Do an online search for “best airlines you’ve never heard of” and you’ll be presented with a list of strange names referring to defunct or obscure carriers. Japan’s Vanilla Air ring a bell? It merged with the equally tasty-sounding Peach Aviation. Or how about Air Nostrum, a large regional line in Spain, or Pegasus Air out of Türkiye?
These days, amid a sea of household names (the Uniteds, Deltas, and Lufthansas of the world), taking a chance on a lesser-known airline may seem risky, but could save you considerably if you do some adequate research on the carrier and if you like the idea of snagging a reasonably priced business-class ticket on an international flight.
Case in point: last August, after a series of fruitless searches through the usual channels like Google Flights and Kayak, I managed to score two business-class tickets from New York to Madrid for a trip in early September, at half the price I found on other carriers. The catch: it was with an airline I’d barely heard of—Air Europa.
Calling Air Europa a low-profile airline would be an understatement. It didn’t appear high up in my flight searches online although it was one of the few nonstop options. And when I mentioned my plans to friends and colleagues, their reaction was, “Air who?”
There’s a simple reason for Air Europa’s obscurity. The under-the-radar airline only flies to two cities in North America, with daily flights to Miami and to New York, where frequencies vary depending on season (with fewer flights in winter). But Air Europa is hardly a scrappy startup—it’s been in business for four decades and is the third largest carrier in Spain after Iberia and Vueling. It’s also a code-share partner with Delta and a member of the Sky Team alliance. And recently it was in the news when Turkish Airlines bought a stake in the company; it also recently placed a large order for the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 jetliners.
Most of its long-distance flights are to South America from Spain.
I found the deal using Point.me, the airline award search engine that can help you get the best value for your mileage balances, and forked over 80,000 points—the equivalent of around $800, based on points value calculations—per one-way ticket in business class. If I’d bought it directly from Air Europa and paid cash, fares ranged from $1,500 per ticket, with restrictions, to $1,900 with full refundability. For comparison’s sake, the other airlines’ flights to Spain were starting at $2,700 one-way in business, and up to more than $4,000.
My ticket involved several transactions: first, signing up with Point.me (some basic functions are free of charge and paid membership, starts at $10.75 a month), then inputting an itinerary which brought me a raft of options. Air Europa was the clear winner. It had two nighttime flights out of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) nonstop to Madrid for the dates I requested, and operated on a 787 Dreamliner jet at lower prices than Iberia, American, or other carriers. But to get the deal, I had to transfer my Amex points to Etihad Airways’ Loyalty Program, which, after several phone calls, were converted to Air Europa currency, after which I was able to confirm my seat in the front of the plane.
Admittedly, I initially had some buyer’s remorse after reading some scathing reviews of the airline on some travelers’ forums like Skytrax and TripAdvisor, most citing unexplained delays and rude service. Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised by what turned out to be a stress-free, comfortable trip that would stack up well against most of the other business classes I’ve experienced over the Atlantic.
Review of flying Air Europa in business class
Air Europa’s business-class cabin features standard lie-flat seats.
Courtesy of Air Europa
At the airport
Check-in at JFK’s Terminal 4 was a breeze. Despite the late hour (the flight was scheduled to depart at 12:40 a.m.), the airport was busy, but we had a separate check-in and access to a priority lane for security. Air Europa business-class fliers have included entry to Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse, a favorite among savvy fliers for its hip décor and amenities, which include a full meal served at your seats (my husband and I had a venison burger and duck tostadas, washed down with a crisp Pinot Noir.) There’s a wide choice of signature cocktails and other libations and if you have time to kill, a pool table as well.
In the air
The flight was just under seven hours, and my main priority was to hit the sack right after takeoff. A flight attendant greeted me with a glass of bubbly and some mixed nuts, and a half hour later I was tucked in under a blanket—fully reclined, the seat is six and a half feet long, and at 20 inches wide, it didn’t feel cramped. Once my head hit the pillow, I was out cold until we were approaching Madrid. Although I’d dozed through the beginning of breakfast service, a solicitous crewmember brought me coffee, a ham and cheese frittata and fruit salad. That plus a well stocked amenities kit (with moisturizer, toothbrush, and comb) left me feeling ready to face the day.
The business-class seats (configured in a 2-2-2 layout on my flight) have screens that range between 16 and 18 inches with headphones provided; there are USB outlets for charging laptops and smartphones; a reading light; and a pull-out table.
After landing, we were first to disembark the plane and got through entry formalities without a hitch. When we got to the baggage carousel, our luggage, which was tagged “priority,” was already there.
The bottom line
So, is it worth chasing down a hidden gem like Air Europa when it’s simpler (and in some instances more reliable) to go with a known quantity? Airfare experts, such as View from the Wing founder Gary Leff, say you can sometimes save 25 percent or more by booking with these under-the-radar carriers, versus a Premium Economy or business-class ticket on a mainstream airline.
But, as he noted, some caveats apply: they don’t have big loyalty programs, so you won’t necessarily always earn or burn miles (though look for point transfer and code share opportunities), and routes and frequencies can vary by season. Also, with smaller fleets, if a flight is scrubbed you may get stuck at the airport. And sometimes customer service is uneven.
But, said Leff, “if you are looking for the most premium experience you will [need to pay] the premium price.” For the price sensitive customer who just cares about getting a flat seat, flying an off-brand carrier “is certainly better than sitting in coach even on the best airline,” he said.
Other international under-the-radar airlines worth looking into
When it comes to Air Europa alternatives, there are the budget stalwarts with a decent premium class. Icelandair, the original backpackers’ shuttle across the pond, has a well-priced Saga Premium class but without fully flat seats. There’s also Aer Lingus and TAP Air Portugal, with a proper business-class product worth keeping in mind plus well-placed connecting hubs in Dublin and Lisbon, respectively. Turkish Airlines is also known for its deals in business class via Istanbul.
But those are fairly well-know. Smaller airlines offering a real business product across the pond include La Compagnie, the French all-business class carrier with flights to Paris, Nice, and Milan from Newark (here’s our review from a few years back); and Germany’s Condor, recognizable for its brightly-striped planes, which recently added business-class seats.