Spanish airline Iberia has announced a significant expansion of its flight operations to Brazil, by announcing it will increase seat capacity on routes to the South American country by 25% in the first half of next year.
The move sees the Spanish flag carrier continue to strengthen connectivity in Latin America, particularly in Brazil – the country that recorded the largest capacity increase across the airline’s long-haul network in 2025. During this period, Iberia offered more than 591,000 seats, a 27% increase compared to 2024, well above the growth achieved by other carriers operating on this route.
In the first half of 2026, Iberia will offer 72,000 additional seats compared to the same period in 2025, reaching a total of 365,000 seats.
The announcement was made by Iberia’s CEO, Marco Sansavini, during the official opening of Espacio Iberia, which will remain open until November 30 in one of São Paulo’s most exclusive locations: Rua Óscar Freire 777.
As much as 80% of the additional capacity Iberia will offer in the first half of 2026 comes from the new routes launching between December and January, doubling the number of Iberia destinations in Brazil.
The first flight to Recife will depart from Madrid on December 13, operating three times per week. Fortaleza will follow on January 19, also with three weekly frequencies. Both routes are expected to carry up to 56,000 passengers in the first six months of 2026.
These routes will operate year-round, not seasonally, reinforcing Iberia’s commitment to the Brazilian market and connectivity between the two countries.
In total, seat availability in Brazil will increase by 72,000. By route: São Paulo will maintain 221,000 seats, the same as in 2025 after increasing to two daily flights; Rio de Janeiro will offer over 70,000 seats, up 9%, with five weekly frequencies and the introduction of the Airbus A350 during the summer months; Recife and Fortaleza will add 27,000 seats in the first half of the year.
In addition to these four direct destinations, Iberia maintains codeshare agreements with LATAM and an interline agreement with GOL, providing access to up to 50 domestic destinations within Brazil.
