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In teasing what's to come in the latter half of 2027 for its cabin redesign, Iberia has opened its newest lounge at Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) Terminal 4, and it is gorgeous. But the new Iberia first-class lounge is not just visually stunning — it's also exclusive to Iberia's most premium flyers.
The airline is billing this new opening as a first-class lounge — even though Iberia does not currently operate any aircraft with a first-class cabin. Here's a quick preview of Iberia's new first class lounge and how to access it.
Iberia Opens New Emerald Lounge Sorolla
The new Iberia first class lounge is intended to be a more curated space than its two sister business class lounges, Dali and Velazquez Premium Lounges, which are also located in Terminal 4. The Emerald Lounge Sorolla, named after another famous modern portrait artist, Joaquin Sorolla, caps its occupancy at just 180 passengers and is just over 8,600 sq ft.
It officially opened its doors today, September 10, 2026, so eligible travelers can now access it when transiting through Madrid. The lounge's focal point is a 360-degree circular bar where you can enjoy drinks and coffee from a barista at any time of the day. Offerings include everything from cocktails and wines to champagne and specialty coffees.
The food highlights Iberian produce and Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine, from tapas to ham and other typical delicacies that rotate throughout the day. The food will be provided by Do&Co, which already partners with the airline to cater its onboard meals.
Besides the usual lounging areas with different seating options for solo travelers and families, the Sorolla lounge has showers for passengers to freshen up before continuing their journeys, as well as rest suites where they can nap.
Iberia's new first-class lounge design is modern and open-concept, using colors evocative of the company identity, including burgundy shades from years past. The spaces are divided with design elements that use noise-dampening materials to enhance the area's acoustics. From within the lounge, you can enjoy views of the runway, as well as Barajas' iconic wavy slatted ceiling.
How To Access the New Iberia First Class Lounge
This new lounge isn't intended for business class passengers, who already have two other dedicated lounges in the same terminal. The Sorolla lounge is exclusive to Iberia and Oneworld elites, and it aims to whisk those passengers away from the business class lounges for an elevated experience.
Iberia's Platino, Platino Prime, Infinita, Infinita Prime and Singular status holders are welcome to the Sorolla lounge, as are Oneworld Emerald elites, but they must be flying on short- and medium-haul flights departing from the H, J, K and M concourses within Terminal 4.
While the pool of Iberia's top four levels might not sound too relevant on this side of the pond, this is an exciting development if you hold any of the following elite statuses:
- Alaska Airlines Atmos
Rewards American Airlines AAdvantage - The British Airways Club Gold
- Cathay Pacific Diamond
- Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo and Platinum
- Japan Airlines Global Club Diamond and Premier, and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Diamond
- Malaysia Airlines Enrich Platinum
- Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum One and Platinum
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum
- Royal Jordanian Platinum Hawk
- Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer Platinum
- SriLankan Airlines FlySmiLes Platinum
If so, you have Oneworld Emerald, which means you can also access this lounge on eligible flights.
Bottom Line
It's great to see that some airlines still care about providing a better experience for valued clients. This new Iberia first class lounge is definitely one I'd go out of my way to visit — not that it would take much to convince me to visit Spain or fly Iberia, which I already do quite a lot. And since I hold Oneworld Emerald status with more than one airline, I get to visit this more exclusive space with better food and drinks.
