New IB oneworld emerald lounge due to open in MAD

[chitown_boy]

Thought i’d shared some news i’ve been following over at FT. For those for have passed through MAD T4 in the past year you would’ve noticed the renos. A new OWE IB lounge is due to be open in T4 next to the Dalí lounge, which will be great as the food options are pretty sad over there. Apparently in addition to better food and drinks they’ll be a jamón slicing station

Sadly i’ll miss the opening as the opening has been pushed back to June ‘26 and my planned flight for this lounge is May

The floor plan is quite small for ~150 and for Schengen flights (there are reports you can try your luck here before a non-Schengen flight over at T4S), but may be risky with the new EES system, it’s somewhat of a schlep over and the Valásquez lounge there is passable (shame the dining room doesn’t open earlier for the north america day flights, it only opens apparently for the evening south america flights)

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/iberia-iberia-club/2206511-madrid-barajas-t4-new-emerald-lounge-2026-a-3.html

 

[SYD]

Sounds likes it’s only Domestic / Schengen zone flights.

Something over at T4S for non-Schengen would be well over due. The lounges there are better but still nothing for OWE…

We’re flying out in September. Maybe something then!

 

[chitown_boy]

Sounds likes it’s only Domestic / Schengen zone flights.

Something over at T4S for non-Schengen would be well over due. The lounges there are better but still nothing for OWE…

We’re flying out in September. Maybe something then!

Yeh it was difficult to actually book a flight from Madrid to try out the lounge, I normally prefer a Renfe/Iryo/Ouigo train for domestic and/or SNCF from BCN to France and beyond.. ..But you can’t train it to Gran Canaria!

It’s better than a poke in the eye though - slightly off topic but MAD is still better than BCN….ooof BCN lounges are probably the worst lounges i’ve been to at any major non-LCC European airport. I’ve rerouted my EK flights back from BCN to avoid the ME via LHR in JUL and AUG so I can get a CX F lounge pallate cleanse before QF2 back home

 

[SYD]

Yeh it was difficult to actually book a flight from Madrid to try out the lounge, I normally prefer a Renfe/Iryo/Ouigo train for domestic and/or SNCF from BCN to France and beyond.. ..But you can’t train it to Gran Canaria!

It’s better than a poke in the eye though - slightly off topic but MAD is still better than BCN….ooof BCN lounges are probably the worst lounges i’ve been to at any major non-LCC European airport. I’ve rerouted my EK flights back from BCN to avoid the ME via LHR in JUL and AUG so I can get a CX F lounge pallate cleanse before QF2 back home

Actually, we flew out of BCN on QR J Jan 2025 and the lounge was quite ok.

Yes, it’s bizarre they don’t have some dedicated alliance lounges (and it’s been like that for several decades) but some airports are like that…

 

[RooFlyer]

Yeh it was difficult to actually book a flight from Madrid to try out the lounge, I normally prefer a Renfe/Iryo/Ouigo train for domestic and/or SNCF from BCN to France and beyond.. ..But you can’t train it to Gran Canaria!

I took Iberia Express to Las Palmas a few days ago - the IB lounge MAD T4 was 'OK....' (see current trip report).

 

[SYD]

I took Iberia Express to Las Palmas a few days ago - the IB lounge MAD T4 was 'OK....' (see current trip report).

The T4S (non-Schengen) lounge is probably better from memory but no dedicated OWE lounge - for now.

 

[chitown_boy]

I took Iberia Express to Las Palmas a few days ago - the IB lounge MAD T4 was 'OK....' (see current trip report).

Ah I was referring to my upcoming trip to try the new OWE lounge when it opens because the T4 IB one is quite meh

 

[moa999]

So is this actually Oneworld lounge or just an IB lounge named "Emerald" that effectively makes the Dali lounge a Business/Sapphire lounge with this higher lounge reserved for Emeralds.

In T4S Vasquez you do have the dining section, but it's only open at night for the mostly South American departures, and strictly for J pax.

 

[SYD]

We’re flying out of MAD in Sep (dual bookings on QR and CX at the moment!) but might take a look on our way to T4S - time permitting.

 

[chitown_boy]

So is this actually Oneworld lounge or just an IB lounge named "Emerald" that effectively makes the Dali lounge a Business/Sapphire lounge with this higher lounge reserved for Emeralds.

In T4S Vasquez you do have the dining section, but it's only open at night for the mostly South American departures, and strictly for J pax.

Marketed as OWE lounge

 

[chitown_boy]

We’re flying out of MAD in Sep (dual bookings on QR and CX at the moment!) but might take a look on our way to T4S - time permitting.

I fully appreciate this is scarcely helpful, I thought I took photos of the hot buffet from the Valásquez lounge but it appears I only took a photo of my hangover cure - spanish salchichas / chorizo and self mixed tinto de verano lol

the lounge gets VERY full for all the daytime departures, took me ages to find a seat (unless you want to sit in the windowless dining room - which is open but no table service until the evening as Moa999 said)

 

[SYD]

I fully appreciate this is scarcely helpful, I thought I took photos of the hot buffet from the Valásquez lounge but it appears I only took a photo of my hangover cure - spanish salchichas / chorizo and self mixed tinto de verano lol

the lounge gets VERY full for all the daytime departures, took me ages to find a seat (unless you want to sit in the windowless dining room - which is open but no table service until the evening as Moa999 said)

View attachment 502868

I’ve been to both a couple of times. Fortunately they’ve never been particularly busy - must have been lucky!

I think they still have the secret door to immigration and boarding - which is good.