Cheap Flights to Spain: Find the Lowest Fares

7 min read · Published: November 4, 2024 · Updated: October 29, 2026 · Prices and details checked: October 2026

The lowest fares to Spain go to travellers who compare all airlines at once, move their dates by a day or two and are willing to land at a second-choice airport. Spain has many international airports and heavy low-cost competition, so the same trip can differ widely in price depending on how you search. This guide covers the getting-there half of the budget: flights, airports, alerts and the train from France.

Volcanic landscape and coast of Lanzarote, Spain

Key takeaways

Search with a comparison site and a flexible-date view first, then check the airline’s own site before you pay.
Moving a departure by one or two days often changes the fare more than switching airlines does.
A price alert on your route costs nothing and removes the need to check daily.
For Barcelona, Girona and Reus can undercut the main airport, but you must add the ground transfer to the comparison.
From France, trains reach Catalonia and can replace a flight on the way in or out.

Table of contents

Which flight comparison sites should you use for Spain?
How flexible do your dates need to be?
Do price alerts work, and when should you book?
Which alternative airports in Spain can save you money?
Can you reach Spain by train from France?
What hidden costs change the price of a cheap flight?
FAQ

Which flight comparison sites should you use for Spain?

Use two kinds of tool together: a meta-search site that scans many airlines and booking agents, and the websites of the low-cost airlines that serve your route. Meta-search sites show you the spread of prices in one view, but some budget carriers do not sell through them, so a route can look more expensive than it is.

Enter your home airport and “Spain” or a region instead of a single city if the site allows it. Results then show you which Spanish airport is cheapest on your dates. Sort by price first, then by total travel time, and read the baggage line before you decide. A fare without a cabin bag or a checked bag can end up more expensive than a higher fare that includes one, because low-cost airlines charge for bags and for seat selection separately.

Once you have found a good fare, open the airline’s own page and run the same search. The price is often identical, but buying direct makes changes and refunds simpler than going through an agent.

How flexible do your dates need to be?

Flexibility on the day matters more than flexibility on the month. A flexible-date or calendar view lists fares across a range of days, and you will usually see clear cheap and expensive days within the same week. Midweek departures and returns tend to cost less than Friday and Sunday, when leisure and weekend travel peaks.

Crowds on La Rambla shopping street in Barcelona, Spain — La Rambla street in Barcelona

Try these variations before you book:

Shift your outbound or return by one day in either direction.
Compare a short stay that includes a weekday departure against a Saturday-to-Saturday trip.
Check whether a one-way fare on each leg beats a return ticket. On routes with several low-cost airlines this is common, and it lets you mix carriers.

Local school holidays and big events in Spain push fares up for a few days at a time, so a short shift around them can pay off. For the wider question of which months are cheapest on the ground, see our Spain money-saving guide.

Find a hotel for your Spain trip

Flight plus hotel for the mainland coasts, searchable by date and budget.

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Do price alerts work, and when should you book?

Price alerts are worth setting up, because they show you the normal price level for your route before you commit. Most comparison sites and several airlines let you save a route and dates and send an email when the fare moves. After a week or two you will see whether the current price is typical, cheap or high.

There is no single best booking date that holds for every route. Fares for popular summer weeks tend to rise as seats sell, so book those earlier rather than later. For quieter periods, fares are often stable until close to departure, which makes an alert more useful than a rushed purchase. Buy when the price falls into the lower part of the range you have seen, not when you hope for a further drop.

Also subscribe to newsletters from the airlines that fly your route. Sale announcements often come by email first, and they sometimes cover seats on exactly the days that comparison sites list as expensive.

Which alternative airports in Spain can save you money?

Look at every airport within reach of your destination, then add the cost and time of getting from the airport to town. Madrid has one main airport, so there is little to gain there. Other regions have a real choice:

The facade of the cathedral in Malaga, Spain — The cathedral in Malaga

Barcelona: besides the main airport at El Prat, Girona (Costa Brava) and Reus (near Tarragona) take low-cost flights. Both need a bus or train transfer to reach Barcelona itself.
Valencia and Alicante: the two airports are both used for the Costa Blanca and Valencia region, and each has its own set of airlines and routes.
Andalusia: Málaga is the main gateway for the Costa del Sol and Granada, while Seville has its own airport for the west of the region.
Islands: Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Tenerife and Gran Canaria are served from many European cities, and fares can vary a lot between them in the same week.

The calculation is simple: cheaper fare minus transfer ticket, minus the value of the extra time. If the saving is small, the main airport is usually the better choice, especially for late-night arrivals when public transport thins out.

An open-jaw ticket is another way to save. You fly into one city and out of another, for example into Barcelona and home from Valencia or Madrid, then link them by train. This avoids backtracking and often costs less than a return to the same airport. For options on the ground, our guide to getting around Spain cheaply covers the trains and buses.

Can you reach Spain by train from France?

Yes. Rail services connect southern France with Catalonia, and you can use them to enter or leave Spain without flying. This works best if you are already in France, or if you are building a trip that includes both countries. Depending on the route, you may travel direct or change near the border, so check the timetable and the ticket rules for each operator before you assume a single booking.

Rail pays off in two cases. First, when you want to avoid a short flight that comes with baggage fees, airport transfers and security time. Second, when a flight into Barcelona is expensive on your dates but you can reach a French city cheaply. Compare door to door, not only fare against fare.

Book rail tickets through the operator’s official site or app, and check what luggage is allowed. Seat availability on popular days can run out, so look at them at the same time as you search for flights.

What hidden costs change the price of a cheap flight?

The headline fare is rarely the final price. Add the following before you compare:

Cabin and checked baggage, which low-cost airlines charge separately.
Seat selection and priority boarding.
Payment or card fees at checkout.
Airport transfer from a secondary airport.
Early-morning or late-night arrival, which can force you to pay for a taxi or an extra hotel night.

Pack to the carry-on limit of your airline and measure your bag before you leave home, because gate fees are higher than the price at booking. Check the size rules for the specific fare you buy, since they differ between airlines.

FAQ

What is the cheapest month to fly to Spain?

Fares are normally lowest outside school holidays and the summer peak. Because prices depend on your departure city and route, run a flexible-date search for your own airport rather than relying on a general rule.

Is it cheaper to fly into Madrid or Barcelona?

It depends on your home airport and your dates. Compare both in a single search, then also try Girona and Reus for Barcelona. If you are visiting both cities, consider flying into one and out of the other.

Are low-cost airlines in Spain really cheaper?

Often yes, but only if you travel light. Once you add a checked bag, a seat and a transfer from a secondary airport, the gap to a full-service airline can close. Compare the full cost, not the base fare.

Should you book flights to Spain as one-ways or as a return?

Check both. On busy routes with several airlines, two one-way tickets can cost less and let you mix carriers. Be aware that a return on a single airline is easier to change if your plans shift.

Can you take the train to Spain instead of flying?

From France, yes. Services run between southern France and Catalonia, sometimes with a change near the border. This suits travellers already in France or those combining both countries in one trip.

Pick your dates, run the comparison with a flexible view and set an alert for the route, then decide on the airport. If you would like flights, trains and accommodation for Spain put together, our booking service handles it.