IAG Cargo will launch a Madrid – San Francisco route as part of its strategy to upgrade capacity for the summer 2018 season.

The direct routes will operate three times a week using an Iberia Airbus A330-200 with up to 14 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight.

The San Francisco route is expected to carry products including machinery parts, chemicals and transport equipment.

IAG Cargo commercial director, David Shepherd says: “San Francisco has a well-established technology hub, with computer and electronic products being California’s top export category in 2016. California is also a vital market for exports, contributing to over $2 trillion of U.S. goods and services exports last year.”

“We anticipate that the new route will offer a welcome boost to tech and SME exporters transporting their goods into Europe and across our wider network, with the new flight increasing the number of routes out of our Spanish gateway to 54.”

IAG Cargo will also provide additional wide body capacity for Madrid – Tel Aviv services, benefitting from increasing the frequency from three times a week to daily, allowing for an additional 20 pallets a week.