Iberia, the flag carrier airline of Spain, will start new, nonstop service between Dulles and Madrid, Spain, in June, the first non-U.S. airline to begin service at Dulles since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Iberia service to Adolfo Suárez Madrid—Barajas Airport will begin June 1, with four flights per week. Iberia will operate Airbus A330 aircraft on the route.
Iberia had originally intended to begin flying from Dulles in 2020, but the service was delayed indefinitely because of the pandemic.
“Iberia is an iconic international brand that will serve to further diversify Dulles International Airport’s legacy of offering unparalleled connectivity from the National Capital Region to Europe and beyond,” said Carl Schultz, acting vice president of airline business development for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
International routes have surpassed pre-pandemic levels at Dulles International. Iberia joins 31 other airlines offering more than 70 daily flights to 57 nonstop international destinations this summer from Dulles.
Several other international airlines that suspended Dulles service at the onset of the pandemic have resumed those flights since.
Among new international destinations Dulles has gained are Amman, Athens, Barbados, Berlin, Lagos and Santo Domingo.
Dulles had 15.01 million passengers in 2021, a 45% increase over 2020. But its 2021 passenger count was still down nearly 40% compared to the 24.8 million passengers in 2019.
