Spain’s Iberia will launch service to Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) in December and become part of the British Airways (BA)-Qatar Airways joint venture (JV).

BA and Qatar Airways in May 2020 began coordinating services on routes between Australia, Europe and the UK, operating a JV approved by regulators in the relevant countries. In 2022, the agreement expanded by 42 countries, and the carriers say the JV now covers more than 60 countries.

From Dec. 11, Iberia will open daily flights between its Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) hub and DOH. The service will be operated with an Airbus A330-200 configured to carry 288 passengers. Qatar Airways already serves Madrid and will fly the DOH-MAD route 2X-daily as part of the agreement.

BA, Iberia and Qatar Airways are all Oneworld members. Iberia and BA are owned by International Airlines Group, in which Qatar Airways holds a 25% stake. 

“Passengers will be able to connect to more than 200 destinations through the three global airlines,” the carriers say in a joint statement, noting the JV will provide “connectivity between the Iberian Peninsula and key markets in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.” 

The carriers add that passengers “from across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia can enjoy seamless travel to Madrid, Lisbon, Ibiza, Malaga, Gran Canaria and tens of other destinations across Spain and Portugal.”

Iberia CEO Fernando Candela says: “We are really excited about the launch of our Madrid-Doha route. Through [JV] hubs in London and Doha, we are building the much-desired bridge between Spain and more than 200 destinations in Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and Africa, and offering new opportunities for travelers in both directions.”