Air Europa Business Class Review from Madrid to Amsterdam on the 787-9
Flying a widebody Dreamliner on a short intra-European hop is always a unique experience, and Air Europa is one of the few airlines that deploys its Boeing 787 on the Madrid–Amsterdam route. On this flight, I had the chance to try their long-haul Business Class product — usually reserved for routes to Latin America — on a journey of just 2.5 hours.
In this trip report, I’ll take you through the full experience from Madrid to Amsterdam, including:
- Departure from Madrid-Barajas Airport & lounge access
- Boarding the Dreamliner at MAD
- A detailed look at the Business Class seat & cabin
- In-flight breakfast and service
- Flight experience and arrival into Amsterdam
If you’re curious about Air Europa Business Class, or want to know what it’s like flying a Dreamliner on a short European sector, this review covers it all.
Flight details:
- Flight number: UX1091
- Date: May 21, 2024
- Route: Madrid (MAD) → Amsterdam (AMS)
- Departure: 07:05 local time
- Arrival: 09:40 local time
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Class: Business Class
- Seat: 3A
- Price paid: $270 USD
- Frequent flyer program: SkyTeam / Air Europa SUMA
Madrid Airport (MAD)
I arrived at Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) early in the morning, ready for my 07:05 departure to Amsterdam. Air Europa operates from Terminal 2, which feels noticeably older and less polished compared to the stunning Terminal 4 used by Iberia. While perfectly functional, T2 doesn’t have the same architectural beauty or spacious design — instead, it feels more like a traditional, slightly dated European terminal.
The early morning rush meant the terminal was busy, but check-in for Business Class was fast and efficient. Security lines were reasonable at this hour, and within a few minutes I was airside. Compared to Iberia’s T4, facilities here are more limited, with fewer shops and restaurants — so it’s best to head directly to the lounge if you have access.
Puerta de Alcalá Lounge
Since Air Europa doesn’t operate its own lounges, Business Class passengers on Schengen flights are directed to the Puerta de Alcalá Lounge in Terminal 2. This lounge is also accessible to various credit card holders, which can make it extremely crowded — especially in the early morning when passengers from overnight long-haul arrivals connect through Madrid.
I arrived around 05:30 am, only to find a 15-minute wait just to get in. Once inside, the situation didn’t improve much. The lounge was completely packed, with no available seating, leaving many passengers standing or walking around looking for space.
The design and furniture felt tired and outdated, a stark contrast to Iberia’s bright and modern lounges in Terminal 4. Food and drink offerings were minimal, with a few pastries, packaged snacks, and basic coffee — not the premium experience you’d hope for when flying Business Class.
Overall, the Puerta de Alcalá Lounge was underwhelming and overcrowded, and honestly not worth arriving early for. If you’re flying Air Europa out of Madrid’s Schengen area, it might be better to grab a coffee landside and head to the gate instead.
Boarding Air Europa’s 787-9
Boarding for flight UX1091 to Amsterdam began on time at E gates in Terminal 2. The walk from the lounge was fairly short, but the gate area itself was organized, with a separate priority lane for Business Class and elite SkyTeam passengers.
Stepping onto the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner felt like a real treat for such a short European hop. Normally deployed on Air Europa’s long-haul routes to Latin America, seeing this widebody assigned to Madrid–Amsterdam made the journey feel extra special.
The cabin was configured in 2–2–2 Business Class, which means not all seats have direct aisle access. While this setup isn’t as private as the 1–2–1 layouts found on newer aircraft, the widebody cabin still felt spacious, with high ceilings, large dimmable windows, and calming LED mood lighting.
For a short 2.5-hour flight, the cabin felt almost excessive — a huge step up from the standard narrowbody aircraft usually found on European routes.
The crew welcomed passengers warmly, and water or juice was offered as welcome drink — a nice touch before takeoff.
Air Europa 787 Business Class Seat & Entertainment
I was seated in 3A, a window seat in the forward Business Class cabin. The 2–2–2 configuration means that if you’re in a window seat like me, you have to step over your neighbor to reach the aisle — not ideal on long-haul flights, but manageable on this short hop.
The seat itself was spacious with decent legroom and a full recline into a flatbed, designed for overnight flights across the Atlantic. However, I found the cushioning very firm and the seat quite narrow, which would make sleeping on a long flight difficult. For today’s short morning flight to Amsterdam, it felt comfortable enough, but compared to competitors, Air Europa’s older Business Class seats are not the most comfortable for long-haul rest.
Each seat came with a large personal entertainment screen, USB and power outlets, and simple storage options. The inflight entertainment system offered a variety of movies, TV shows, and music in both Spanish and English. While I didn’t watch much on such a short flight, the selection seemed solid.
As always on the Dreamliner, the large dimmable windows and mood lighting gave the cabin a modern and relaxing feel. Despite the early hour, the sunrise glow through the windows really added to the atmosphere.
Food onboard
Despite the short flight time of just over two hours, Air Europa offered a proper hot breakfast in Business Class. The meal was presented in small ceramic-style dishes, which gave it a more premium feel compared to the cardboard boxes served by KLM for example.
The main dish consisted of scrambled eggs with chicken and vegetables, accompanied by a warm pastry, fresh bread, and a small yoghurt. For such an early morning flight, it was a well-balanced and satisfying breakfast, both in terms of portion size and quality.
The crew came around offering coffee, tea, and juice several times during the service. While the presentation wasn’t as polished as what you’d expect on Air France or Iberia, I found it above expectations for a short intra-European flight.
Overall, the catering on this leg was one of the stronger points of Air Europa’s Business Class, and certainly made the early wake-up call a little more enjoyable.
Flying from Madrid to Amsterdam
Our Dreamliner departed from a remote stand at Madrid-Barajas T2, which meant boarding by bus and walking up to the aircraft — always a treat for aviation enthusiasts. Since the stand was angled, the 787 didn’t even require a pushback truck; we simply powered out and began our taxi.
The taxi to Runway 36R was long, taking us across much of the airport. About 20 minutes behind schedule, we finally lined up and smoothly lifted into the morning sky. After climbing through a few layers of cloud, the flight quickly settled into cruise.
Breakfast was served as we entered French airspace near Bordeaux, a fitting way to start the day. From there, the routing was a straight track northwards, overflying Paris before beginning descent into the Netherlands.
The approach into Amsterdam was calm and scenic, with clear spring skies and sunshine greeting us on arrival. We touched down ahead of schedule, capping off a smooth and pleasant short-haul experience on the Dreamliner.
Final Verdict – Air Europa 787 Business Class (MAD → AMS)
Flying Air Europa’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner on a short European hop is a treat in itself. Compared to the standard narrowbody aircraft that dominate these routes, the widebody cabin, flatbed seats, and upgraded meal service make the experience far more enjoyable. For the $270 USD fare I paid, it felt like excellent value.
On a route like Madrid–Amsterdam, I would easily pick Air Europa over KLM — the 787 is simply a more comfortable ride than KLM’s short-haul 737s, with more space and a quieter, smoother cabin.
That said, when comparing Air Europa’s 787 Business Class to other long-haul carriers, the product does fall short. The 2–2–2 seating, limited lounge offering, and food service — while decent — don’t quite match the standard set by rivals like Iberia, Air France, or KLM on intercontinental flights.
Still, for a quick intra-European journey, Air Europa’s Dreamliner Business Class is one of the more unique and comfortable options you can book. Just don’t expect it to be competitive with the very best long-haul premium cabins.
