Spain
How to get to Spain is one of the richest routing questions in non-rev travel — not because it’s hard, but because there are so many options. Iberia (IB), the Spanish flag carrier and a Oneworld member, operates direct service from 12 US and Canadian cities to Madrid Barajas (MAD), making it one of the most connected European capitals for North American non-revs. American Airlines (Oneworld), Delta (SkyTeam), and United (Star Alliance) all operate their own MAD nonstops, and Barcelona (BCN) adds another layer of transatlantic options with five alliance carriers flying direct from North America. Spain is part of the Schengen Area — US citizens enter visa-free for up to 90 days. The currency is the euro. Once you land, Renfe’s AVE high-speed rail network is one of Europe’s best: Madrid to Barcelona in 2h 30m, Madrid to Seville in 2h 30m. The Canary Islands — geographically off the African coast but politically and legally Spanish — operate as a largely separate travel ecosystem. Málaga (AGP) is the gateway to Andalusia and the Costa del Sol. Gibraltar (GIB), a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of Spain, is reachable from London via British Airways Oneworld — the border crossing into La Línea, Spain puts you in Andalusia within minutes. And Ceuta, Spain’s autonomous city on the North African coast, is a 35-minute ferry from Algeciras that many travelers don’t realize is still Spain.
Tourism Board
Why Go
Key Carriers
How to Get to Spain From North America
| Nonstop From | Code | Carrier(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oneworld — Iberia (IB) · American Airlines (AA) | ||
| 🇺🇸Boston | BOS | Iberia (IB) |
| 🇺🇸Charlotte | CLT | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸Chicago | ORD | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸Dallas/Fort Worth | DFW | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸Los Angeles | LAX | Iberia (IB) |
| 🇺🇸Miami | MIA | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸New York-JFK | JFK | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸Newark | EWR | Iberia (IB) |
| 🇺🇸Orlando | MCO | Iberia (IB) |
| 🇺🇸Philadelphia | PHL | Iberia (IB), American Airlines (AA) |
| 🇺🇸San Francisco | SFO | Iberia (IB) |
| 🇺🇸Washington-Dulles | IAD | Iberia (IB) |
| SkyTeam — Delta Air Lines (DL) | ||
| 🇺🇸Atlanta | ATL | Delta Air Lines (DL) |
| 🇺🇸Boston | BOS | Delta Air Lines (DL) |
| 🇺🇸New York-JFK | JFK | Delta Air Lines (DL) |
| Star Alliance — United Airlines (UA) · Air Canada (AC) | ||
| 🇺🇸Newark | EWR | United Airlines (UA) |
| 🇺🇸Washington-Dulles | IAD | United Airlines (UA) |
| 🇨🇦Montreal | YUL | Air Canada (AC) |
| 🇨🇦Toronto | YYZ | Air Canada (AC) |
| Oneworld — American Airlines + Iberia | ||
| Boston · Los Angeles · Miami · New York-JFK | BOS/LAX/MIA/JFK | Iberia (IB) |
| Chicago · Dallas · Miami · New York-JFK · Philadelphia | ORD/DFW/MIA/JFK/PHL | American Airlines (AA) |
| SkyTeam — Delta Air Lines | ||
| Atlanta · Boston · New York-JFK · Seattle | ATL/BOS/JFK/SEA | Delta Air Lines (DL) |
| Star Alliance — United Airlines + Air Canada | ||
| Chicago · Newark · San Francisco · Washington-Dulles | ORD/EWR/SFO/IAD | United Airlines (UA) |
| Montreal · Toronto | YUL/YYZ | Air Canada (AC) |
| 🇺🇸 Newark | EWR | United Airlines (UA) — Star Alliance |
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, separated from Andalusia by a land border crossing at La Línea de la Concepción. British Airways (Oneworld) operates nonstop service from London Heathrow (LHR) to Gibraltar (GIB) — making it a genuine Oneworld routing option for non-revs targeting Andalusia, the Costa del Sol, and the Campo de Gibraltar. Once through the GIB border (typically just a few minutes), La Línea is an immediate 10-minute walk or taxi from the airport. Algeciras — the main ferry port for Ceuta and Morocco — is 25 minutes by road. EasyJet also operates UK airports to GIB (no alliance — verify interline access).
The Canary Islands
The Canary Islands — Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro — are Spanish territory in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Morocco, geographically closer to Africa than to Spain. They have their own climate (subtropical year-round, largely outside the Atlantic hurricane belt), their own wildlife (endemic flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth), and a completely different travel profile from mainland Spain. They are an excellent non-rev destination for wintertime escapes from North America, with a European standard of infrastructure and Spanish prices.
The Canary Islands are primarily reached via European hubs — Madrid (MAD), Lisbon (LIS), London (LGW/LHR), Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS) — with Iberia, Vueling, and other European carriers connecting regularly to all seven islands’ airports. For North American non-revs, the positioning approach is: fly to a European hub and connect south to the Canaries on Iberia, Vueling, or another European carrier.
