Low cost flight guide to travel to the Canary Islands

Beaches, sun, surf, landscapes, food and more beaches; The Canary Islands have everything to enjoy during the twelve months of the year and are very easily accessible from different points of Europe, which is why this Spanish archipelago is usually the destination chosen by travelers from all over the world to spend fun days full of adventure.

In order to know which are the best options of low cost flights to get to the Canary Islands from the main Spanish and European cities, we have prepared a complete travel guide for you.

Why travel to the Canary Islands

Thanks to its wide range of entertainment, its wonderful landscapes and the warm climate that it maintains throughout the year, the Canaries are one of those special places that everyone should visit. This Spanish archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean, is much more than a summer destination.

There are eight islands that make up the Canaries, each with particular and charming characteristics that make them unique to visit in any season of the year, partly because of their warm climate, but also because of their emblematic landscapes and their water temperature, which averages 20°C.

The Canary Islands are also easily accessible by air, both from Spain and from the main European cities, so visiting their virgin beaches, surfing their waves, walking their trails and glimpsing their volcanic landscapes is much easier than you might think.

The best destinations in the Canary Islands

For this guide, we will focus on five of the eight islands that make up this Spanish archipelago: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma.  

Gran Canaria, one of the most important tourist destinations in Spain, is more than just beaches, it has a whole range of tourist attractions to offer travellers, such as the Pico de las Nieves, considered the highest point in the area, or the Parque Natural del Nublo, the largest natural area on the island. In addition, in Gran Canaria it is possible to enjoy first class cultural festivals throughout the year.

Tenerife is located just over two hours by plane from the mainland, and its 23°C average temperature throughout the year is an invitation to enjoy its surroundings. The Drago Park, the Cueva del Viento (Cave of the Wind), the Orotava Valley and the third highest active volcano in the world, Teide, are just some of its most visited natural destinations.

Its volcanic lands, virgin beaches and its nature full of energy, make Lanzarote the ideal place to relax and rest. Located on the easternmost side of the Canary archipelago, this island is known for its incredible volcanic landscapes and its vast wine offerings; it is also the preferred destination for surfers from all over the world. 

Fuerteventura, the oldest island in the Canary archipelago and declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, offers a wide range of beaches and surprising landscapes. It offers high quality waves for surfing, so it is also often visited by surfers from different continents. 

Known as the beautiful island, La Palma has small colonial towns and a natural environment that make it a perfect island for hiking, also offers a delicious and well known cuisine. 

Main low cost flights to the islands

Vueling, Norwegian, EasyJet and Ryanair, are just some of the low cost airlines that offer daily direct flights to the Canary Islands from different parts of Spain and Europe. 

The main air access routes are the airports of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and both of Tenerife, being these the most touristic and best communicated islands of the whole archipelago.

Travel to Gran Canaria

Located 18km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the airport of Gran Canaria (LPA) is one of the main access routes to the islands. There are many cheap flights departing from the main European cities to this destination.

The main European low cost airlines have scheduled flights to this airport. For example, Vueling offers local flights from Barcelona to Gran Canaria, round trip, with prices ranging from 23 to 50 euros, with March and April being the months in which the cheapest tickets can be obtained. Norwegian and Ryanair also cover this route.

On the other hand, Norwegian, Ryanair, Iberia and AirEuropa arrive at this airport from Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia and Bilbao.

Cheap flights to Tenerife

Tenerife has two airports, Tenerife North (TFN) and Tenerife South (TFS). Of these, the second is the main one and is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, 60km from the capital of the island.

EasyJet and Ryanair are two of the main low cost airlines that fly to Tenerife South Airport, having different connections with European destinations.

Tenerife North Airport, also known as Los Rodeos Airport, is located only 10km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the main low cost airlines that arrive are Binter Canarias and Vueling.

Cheap tickets to Lanzarote

Also known as Guacimenta Airport, Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is located in the municipality of San Bartolomé, 5km from the island’s capital, Arrecife, and represents the main communication route of the island.

It is possible to reach Lanzarote in a very easy and economical way. The Catalan low cost Vueling covers the route from Barcelona, Bilbao and Malaga, with direct flights. From other cities like Madrid or Valencia it is necessary to make a stopover from Barcelona.

Ryanair also connects Lanzarote with cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Santander, Santiago, Seville, Valladolid and Zaragoza, while Iberia Express offers direct and connecting flights from Madrid.

Viajes low cost a Fuerteventura

The airport of Fuerteventura (FUE) operates flights from different European and Spanish cities, especially from Germany and the United Kingdom. It is located 5km from Puerto del Rosario, its capital, and is the main entrance to the island.

The main low cost airlines offer daily direct flights to Fuerteventura from different points in Spain and from the main cities in Germany, England, France, Belgium, Italy and Holland.

Vueling offers flights from Barcelona, Malaga and Bilbao, while Ryanair, Iberia and AirEuropa, offer flights from Madrid.

Flights to La Palma

At an international level, it is possible to reach the island of La Palma (SPC) by air with direct connections from the main European cities. Although it depends on the season, the most known low cost lines that fly to La Palma are Transavia, Enter Air, EasyJet and Ryanair.

Direct connections to this island can be obtained from cities such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Lyon, London, Manchester, Copenhagen and Berlin, among others. The frequency of routes varies considerably depending on the season.

From the interior of Spain, the most used connection is the one that covers the route Madid – La Palma, of Iberia Express. Also depending on the season, it usually has a frequency of 3 to 6 flights per week. In addition, during most of the year, Vueling covers the direct route between Barcelona and La Palma.

Connections between the islands of the archipelago

In addition to the routes mentioned, it is possible to travel around all the islands and make connections between them in a comfortable and fast way using low-cost commercial flights, especially with the Binter Canarias and Canaryfly companies.

There are eight airports that connect all the islands with each other, with daily departures and flights of less than one hour.

For example, from Gran Canaria to Tenerife the flight time is only 30 minutes, to Lanzarote 40 minutes, Fuerteventura 45 minutes and to La Palma 50 minutes. In all cases, the routes are covered by the indicated companies.  

From Tenerife, the flight time to Lanzarote, as well as to Fuerteventura, is 50 minutes and to La Palma 30 minutes, while to go from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura or to La Palma, the flight time with a stopover is 80 minutes.

Tips for travelling to the Canary Islands

Visiting the Canary Islands can be much cheaper than you might think. Generally, tourists come to these islands in the high season, which is from October to March, while the low season is from April to September, when you can find lower prices.

Within the islands, the main means of transport are the bus and taxis. Some people rent a car to get around more freely, and this is a very cheap alternative to other cities.  

Getting to know these islands of paradisiacal beaches of fine sand and warm sun all year round is now possible thanks to the different cheap flight options offered by the main low cost airlines, which cover routes from various Spanish and European cities. It is time to take advantage of the opportunity and embark on the adventure of visiting them.