I still managed to rack mine up much quicker than expected.
Air Europa partnerships
Air Europa is a member of SkyTeam, which allows you to share loyalty benefits with other SkyTeam partners like Delta or Air France-KLM. Being a Delta loyalist myself, this partnership enables me to earn Delta SkyMiles while flying Air Europa, making Air Europa one of my top choices when traveling to Spain.
Pet policy
If you’re like me and love traveling with your pet, you’ll be happy to know that Air Europa allows dogs and cats onboard their cabins without the need to stick them down in the cargo hold (something I definitely don’t want to do). It’s worth noting, however, that they are not permitted in business class cabins.
There are a few rules to follow. Your pet and its carrier can’t weigh more than 10 kg (22 pounds) combined, they must be at least three months old, and they need to have all their vaccinations. Luckily, my Pekingese met all the requirements. With many airlines making it tougher to fly with pets, the Air Europa policy is a welcome relief.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