Direct service from North America:
Air Canada operates seasonal service from Montréal (YUL) and Toronto (YYZ) to Tenerife South (TFS) and Las Palmas Gran Canaria (LPA) — making these the most accessible Canary Island gateways for North American Star Alliance non-revs. Air Transat (no alliance) also serves YUL and YYZ to LPA and AGP seasonally — verify interline access.
Getting Around Spain
Spain has built one of the largest high-speed rail networks in the world. The AVE (Alta Velocidad Española) and its sister services make intercity travel fast, comfortable, and often faster than flying when you factor in airport transit time. Schedules and tickets at renfe.com.
| Madrid → Barcelona | ~2h 30m | The flagship AVE route — multiple departures hourly. Madrid Puerta de Atocha or Chamartín to Barcelona Sants. Faster than flying when airport time is included. |
| Madrid → Seville | ~2h 30m | The original AVE route, inaugurated 1992. Madrid Atocha to Santa Justa. Clean, fast, and the most practical way to reach Andalusia from the capital. |
| Madrid → Granada | ~3h | AVE via Antequera-Santa Ana. Granada station is the gateway to the Alhambra (pre-book tickets well in advance — the monument sells out weeks ahead). |
| Madrid → Málaga | ~2h 30m | AVE to María Zambrano station in Málaga. An excellent alternative to the AGP airport approach — train drops you at the city center for onward connections to Marbella, Ronda, and the Costa del Sol. |
| Barcelona → Girona | ~38 min | Frequent AVE and Rodalies services from Barcelona Sants. Girona airport (GRO) is served by a shuttle bus from Girona city. The town itself is worth the visit. |
Andorra — the tiny co-principality between Spain and France — has no airport. The closest air gateways are Barcelona (BCN, ~3h by coach) and Girona (GRO, ~3h by coach through Ripoll). Alsa and La Hispano Andorrana both operate direct coaches from Barcelona’s Nord bus station to Andorra la Vella, winding up through the Pyrenees. Andorra is ski country (Grandvalira is one of the largest ski areas in Southern Europe), duty-free shopping country, and mountain hiking country — a genuinely distinct destination well worth combining with a Barcelona or Girona stay.
Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous city of 80,000 people on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, sharing a border with Morocco. It is legally and politically Spain — no visa, no currency change, EU rules — while geographically sitting on the African continent. Fast catamaran ferries from Algeciras (on the Andalusian coast, 25 minutes from Gibraltar) reach Ceuta in approximately 35 minutes. For non-revs already in southern Spain or transiting through Algeciras for Morocco, Ceuta is one of the most unusual and undervisited Spanish destinations: Moorish walls, Spanish colonial architecture, a duty-free zone, and the surreal experience of crossing into Africa via a Spanish immigration gate. See also our Morocco Travel Guide for routes onward from Ceuta across the Moroccan border at Fnideq.
Related Guides
Common Questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Spain?
No. Spain is part of the Schengen Area. US citizens enter visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across all Schengen countries. A valid passport is required. Always verify current entry requirements at iatatravelcentre.com before travel.
Should I fly to MAD or BCN?
For maximum non-rev flexibility, MAD has the deepest carrier network — all three alliances with multiple US gateways. If your primary destination is Catalonia, the Costa Brava, or you’re heading to Andorra, BCN is the right gateway and also has excellent multi-alliance coverage. If your destination is Andalusia — Seville, Granada, Córdoba, or the Costa del Sol — MAD is the natural arrival point, with AVE trains south taking about 2.5 hours to Seville or Málaga.
What is Girona Airport (GRO)?
Girona-Costa Brava Airport is a secondary airport 90km north of Barcelona, primarily used by Ryanair for budget European routes. It has no North American nonstop service. Most visitors reach GRO from Barcelona by train (to Girona city, then a shuttle bus to the airport, about 75 minutes total) or by Sagalés bus from Barcelona airport. Despite no direct NA service, GRO makes a good base airport for exploring the Costa Brava, the medieval city of Girona, or catching a coach north to Andorra.
How do I get to the Canary Islands from the US?
The most practical non-rev path from North America to the Canary Islands is to fly to a European hub first — Madrid (MAD), Lisbon (LIS), London (LGW), Frankfurt (FRA), or Amsterdam (AMS) — and connect south on Iberia, Vueling, or another European carrier. Air Canada operates seasonal direct service from Montréal (YUL) and Toronto (YYZ) to Tenerife South (TFS) and Las Palmas Gran Canaria (LPA), which is the best direct option for Star Alliance non-revs during the winter season.
Tourism source: Turismo de España (spain.info). Heritage citations: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Entry requirements: IATA Travel Centre (iatatravelcentre.com). Rail information: Renfe (renfe.com). Route data compiled from airline and airport schedules.