LEVEL is IAG’s long-haul airline based in Barcelona that does something unusual for a budget carrier: it flies wide-body Airbus A330-200s on long-haul routes. Based in Spain and connecting Barcelona with seven destinations in the Americas (Boston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile), LEVEL blends the affordability you’d expect from a low-cost airline with the comfort of a two-aisle aircraft.
I find the A330-200 a comfortable ride for long distances, especially compared to the single-aisle Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s most budget airlines use.
Classes and services
With 314 seats split between two cabin classes and a fleet of seven of these aircraft, you get more space without the cramped feeling that comes with narrow-body jets on flights to New York or Buenos Aires.
The airline keeps it simple with two main classes: Premium Cabin and Economy. Within those, you’ll find different seat types that bundle in perks. Premium Cabin offers a more spacious configuration than Economy.
Premium Cabin
LEVEL’s Premium Cabin is comparable to premium economy on major airlines, with priority boarding, dedicated restrooms and seats that recline with adjustable headrests and footrests. You’ll also get a blanket, pillow and headphones.
The cabin splits into XL Premium (front row bulkhead seats) and standard Premium (rows two and three). In my experience, XL Premium is worth it if you want maximum legroom and the quickest exit upon landing. The tradeoff? You’ll need to store your TV screen during takeoff and landing, and you can’t keep personal items under your seat.
Standard Premium seats offer the same service as XL Premium without the bulkhead constraints. If you’re traveling with a partner, I’d choose seats on either side of the fuselage for the two-seat configuration.
Economy Cabin
Economy Cabin splits into four seat types, all with the same baseline features: reclining seats, adjustable headrests, USB and AC power, and 9” TV screens. The difference is location and legroom.
XL Economy sits at the front with 20% more legroom than other economy seats. Top seats occupy a separate section if you want distance from the main cabin. Front Rows get you off shortly after Premium Class, while Standard seats fill the back of the plane. Most of the cabin uses a 2-4-2 configuration, though rows 39 through 42 switch to 2-3-2.
Long-haul flights
LEVEL operates exclusively long-haul routes from Barcelona to destinations like Boston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and Santiago. While LEVEL started as a commercial brand operated by Iberia and recently obtained its own Air Operator Certificate, it maintains close ties with the IAG group at budget prices.
You won’t get lie-flat business class seats or lounge access like you would on Iberia. But in my experience, LEVEL’s been a solid carrier for cheap premium economy fares often considerably cheaper than other major airlines. You can book through Iberia’s website, where LEVEL-operated flights show up with a notation like “Flights operated by Iberia for LEVEL.”
In-flight dining
LEVEL serves a selection of entrees, snacks, and drinks, with the menu changing depending on your route. True to its Spanish roots, you can even find tapas dishes like Spanish omelets. You’ll often find Spanish dishes among the rotating menu options, which you can buy a la carte or as a combo.
Here’s a great perk for a budget carrier: If you book a Comfort, Extra, or Premium bundle, your ticket includes a meal (starter and dessert), drinks (including wine or beer) and tea or coffee. On flights longer than 10 hours, like to Buenos Aires or Los Angeles, you’ll also get a mid-flight snack.
Wi-Fi and entertainment
LEVEL offers free Wi-Fi messaging during your flight. If you need full internet access, you’ll buy a timed data pack. The airline offers various packages with data caps, including an unlimited time option with a 400 MB maximum.
In my experience, the Wi-Fi stays reliable throughout the flight. Just make sure you’ve turned off auto downloads and skip any major work projects. You don’t want to burn through your data allowance halfway to Buenos Aires.
Fare classes
LEVEL keeps costs low through unbundled fares. You’ll pay separately for extras across five fare classes, though meals are included with Comfort, Extra and Premium fares.
Light
Light is the baseline option: a seat and one piece of hand luggage up to 10 kg. I’ve found Light fares tolerable if you keep expectations low, skip ordering food and travel without checked bags. Comfort adds an onboard meal to that baseline, which is the main difference between the two lowest tiers.
Comfort
Comfort offers slightly more benefits than Light, namely, an onboard meal.
Extra
Extra is the middle-of-the-road option. It doesn’t have all the perks of the premium fares, but it includes one free date change and the ability to select your seat.
Premium Comfort
This is LEVEL’s second-highest fare. You’ll get hand luggage, one 23 kg checked bag, food and drinks included. You will have to pay a fee if you need to change your ticket, though, unless you purchase a Flexible Ticket add-on.
Premium Extra
If you want the best experience on LEVEL, this is it. Premium Extra is the top-tier fare, letting you check two 23 kg bags, bring a carry-on and enjoy one free date change. Priority boarding and seat selection depend on which Premium seat type you choose.
Rewards program
LEVEL doesn’t have its own rewards program, but you can earn Avios through Iberia Plus by adding your card number when booking or at check-in. The earning rate depends on your ticket cost and Iberia status level.
New flyers start at Iberia Plus Clásica, earning 5 Avios per Euro spent on the net fare (excluding taxes and fees) for applicable LEVEL flights booked with an IB code. A €400 net fare would net you 2,000 Avios. In my experience, Avios are among the more valuable airline miles because you can use them for economy and business class on British Airways, Iberia and Qatar Airways.
Baggage
No matter which ticket you choose, LEVEL allows you to bring one carry-on item and one personal item (that fits under your seat). If you want to keep costs low, I suggest only bringing the essentials and leaving bulky items at home.
LEVEL allows you to pay for checked bags, however, these can add up in price, especially if you’re checking multiple items. You’ll pay the least amount of money for smaller bags. Bags up to 50 lbs are included in Comfort, Extra, Premium Comfort, and Premium Extra fares.
I’ve found that checking my bag ahead of time has saved me upwards of 50%. That’s because LEVEL has different pricing tiers for checked baggage at booking, post-booking and at the airport.
Airline Partners
LEVEL partners with a handful of other airlines, which is great for connecting flights. LEVEL partners with other airlines for connecting flights, including a codeshare arrangement with Alaska Airlines for U.S. West Coast connectivity, announced jointly with Iberia.
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.
