Iberia Celebrates 70 Years in the Sky With Sinatra Tribute On Madrid to new York Flight

Published on August 5, 2024

Iberia celebrates 70 years of its Madrid-New York route with a special in-flight performance of “New York, New York” by Andrés Iwasaki on flight IB 6251.

Iberia proudly celebrates 70 years of its Madrid to New York route. To commemorate this milestone, passengers on flight IB 6251, the first flight of the day, were treated to a live performance of “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra, sung by Andrés Iwasaki, a member of Iberia’s long-haul cabin crew, aboard the Airbus A350.

Inaugural Flight in the 1950s

Iberia commenced flights between Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 1954, 27 years after the airline’s inception. The initial flights were operated with Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation aircraft, accommodating 74 passengers: 19 in first class and 55 in economy.

The maiden flight on August 3, 1954, faced weather delays and took 15 hours to complete. The Super Constellation, known for its speed and range—550 km/h and 8,300 km respectively—enabled Iberia to launch transatlantic services, surpassing the capabilities of the earlier DC-4s.

Initially, Iberia offered three flights per week. Today, the airline operates two daily flights between Madrid and New York, utilizing its modern Airbus A350s and A330s. The route has seen tremendous growth; within the first five months in 1954, nearly 2,000 passengers were served. By the following year, this number rose to 7,300, and by 1979, over 2.2 million passengers had traveled this route.

In 2024, Iberia is expected to offer nearly 435,000 seats on the Madrid-New York route, reflecting its enduring popularity. Spain remains a top destination for American travelers, with 2 million visitors in 2022, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

Additional US Destinations

Beyond the Madrid-New York route, Iberia serves seven other destinations in the United States:

• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)