American Iberia payment seats

With Iberia, unless you pick the (more expensive) flexible rate, you cannot pick your seat for free until 24 hours before check in, even in premium economy and business class. I know it's frustrating. That seems to be their business model.

I'm a little confused... On American 'Main Cabin Extra' is paid for at the time of seat selection, per leg. So even if you were flying an AA plane across the ocean, you'd still have had to pay for that selection. (The difference being that you could have done so at the time of booking.) So, you I don't think you've paid for anything you didn't get.

Paying Iberia for seat selection isn't a whole lot different. (Though IB doesn't actually have an "extra legroom economy" section—just a few seats that happen to have extra legroom—usually exit rows and bulkheads—and those sell for a premium.

Actually, I have an additional confusion... Iberia doesn't fly JFK-BCN Their low-cost subsidiary Level does, but I don't think that code-shares with AA.

I’m completely confused. I booked CVG to BCN. Through JFK. On American Airlines. Main Cabin Economy which has several flexibility benefits and free seat selection. It says Iberia on my email confirmation. No mention of Level at all. I can’t pre-select seats on AA. Have to go to Iberia. When I go to Iberia’s website, I can book seats for it looks like $30 or more per seat. Each way.

Paying for a seat on Iberia sounds perfectly normal.

But I really am confused about the flight being Iberia's mainline.

It says “Iberia” when you book but in reality there is no so much a code share as they actually put you on Level, Iberia’s low cost airlines. But that is not obvious when you book.

Well, only US airlines have free seat selection above basic economy.

Virgin Atlantic allows free advance seat selection.