Cheap flights to Spain

Are you dreaming of a sunny city trip, beach holiday or world trip start in Spain, but don’t want to pay too much for your flight? Good news: flying to Spain really doesn’t have to cost a fortune – even in high season!

In this blog, I share our best tips for flying cheaply to Spain, based on our own experience and a lot of trial and error. Because let’s face it… Who doesn’t like to save smartly on airline tickets, so that you have more left over for sangria, ice creams and trips?

In the summer of 2025, we – two adults and a child – will fly from Charleroi to Valencia with Ryanair.
We only paid €516 for three people, there & back, in the middle of high season!

And that without sacrificing comfort. Just with a backpack, without extras, and with lots of smart choices.

Yes, even with children! For years, we have only been travelling with the included hand luggage – so usually just the “under the seat” backpack – and easily save €100 to €150 per person per flight.

Our tips:

• At Action you will find a super handy backpack (40x20x25 cm) that is well within the permitted dimensions. Please note: Ryanair increased the free limit to 40×30×20 cm in August 2025, so this backpack fits comfortably – always check the current rules of your airline when you leave, because things like this sometimes change.
• Choose clothes wisely: mix & match outfits, wear the heaviest things on board
• For kids: football outfits are great. They hardly take up any space and children love them
• Bring one light fleece jacket for colder evenings or on the plane, and wear it around your waist on the plane

Please note: Ryanair regularly checks hand luggage strictly. Weigh & measure your bag at home.

Seat reservation is tempting, but often unnecessarily expensive.
We consciously choose not to book seats. Usually we sit together anyway. And if that doesn’t work? Then we just wave to each other between snacks. In any case, they always let children sit next to 1 of their parents. So then the other parent has some rest.

Savings: up to €15 per seat per flight = quickly €90 on a return trip for three people.

Our findings:

• Valencia & especially Barcelona are often much cheaper than e.g. Alicante & Málaga
• Girona & Reus are also interesting options
• This time we left from Charleroi, and that saved literally hundreds of euros!

Also consider:

• Eindhoven, Düsseldorf-Weeze, Lille or Luxembourg – surprisingly cheap airports
• Use Google Flights or Skyscanner with “flexible airports” on

You really don’t have to score a ticket 6 months in advance.
We often find good deals 4 to 6 weeks before departure.

Useful hacks:

• Set up price alerts via Google Flights or Skyscanner
• Compare days: Tuesday or Saturday are often cheaper
• Fly outside the typical weekend rush schedule

Do you have children at school? Then you may think that you are stuck with expensive periods. But… A day of shifting can really make a difference.

For example, we dare to:

• Leaving on Friday instead of Saturday
• Return on Monday instead of Sunday evening

Result: sometimes hundreds of euros cheaper, and an extra day of vacation! Report your child sick at school, and there is nothing else to worry about, because you are entitled to a few days off for your kids without a doctor’s note.

Airport catering is expensive and often unhealthy.

Our routine:

• Snacks on board (biscuits, nuts, fruit, chips, wraps…)
• Filling a reusable water bottle after security at the drinking tap
• No queue, no €5 water bottle and happier children (and parents)

Booking a cheap flight to Spain is no coincidence.
It’s a combination of smart choices, some flexibility and common sense.

Because let’s face it: how wonderful is it to lie on the beach thinking that you didn’t pay €900 in plane tickets, but you did pay those extra ice creams, day trips and nachos with guac?