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Cheap Flights to Spain
Spain is an excellent holiday spot to escape the winter doldrums, especially if you are looking for constantly fantastic weather, perfect beaches or non-stop parties, all of which you will find on some of Spain's islands. But, of course, there is more to Spain than just the island party culture, and there are loads of airports in Spain to take you wherever you want to go.
The two largest airports in Spain are in the country's two largest cities - Madrid and Barcelona. Madrid Barajas International Airport (airport code MAD) and Barcelona International Airport (airport code BCN) are both big airports with an assortment of connecting flights to Spain's smaller airports and cities, so if you find cheap flights to either Madrid or Barcelona but do not want to spend your entire holiday there, do not fret. You will be able to find a cheap ticket to get anywhere else in Spain. You can read more about the Madrid and Barcelona airports by clicking on the links above.
If you prefer to get directly to another destination, however, there are loads more airports throughout Spain which are ideally placed to minimize the amount of holiday time you spend in transit.
- Málaga Airport (airport code AGP) is the third largest in Spain, and a popular airport for those heading for the Costa del Sol. In fact, the busiest routes into Málaga are from the United Kingdom and Ireland, so your choices for cheap flights should be decent. Airlines like bmibaby, easyJet, British Airways, Flybe, flyglobespan, FlyJet, Jet2.com, Aer Lingus and Thomsonfly all make regular flights from many cities throughout the U.K. You will find a list of all the airlines serving Málaga here. To get from the airport to the nearby Costa del Sol, here are your ground transport options - including public transit like the local bus or rail systems - or you can hire your own car from one of the agencies listed here.
- Alicante International Airport (airport code ALC) in the Valencia region serves both the Alicante and Murcia regions, and most of the travellers coming through the Alicante airport are not from within Spain. Many European budget and charter airlines fly into Alicante from points in the U.K. - including bmibaby, easyJet, Flybe, Flyglobespan, Jet2.com, MyTravel Airways, Monarch Airlines, Ryanair and Thomsonfly. A full list of airlines flying into Alicante is here. There is no rail service from the airport, but you can take a local bus into town or hire a taxi - there is information about both here. The companies which have cars avaiable for hire from Alicante Airport are here.
- San Pablo Airport in Sevilla is the second major airport in the Andalucia region, after Málaga. It is certainly a smaller airport, but Ryanair makes regular flights from a couple of cities in the U.K., including Liverpool. A list of all the carriers serving Sevilla is here. You can into the Sevilla city centre from the airport via taxi or a local bus, which you can learn about here, or you can hire a car from one of the agencies listed here.
- The Balearic Islands are popular destinations for those who want a bit of sun during the day and want to dance all night in the clubs. Son Sant Joan Airport (airport code PMI) on Mallorca becomes one of the busiest airports in Europe during the summer season. Consequently, there is a very long list of airlines which serve this airport. Menorca Airport (airport code MAH) is on the second largest of the Balearic Islands, and although the list of airlines serving Menorca is not long, there are a few which fly from the U.K. Ibiza Airport (airport code IBZ) is one of the hottest club destinations anywhere, and there are many flights from the U.K. to this small island. Some are seasonal flights, but most run on regular schedules.
- The Canary Islands are well known for their temperate climate all year round, so make the perfect escape from dreary winter weather. Gran Canaria International Airport (airport code LPA) is the largest airport in the Canaries, 15.5 miles from the tourist centre in the south of the island. Gran Canaria is well-served by European carriers. The island of Tenerife, the largest in the Canary chain, has two airports, although the airport in the south of the island is the one through which most international visitors will enter. Reina Sofia Airport (airport code TFS) lies close to a couple popular British resorts. For inter-island flights, or some flights on Europe's prominent budget airlines, try also Los Rodeos Airport (airport code TFN) in the north. Fuerteventura is served by El Matorral Airport (airport code FUE) which is roughly three miles from the capital city centre. On the island of Lanzarote, 70% of the travellers coming through Arrecife Airport (airport code ACE) are from the EU, and 75% of those are from either the U.K. or Germany - and there are 15 cites in the U.K. with direct flights to Lanzarote to prove it.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the airports in Spain - all you need to do is check the website of your local airport to see where you can go. And while "anywhere with sun" might sound like enough, you might want to do a little reading to find out which destination will keep your interest long after you have run out of sun cream.
Have a fantastic holiday in Spain, and if you need more information before you go you can read more about the country with our Spain Travel Guide.