What Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas does

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, S.A. is a privately-held Spanish long-haul airline headquartered in Alcobendas, Madrid, operating scheduled passenger services primarily between Spain (Madrid and Tenerife) and Latin American destinations including Lima (Peru), Caracas (Venezuela), and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The company holds Air Operator Certificate ES.AOC.118 (granted 2015 under European AIR OPS regulations, making it the first Spanish carrier certified under this framework) and operates a fleet of Airbus A340-300 and A330-200 widebody aircraft. Its core product is scheduled passenger transport supplemented by ancillary revenue streams: a tiered loyalty program (PREMIER, operated by wholly-owned subsidiary PREMIER PLUS REWARD PROGRAM, S.L.), travel insurance underwritten by Catalana Occidente, ACMI/wet-lease and charter services to third-party airlines (including a 2026 Air Zimbabwe partnership for Harare-London Gatwick), and PlazosPlus installment-payment financing for PREMIER members.

The business model is a hybrid direct-to-consumer and B2B airline with four primary revenue streams: (1) passenger ticket sales on scheduled long-haul routes (transaction-fee), (2) ancillary services including excess baggage, seat reservations, special assistance, and insurance commissions (transaction-fee), (3) ACMI/charter wet-lease arrangements (managed services), and (4) the PREMIER loyalty program generating engagement via miles accrual, partner integrations (Booking.com, Vodafone eSIM, Catalana Occidente), and installment payments (subscription/recurring). Pricing is not publicly disclosed but includes free checked baggage across all fare categories, business-class services, and PlazosPlus three-installment interest-free payment. The go-to-market is primarily direct via www.plusultra.com, call centers serving Spain, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina, and group-booking services for 10+ passengers.

The company received a €53 million COVID-19 state bailout from the Government of Spain via SEPI in 2021, which has subsequently become subject to an ongoing judicial investigation in Spain's Audiencia Nacional involving former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (formally charged May 2025 with money laundering, influence-peddling, membership of a criminal organization, and forgery), plus related charges against family members and associates. The airline continues to operate scheduled flights and ACMI contracts amid the unresolved legal proceedings.

Name

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas

Legal name

PLUS ULTRA LÍNEAS AÉREAS, S.A.

Website

https://plusultra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas is a private Spanish long-haul airline operating scheduled passenger flights between Spain (Madrid, Tenerife) and Latin America (Lima, Caracas, Buenos Aires) with Airbus A340/A330 widebodies, supplemented by ACMI wet-lease services, a PREMIER loyalty program, and ancillary products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alcobendas

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ticket Sales: Core revenue from selling airline tickets for scheduled long-haul flights between Spain and Latin America on routes including Madrid-Lima, Madrid-Caracas, Tenerife-Caracas, and Madrid-Buenos Aires.
2. Ancillary Services: Revenue from additional services including excess baggage, seat reservations, special services (wheelchair assistance, unaccompanied minors, stretchers), travel insurance (partnered with Catalana Occidente), and priority services.
3. ACMI/Charter Services: Wet-lease arrangements where Plus Ultra provides aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance to other airlines. The company operates an ACMI partnership with Air Zimbabwe for Harare-London Gatwick flights, providing Airbus A330-200 or A340-300 aircraft under Air Zimbabwe's brand.
4. PREMIER Loyalty Program: Frequent flyer program generating revenue through member engagement, co-branded services, and partnerships with commercial allies including hotels, car rentals, insurance, SIM cards, and event tickets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas is a Spanish long-haul carrier that sells scheduled passenger airline tickets between Spain (Madrid, Tenerife) and Latin American destinations including Lima, Caracas, and Buenos Aires, using Airbus A340-300 and A330-200 aircraft under European AIR OPS regulations. Beyond passenger tickets, the airline monetizes the PREMIER loyalty program, ancillary services (baggage, seat selection, special assistance), PlazosPlus installment payments, partner-distributed travel insurance, and ACMI/wet-lease capacity to other airlines.

