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Level, the low-cost, long-haul brand owned by International Airlines Group (IAG), has secured its own air operator’s certificate (AOC) as it prepares to add a seventh aircraft to its fleet.
The move comes seven years after the launch of the Barcelona-based airline, which has been operating under Iberia’s AOC since its inception. CEO Rafael Jiménez Hoyos, who took over in October, says receiving its own AOC will provide the airline with greater agility to achieve its strategic objectives.
“This milestone marks the beginning of a new stage, in which we will continue working with the same commitment to consolidate Level as an efficient, innovative and customer-oriented airline, connecting Barcelona with the world directly and without stops,” he adds.
IAG—which also owns Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling—revealed its intention to apply for an AOC for Level in November 2023. With the AOC now secured, Level will operate as a standalone entity within the group, with its own results and processes, similar to IAG’s other airlines.
The airline says it will now enter the final phase of the transition throughout 2025, securing operational permits for flights to Argentina, Chile, and the U.S. Once completed, it will begin operating under the IATA code “LL” and the ICAO code “LVL,” using “Dalí” as its callsign—a nod to its Catalan roots.
Level has a fleet of six Airbus A330-200 aircraft at present, with a seventh due to be delivered “in the coming weeks.” An eighth will be added to the fleet in 2026.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, the LCC currently operates five routes from Barcelona El Prat Airport, flying to Boston, Buenos Aires, Miami, New York John F. Kennedy and Santiago. Service to Los Angeles resumes later in December.
In addition to its long-haul operations, Level previously offered short-haul services under the name Level Europe. From July 2018 to March 2020, the airline operated out of bases in Amsterdam and Vienna, serving destinations such as Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, and Milan Malpensa.
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