Why Air Europa's economy product should not be forgotten

B737 MAX 8

On the London Gatwick to Madrid (LGW–MAD) sector, Air Europa operates the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in a standard 3–3 configuration.

Seats are typical Recaro slimline seats, similar to those of many hybrid and low-cost carriers in Europe. Comfort is as expected for a short European hop, with a seat pitch of around 30 inch and width of 17 but, there’s no seat recline.

The seat itself features a tray table, movable armrests, and USB A and USB C charging ports. Wi Fi is not offered on the 737 MAX, which is disappointing for an airline that positions itself as a hybrid carrier.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

On the long-haul Buenos Aires to Madrid (EZE–MAD) sector operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, seats are arranged in a standard 3–3–3 configuration. Comfort is broadly acceptable, with 31 inches of pitch and 17.1 inches of width. The seats feature adjustable headrests that move up and down and fold in at the sides to provide some extra support when resting. Recline is available and provides a reasonable level of comfort on overnight journeys.

All seats, including front-row XL seats, are equipped with a universal power socket and USB-A ports.

The cabin itself looks smart and well-kept, with Air Europa’s brand colours carried throughout the interior. While generally clean, a little more attention could be paid to the windows, and there are signs of wear on high-touch areas such as the Dreamliner window shade buttons, which appear worn from regular use.

Customer service across both flights was a real highlight of the experience.

On both sectors, the crew were friendly, professional, and spoke excellent English, enabling multilingual communication.

All cabin crew members were genuinely warm, friendly, and engaging, creating a welcoming atmosphere throughout the cabin. Interactions felt natural rather than scripted, with plenty of smiles and personable moments with passengers.

Nothing seemed to be too much trouble for the crew. Requests were handled quickly and happily, and the cabin crew was consistently visible throughout the flight, regularly walking through the cabin and checking on passengers. On a long overnight flight, that kind of presence makes a big difference.

Overall, the service felt genuinely caring rather than simply procedural, and it left a very positive impression.

Air Europa provides complimentary meals on its long-haul flights, which is a welcome inclusion for a hybrid airline. On European short-haul flights, a buy-on-board service is offered, including adequately priced soft, hot, and alcoholic beverages, sandwiches, snacks, and hot meals. Air Europa’s full Bistro Menu can be found here.

On long-haul sectors, passengers are offered a choice between pasta or chicken for the main meal. The chicken option selected was surprisingly good, with a pleasant flavour and good texture. For a hybrid airline, the overall quality exceeds expectations.

The dulce de leche cake dessert was particularly enjoyable and easily the highlight of the meal.

The meal is served with warm bread and butter, though it’s slightly surprising that there isn’t a small starter or salad included, which would increase passenger satisfaction with minimal cost to the airline. One positive detail is that all cutlery and packaging are sustainable and biodegradable, which is a positive, environmentally conscious touch.

Pre-arrival snack

About two hours before arrival, a light breakfast is served, consisting of a muffin and drinks such as tea and coffee. The muffin is decent enough, though fairly basic. The coffee, however, is disappointing, quite bitter, and not particularly hot.

Alongside the complimentary meal service, Air Europa also offers a buy-on-board menu on long-haul flights, with menus available in the seat pocket and through the Wi-Fi portal. Passengers receive one complimentary beverage with their main meal; additional drinks (excluding water) and snacks must be purchased.

On the 787-9, passengers have access to personal inflight entertainment screens. For XL seats, the screen is stored in the armrest and folds out after take-off.

The content selection is solid, though not especially extensive. Movies are organised by genre, including Spanish cinema, recent releases, action, drama, romance, thrillers, sci-fi, and award-winning titles. At the time of the flight, newer additions included films such as Weapons, Zootopia 2, Superman, and F1: The Movie.

Television options are fairly decent, with a mix of international series, including HBO Max titles such as Big Little Lies. Find the airline’s full inflight entertainment library here.

Beyond films and TV, the system also offers music libraries, games, children’s entertainment, and a wellness section designed to help passengers relax or sleep during the flight. There are also a number of practical features, including a moving flight map, destination weather information, duty-free browsing, airline history content, and the ability to bookmark content to return to later.

One slightly unusual aspect of the service is that headphones are not complimentary. Shortly after departure, the crew moves through the cabin, offering them for sale for around €3. This feels a little inconsistent considering the airline provides complimentary meals on long-haul flights and most carriers include headphones as standard.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the flight, though pricing feels somewhat steep. Messaging access costs €10, while basic browsing rises to €25, and the top-tier €35 package still does not allow video streaming.

In terms of comfort items, blankets are placed on most seats before boarding, although they are not provided on emergency exit row seats, meaning passengers seated there need to ask the crew if they would like one. The blanket quality is acceptable for an economy product, though the pillow is noticeably smaller than those offered by many other long-haul airlines.

Washrooms are fairly basic, with five available for 307 economy passengers, equating to roughly one lavatory per 61 passengers. They offer hand soap but few additional amenities, though they remained clean and well-maintained throughout the flight, with crew frequently seen cleaning them between uses.

Air Europa is based at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, operating flights across Europe and linking them with its long-haul network to South America through its hub in Madrid.

However, connecting through Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at the airport isn’t the easiest or most stress-free experience. The terminals feel dated in places, and the layout can be confusing, especially for passengers connecting between flights.

Signage inside the airport is not particularly clear, especially when trying to locate Terminal 1 connections. The small security checkpoint used for transferring passengers is not well signposted, and several passengers appeared unsure where to go.

The arrival experience could also be improved. After landing from the overnight flight from Argentina, the aircraft parked at a remote stand at the Schengen terminal. This meant passengers had to disembark using stairs and then take a bus to the terminal. While remote stands are sometimes unavoidable, it’s not the most comfortable way to arrive after an 11-hour overnight flight.

Air Europa positions itself as a hybrid airline, blending elements of both full-service and low-cost carriers. That approach is clear in the onboard experience. Passengers benefit from complimentary meals and water on long-haul routes, but certain extras, such as headphones and additional drinks, are available for purchase.

Overall, the experience strikes a good balance. The cabin environment is pleasant, the food is better than expected in places, and the crew service stands out as one of the strongest parts of the journey. While a few small details could be improved, particularly around complimentary items and cabin wear, Air Europa delivers a solid and comfortable long-haul economy experience.

Airline Ratings recommends Air Europa as a cost-effective option when travelling, especially on longer flights to South America.