Currently a business class ticket to Madrid is as low as 45,000 points economy travelers can get even cheaper. Below you will find all you need to know to book it.

The point-to-Spain travel dream has been in the making for American travellers for a long time and for a fleeting, glorious time, it may be closer than ever before. Currently, flights operated by Iberia and American Airlines have an award availability window open and business class seats are available from 45,000 points one way. For the economy traveler: the deal is even sweeter, some dates start at only 22,500 points.

The catch? These rates require Atmos Rewards Alaska Airlines' loyalty program registration. You'll need to be swift about this either because award seats do not stay around or because you don't want to miss out on them.

The thing is, what does the deal actually look like?

Let's look at the details, as the figures here are just staggering particularly for summer journeys, when the time of year and the airfares are generally the most expensive.

Award Snapshot:

• Iberia & American Airlines runs the airport.
• Take advantage of throughAlaska's Atmos Rewards program.
• Economy (one way)From 22,500 points + $18
• Business class (one way)From 45,000 points + $18
• From RouteBOS, ORD, JFK, PHL, IAD to MAD.
• Travel windowJuly 2026 – March 2027.
• Suitable for:4-year-old and older.

The best of the best rates are available out of Boston, where nonstop business class awards start at 45,000 points and $18.10 in taxes and fees. Well, that's just about no out-of-pocket expense to cross the Atlantic on a flat-bed seat. There are also options available from Washington D.C., Chicago, New York or Philadelphia but prices begin a little higher in those cities, at approximately 55,000 points on specific dates.

There are dates confirmed scattered throughout the peak months of July and August, making this one of the most competitive redemptions away from the UK that we have seen this summer in a long time, "Scattered availability is confirmed across peak July and August dates which makes this one of the most competitive summer redemptions to Europe we've seen in a while.

If you're interested in looking up best dates for more than one gateway at a time, a service such as Seats.aero makes searching a breeze: It displays availability for a variety of routes and dates in one shot, where you wouldn't have to log in to the airline's website each day.

What is the easiest way to get points in Alaska Atmos?What is the best way to get points on Alaska Atmos?

But if you don't have any Alaska Atmos points saved up, you're not in any trouble. You can load up your balance in a few different ways in order to book:

• You can apply for an Alaska Airlines credit card, and you'll earn Atmos points for normal spending, as well as a welcome bonus enough to cover a one-way economy award all on its own.
• They have one of the cleanest transfer partnerships in the loyalty world and transfer points at a 1:1 ratio with Bilt Rewards.
• Swap Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 exchange rate (less efficient, but help is needed if you have a significant balance at Marriott).
• Get through the Atmos Rewards shopping portals, dining partners and other Oneworld airline partners of Alaska.

You can also use AAdvantage miles to fly with American Airlines, although typically this will be more expensive. If you have AAdvantage accounts, you can now load Citi ThankYou Points and Bilt Rewards directly into AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio, affording you more flexibility when you're transferring points to AAdvantage.

This is why this deal is so special

Context matters here. The offer, which is up to 20% off the new Avios redemption rates on most transatlantic flights, is even more significant since the Avios rates were recently increased on most of their transatlantic routes. It's a very high cost to fly business class to Europe at 45k points per leg right now, particularly in July and August when award availability and prices are generally low.

A 22,500-point single ticket is indeed a big deal for the economy traveler. That's a rate that you'd expect on a domestic route, not a trans-Atlantic flight.

Worth booking now

These are great at the reduced rates and spaces fill up quickly around peak summer dates. If the July/August window of time is available for you, reserve a spot now especially when traveling during busy times, seats are confirmed but limited.

The Bottom Line

Spain ticks all the boxes: international cuisine, beautiful beaches, architecture that has been built over centuries and a lifestyle that makes you question why you ever rushed. It's one of the better award opportunities in recent memory, and you can achieve this summer with a flat-bed business class seat and only 45,000 points and $18 in fees.

The book is available from this summer until March 2027, so there's some flexibility in the timing. However, the prized seats at the lowest rates, on the most popular days, will sell out quickly. Should Spain be in your list, this is your cue to put the waiting to an end.