USDOT Approves IAG’s LEVEL To Fly To The US: Codeshare With Iberia

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT)

has granted LEVEL an exemption to fly to the US and the ability to codeshare with Iberia on flights to the country, enabling the low-cost long-haul airline to kick-start its services across the Atlantic Ocean.

Approving flights to the US

In an order, the DOT approved LEVEL’s

request for an exemption to fly to the US in accordance with the US and European Union (EU), Iceland, and Norway Air Transport Agreement. However, the approval was granted with several conditions, including requiring the Spanish airline to provide evidence “that it holds a homeland license for that new service” unless it had already done so.

Other conditions include but are not limited to compliance with specific Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts and the mandate to contact the EU departure airport’s International Industry Representative (IIR) to affirm whether the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

has deemed the airport safe.

Considering that LEVEL will be based at Barcelona-El Prat Airport

(BCN), which has several year-round and seasonal services to the US, the latter condition should not be an issue.

However, if LEVEL wanted to fly to the US out of a non-EU country, the DOT would have to approve the operations beforehand.

The DOT concluded that in addition to the approval being in the public interest, the Spanish carrier is financially and operationally qualified to engage in flights between the EU and the US and meets the ownership requirements set out in the US-EU Air Transport Agreement.

“In view of the above, we find that grant of the requested exemption authority to LEVEL, as conditioned, for a two-year term, or until the requested permit authority becomes effective, whichever occurs earlier, is warranted.”

Applying for exemptions

In December 2024, LEVEL requested an exemption to operate flights to the US, including carrying passengers and cargo on regularly scheduled and charter services from any point within the EU to the US.

In addition, the Spanish airline asked the DOT to approve a codeshare agreement with Iberia

, enabling LEVEL to display the IB designator code on all of its flights operated to the US. Iberia also requested that LEVEL’s LL designator code be displayed on its flights from Europe to the US.

“LEVEL and Iberia request additional exemption authority to the extent necessary to allow them to collectively use the “LEVEL” trade name for a period of up to one year or until such time as all of the LEVEL-branded aircraft have migrated from Iberia’s AOC [air operator’s certificate – ed. note] to LEVEL’s AOC.”

At the time, the two airlines detailed that while LEVEL had its unique designator code, the airline has continued to work to establish its independent sales, marketing, and all other activities associated with its services as fast as possible.

“LEVEL and Iberia state that when holding out and marketing such flights in sales distribution channels, they will disclose the applicable marketing carrier, the operating carrier (Iberia), and that the flights are being operated for LEVEL.”

Initial codeshare destinations

In their application, Iberia and LEVEL, two now-independent Spanish airlines owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG),

also detailed their initial transatlantic codeshare routes from Barcelona and Madrid Barajas Airport

(MAD), including Iberia’s, which are displayed below.

Meanwhile, LEVEL’s codeshare network will only cover flights from Barcelona to Boston Logan International Airport

(BOS), Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport

(MIA), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL).

Ch-aviation data showed that in addition to its two owned Airbus A330-200s,

registered as EC-NRG and EC-NNH, LEVEL wet leases five A330-200 aircraft from Iberia.