Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Posted by : John Ross on Sep 29, 2006 - 11:18 AM airtravel

Spanish low-cost airline Vueling is currently offering domestic flights practically for free. Its €25 price for the Madrid-Granada route barely covers airport taxes and fees, and includes value-added tax. The price is available to those booking for the end of October onwards, is competitive with RENFE (Spanish railways), and makes it much more feasible to fly into and out of Spain through different airports. Read on, or visit the Spain and Portugal for Visitors Getting Around pages for information on Spanish and Portuguese airlines, ferries, long-distance buses, railways, and more, including advice on Driving in Spain.

Given that there is virtually no difference between prices to or from Madrid or Barcelona, the new Spanish low-cost fares make a three-way combination like Madrid-Granada-Barcelona much more attractive. By train, this journey would cost about €35 + €53 = €88 and, even more crucially for some, would take 6 + 12 = 18 hours. With Vueling, the travelling time would be reduced to not much more than two hours, and the cost (assuming you are booking about a month ahead) would be €25 + €40 = €65.

Until recently, Vueling offered some fares at a cost of €0, but the European Commission has announced its intention to regulate to oblige airlines to advertise the "full" price to consumers, actually the ticket price plus taxes and airport fees. In offering its tickets at the new €25 rate, that is effectively what the Barcelona-based airline is doing.