Which Airlines Are Part of the IAG Group? (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling & LEVEL)

We’ve covered one of the other two giants of European aviation in Europe, the Lufthansa Group, it’s now the moment to look at which airlines are part of the IAG Group. Let’s dive deeper into the structure of the group and what the participating airlines share as a common trait, namely the frequent flyer currency.

What You’ll Find in This Post

• Parent and Child Airlines of the Group
• Avios: The Shared Frequent Flyer Program Currency
• The IAG Group’s Governance

Which Airlines Form The IAG Group – Parent and Child Airlines of the Group

Let’s get the ball rolling by just explaining what IAG stands for. Not very creatively the acronym stands for International Airlines Group. The holding was founded in 2011 when Iberia, Spain’s flag carrier, and British Airways, the UK’s flag carrier, merged.

However since it’s birth in 2011 the IAG Group has expanded taking control of other airlines. At the moment of writing this post the group controls 5 airlines, of which 2 budget carriers and 3 full service or legacy operators. More specifically the 5 brands are:

• British Airways (United Kingdom)
• Iberia (Spain)
• Aer Lingus (Ireland)
• Vueling (Spain)
• Level (Spain)

The group often works in unison when placing orders to the plane manufacturers. Just as done recently when a substantial amount of Boeing 737 MAXs were ordered and they will be used for more than just one of the airlines. This clearly grants a bigger negotiating power when dealing with aircraft manufacturers.

Avios: The Shared Frequent Flyer Program Currency

Avios is the loyalty currency used across multiple programs connected to IAG. You can collect and redeem Avios through The British Airways Club, Iberia Club, Aer Lingus AerClub and Vueling Club (among others), and use them for rewards such as flights and upgrades depending on the program rules.

LEVEL is not an exception: you can earn and redeem Avios on LEVEL, with earning rules depending on how your booking is issued and which program you credit to.

Who Controls The Group? Which the IAG Main Stakeholders?

The governance of the group sees the two founding airlines, Iberia and British Airways, call the shots.

Outside of the founding duo, Qatar Airways is the other major shareholder. The middle eastern carrier holds approximately a quarter of IAG’s shares.

This very close collaboration between Iberia, British Airways and Qatar Airways is also evident to frequent flyers, as the airline also shares Avios as its frequent flyer program currency. Same rules apply for mile earning and spending as to all other carriers controlled by IAG.

Other IAG Reads and Posts

• How’s the British Airways Fleet Structured?
• British Airways Travel Class Guide