Spain is one of the most popular flight destinations from the UK — and one of the most competitive. With dozens of airlines flying to 15+ Spanish airports from airports across Britain, there are genuine bargains to be found if you know when to book, which airlines to use, and which routes offer the best value. This guide covers everything you need to find the cheapest flights to Spain from the UK.
Which Airlines Fly from the UK to Spain?
Budget Airlines (cheapest options):
easyJet — The UK's biggest operator to Spain. Flies from London Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and more to Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma, Tenerife and beyond. Fares from £19 one-way in off-peak season.
Ryanair — Massive network from UK regional airports. Particularly strong from London Stansted, Birmingham, Glasgow and East Midlands. Often the cheapest option on popular routes. Fares from £15 one-way.
Jet2 — Strong from northern UK airports (Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh). Package-friendly with generous baggage allowances. Popular for Costa del Sol and Canary Islands.
Vueling — Spanish low-cost carrier with good connections through Barcelona. Useful for onward connections within Spain.
Full-Service Airlines:
British Airways — Flies Heathrow to Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Bilbao and more. More expensive but includes hand luggage and often better flexibility.
Iberia — Spain's national carrier. Good for Madrid connections and onward travel within Spain and Latin America.
Air Europa — Competitive on Madrid routes from Gatwick.
Cheapest UK Airports to Fly to Spain From
Your departure airport makes a big difference to the price:
London Stansted — Often the cheapest London airport for Spain thanks to Ryanair's dominance. Good for budget travellers willing to use the Stansted Express.
London Luton — easyJet hub with competitive fares. Good transport links into central London.
London Gatwick — More airlines, more routes, slightly higher average fares than Stansted/Luton but more convenient for south London.
Manchester — Excellent for northern England travellers. easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair all operate strong Spain networks. Often cheaper than flying to London first.
Birmingham — Good Ryanair and easyJet coverage. Worth checking if you're in the Midlands.
Bristol — easyJet hub with good Spain coverage. Avoids London entirely for south-west travellers.
Edinburgh & Glasgow — Jet2 and easyJet both fly to Spain. Fares can be very competitive, especially to the Canary Islands in winter.
Cheapest Spanish Airports to Fly Into
Malaga (AGP) — Gateway to the Costa del Sol. One of the most competitive routes from the UK with multiple airlines. Often the cheapest destination in mainland Spain.
Alicante (ALC) — Costa Blanca gateway. Extremely competitive with easyJet and Ryanair. Great value year-round.
Barcelona El Prat (BCN) — More expensive than coastal airports but still competitive. easyJet, Ryanair and Vueling all fly here.
Madrid Barajas (MAD) — Capital city, slightly pricier than coastal airports. British Airways and Iberia compete with budget carriers.
Palma de Mallorca (PMI) — Very competitive in summer. easyJet and Jet2 both offer good fares.
Tenerife South (TFS) — Year-round destination. Jet2 and easyJet are strong here. Winter fares can be excellent.
Ibiza (IBZ) — Seasonal (April–October). Can be expensive in peak summer — book early.
Seville (SVQ) — Less served than Malaga but Ryanair and easyJet both fly here. Worth checking for Andalusia trips.
When to Book for the Cheapest Fares
Book 6–10 weeks ahead for the best balance of availability and price on most routes. For peak summer (July–August) and school holidays, book 3–6 months ahead.
Cheapest months to fly to Spain from the UK: - November, January, February — lowest demand, fares can be 50–60% cheaper than summer - March and October — shoulder season, good prices with decent weather - May and early June — rising prices but still reasonable - July and August — peak prices, especially school holidays
Day of week matters: Tuesday and Wednesday departures are typically 10–20% cheaper than Friday and Sunday. Avoid flying on bank holidays.
Time of day: Early morning (6–8am) and late evening (9pm+) flights are usually cheaper than midday departures.
Tips to Find the Cheapest Flights to Spain
1. Use flexible date search. Tools like Skyscanner's "Whole Month" view show you the cheapest days to fly at a glance. Shifting your trip by 1–2 days can save £30–80 per person.
2. Check nearby airports. If you're flying to Barcelona, also check Girona (Ryanair hub, 1hr from Barcelona by bus) and Reus (near Tarragona). For the Costa del Sol, compare Malaga and Gibraltar.
3. Set price alerts. Skyscanner, Google Flights and Kayak all offer price alerts. Set one for your route and wait for a drop.
4. Book one-ways separately. Sometimes booking outbound and return as separate one-way tickets (even on different airlines) is cheaper than a return.
5. Clear your cookies or use incognito mode. Some booking sites use dynamic pricing based on your browsing history.
6. Check the airline directly. After finding a fare on a comparison site, always check the airline's own website — sometimes it's cheaper direct and avoids booking fees.
7. Consider package deals. For popular destinations like Tenerife, Mallorca and the Costa del Sol, Jet2 and TUI package deals (flight + hotel) can actually be cheaper than booking separately.
Baggage: What to Watch Out For
Budget airlines make their money on extras — baggage fees can double the cost of a cheap fare if you're not careful.
Ryanair: Hand luggage (40x20x25cm) is free. A small cabin bag (40x25x20cm) costs extra. Hold luggage starts from around £12 each way if booked in advance.
easyJet: One small bag (45x36x20cm) free. Cabin bag and hold luggage cost extra. Speedy Boarding bundles can be worth it if you want overhead locker space.
Jet2: More generous — 22kg hold luggage included on most fares. Better value for families.
British Airways: Hand luggage included. Hold luggage included on most fares (check your fare type).
Top tip: Always add baggage at the time of booking — it's significantly cheaper than adding it later or paying at the airport.
Getting from Spanish Airports to City Centres
Barcelona: The Aerobus runs every 5 minutes to Plaça Catalunya (€6.75, 35 mins). The metro (L9 Sud) is cheaper but involves a change. Taxis cost €35–45.
Madrid: Metro Line 8 runs direct to Nuevos Ministerios (€5 airport supplement, 25 mins). Taxis cost €30–35 (fixed rate from T4).
Malaga: Train (Cercanías C1) runs to Malaga Centro in 12 minutes for €1.80. Best value airport transfer in Spain.
Alicante: TRAM runs to the city centre (€3.85, 35 mins). Buses also available.
Tenerife South: Buses (TITSA) run to the main resorts. Taxis are metered and reasonable.