Product overview

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas is a Spanish commercial airline offering scheduled passenger flights primarily between Madrid and Latin American destinations (Lima, Caracas, Buenos Aires, Tenerife). The company's core product is its airline service, supplemented by the PREMIER loyalty program with five tier levels (Clásica, Oro, Oro Salud, Platino, Black) enabling mile accumulation and redemption. Ancillary offerings include PlazosPlus installment payment service, travel insurance underwritten by Catalana Occidente, and ACMI/charter wet-lease services using Airbus A330-200 and A340-300 aircraft. Additional partner services accessible through PREMIER include hotel bookings, eSIM cards, VIP lounges, and event tickets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PREMIER: Frequent flyer loyalty program of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas offering miles accumulation and redemption, with tiers including Clásica, Oro, Oro Salud, Platino, and Black.
• Plazos Plus

Products and services

• Plus Ultra Scheduled Passenger Flights Scheduled long-haul passenger airline service connecting Spain (Madrid, Tenerife) with Latin American destinations including Lima (Peru), Caracas (Venezuela), and Buenos Aires (Argentina), using Airbus A340-300 and A330-200 aircraft with Tourist and Business class cabins and free checked baggage included across all fares.
• PREMIER Loyalty Program Frequent flyer program operated by subsidiary PREMIER PLUS REWARD PROGRAM, S.L. with five membership tiers (Clásica, Oro, Oro Salud, Platino, Black) offering mile accumulation, redemption on Plus Ultra flights, partner discounts with hotels, car rental, insurance, eSIM, and event tickets, plus VIP lounge access and trip planning benefits.
• PlazosPlus Installment Payments Installment payment service available exclusively to PREMIER members that splits the cost of a Plus Ultra flight ticket into three monthly interest-free installments, processed via payment partner Domicilialo.
• Plus Ultra Travel Insurance Travel insurance policy underwritten by insurance partner Catalana Occidente covering trip cancellation, medical assistance, and baggage protection; available exclusively for round-trip bookings with Plus Ultra.
• ACMI/Wet-Lease and Charter Services ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) wet-lease and charter service providing Airbus A330-200 or A340-300 aircraft plus crew, maintenance, and aviation insurance (including war risk coverage) to other airlines under the partner airline's brand identity for contracted periods.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Air ZimbabwecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 June 2026ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) agreement where Plus Ultra provides an Airbus A330-200 or A340-300 under Air Zimbabwe's brand and commercial identity for a 13-month contracted period on the Harare-London Gatwick corridor. This arrangement solves Air Zimbabwe's barriers: lack of a long-haul fleet and inability to independently obtain aviation insurance including war risk coverage given its financially constrained and historically troubled operational record.
• Catalana OccidenteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance partner providing travel insurance policies for Plus Ultra passengers covering trip cancellation, medical assistance, and baggage protection. The insurance is available exclusively for round-trip bookings with Plus Ultra.
• DomicilialominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPayment services partner enabling the PlazosPlus installment payment system, allowing PREMIER members to purchase tickets in three interest-free monthly installments with automatic monthly charging.
• Booking.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial partner offering hotel booking services to PREMIER loyalty program members with potential discounts and commission arrangements.
• VodafoneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoreSIM card provider partnership offering international connectivity services to PREMIER members and Plus Ultra passengers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• LATAM Airlines:
• Iberia: Flag carrier of Spain and dominant operator of long-haul routes from Madrid to Latin America; direct overlap with Plus Ultra on Madrid-Lima, Madrid-Buenos Aires and other Spanish-LATAM city pairs.

Direct peers

• Air Europa: Spanish long-haul carrier competing on Madrid-LATAM routes; similar full-service positioning and Spanish hub, and currently part of the same consolidation conversation in Spanish aviation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PlusUltraLineasAereas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plus-ultra-l-neas-a-reas
• Instagraminstagram.com/plusultralineasaereas

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas