Flying to Spain

General Information

Spain has a very extensive network of airports across its territory. In fact, it may even be too extensive, as in recent years several unprofitable platforms have seen their traffic collapse or, worse, like the "mega" Ciudad Real airport, which opened at the end of 2008 but has seen no traffic since 2011 and is slowly falling into disrepair.

Nevertheless, mainland Spain still has several major airports that easily handle the tens of millions of tourists who visit the country each year, particularly its coastline. Madrid (42 million passengers/year), Barcelona (38 million), the Balearic Islands (almost 30 million), Málaga (14 million), and Alicante (10 million) are the busiest. Elsewhere, each region has its own airport, allowing direct international arrivals or connections via the capital or Barcelona. In short, despite a few setbacks, the country's air coverage is excellent from many European countries and beyond. Additionally, Spain is a favorite destination for low-cost carriers.

Types of Flights

Local Airlines

Spain has around a dozen airlines bearing its colors (excluding those from the Canary Islands). Beyond a few specialists that are purely charter operators (Aeronova, Air Horizont, Privilege Style, Swiftair...), here are the main ones:

Air Andorra: Despite its name, the airline is Spanish, though its goal is to eventually serve the principality with flights from five cities on the Iberian Peninsula and Toulouse.

Air Europa: This is Spain's third-largest airline. It operates domestic routes but is primarily known for intra-European flights and several long-haul routes (often interesting), particularly to Latin America.

Air Nostrum: A franchised airline labeled Iberia Regional, operating many domestic routes and flights to various European countries, including France.

AlbaStar: Based in the Balearic Islands, the airline operates charter and scheduled flights, including some European routes (such as Lourdes).

Evelop Airlines: Specializes in charter flights but also offers seasonal routes from Madrid to Havana, Cancún, and Punta Cana.

Helicópteros del Sureste: Operates regular passenger flights by helicopter between Algeciras or Málaga and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (in Morocco).

Iberia: The national carrier (and the country's largest) also operates under the brands Iberia Express and Iberia Regional (actually Air Nostrum). It is a major global airline with extensive routes, particularly to Latin America and Europe, as well as numerous domestic connections.

Iberia Express: Iberia's more or less low-cost subsidiary, handling domestic and intra-European flights.

Level: A new Barcelona-based low-cost airline specializing in long-haul flights, with California, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina as its first destinations.

Melilla Airlines: The airline (which does not own aircraft and thus charters them) operates regular flights between Málaga and the Spanish enclave of Melilla in Morocco.

Volotea: The latest Spanish low-cost airline, well-established in France, specializes in year-round or seasonal intra-European flights, as well as domestic routes in Spain and other countries like France.

Vueling: The Barcelona-based low-cost airline, still growing, offers 340 routes across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It also operates domestic flights within Spain.

Wamos Air: Formerly Pullmantur Air, Wamos specializes in long-haul charter flights, with traditional destinations like Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Latin America in general, departing from its Madrid hub.

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost Flights

While some tourist areas still receive a few European charter flights, Spain is now a prime destination for low-cost carriers (including seasonal flights), which continue to gain market share on short- and medium-haul routes at the expense of traditional airlines. Ryanair, easyJet, and Spain's Vueling alone now operate dozens of daily flights to and from Spain.

Promotions and Special Offers

Promotions and special offers are quite common for Spain, at least for the most popular destinations. These can be found through airlines or travel agencies, sometimes including packages with other services alongside airfare.

By Region

Each region in Spain has its own airport(s), meaning that from France, for example, there are numerous options for arriving directly, whether from Paris or most major provincial cities. Here are the details:

Flying to Andalusia: To/from the airports of Málaga and Seville.

Flying to the Balearic Islands: To/from the airports of Mallorca and Ibiza.

Flying to Catalonia: To/from the airports of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Reus.

Flying to the East Coast of Spain: To/from the airports of Valencia, Alicante, and Murcia.

Flying to Central Spain: To/from Madrid airport.

Flying to Northern Spain: To/from the airports of Zaragoza, Logroño, and Pamplona.

Flying to Northwestern Spain: To/from the airports of Santiago de Compostela, Asturias, A Coruña, Santander, and Vigo.

Flying to the Basque Country: To/from the airports of Bilbao, San Sebastián, and Vitoria.