Spain has become a popular European destination and a great alternative for those looking for clean beaches at affordable prices. However, making your way to Spain may prove expensive unless you take certain steps. Whether for business or pleasure, a cheap trip to Spain is possible.
Rather than flying to Spain, fly into London. Specials that connect NYC and London abound, and it's not rare to find a ticket for just a couple hundred dollars. On the other hand, a direct ticket to Spain will cost you two to three times that price. Once in London, you can take a flight from a company such as Ryanair or Easyjet, which connect London and Barcelona for as little as 30 Euros. For even more savings, try to buy a connecting flight between London and Bilbao or San Sebastian, which are in the north of Spain and therefore closer.
Flying to Spain from the West Coast is expensive, and you still may be better off making your way to a NYC airport and then catching a flight to Spain from there. If you're in California, flying from Los Angeles is probably your best option for a a cheap ticket. Flights to the East Coast from cities like Seattle tend to be more expensive, so it may pay to make your way to Los Angeles and then fly from there. Early-bird specials and flying in the off season, which is the winter in Spain, can also result in significant savings.
Buying a ticket that goes from a small city in the U.S. directly to Spain usually means you will be forced to stop and change planes at a major airport, such as Los Angeles or New York. The problem with this is that combined tickets are typically much more expensive. An easy way to make this connection cheaper is to buy a flight from a major U.S. airport to Spain and then get to that airport via a cheaper means of transport, such as taking a long-distance bus or driving.
If you're trying to make your way to Costa Brava, Aragon or Pyrenees, your best bet for a cheap flight is to avoid flying directly into the area. Instead, book a flight to Madrid or Barcelona and then take a bus or connecting train from there. From Barcelona, you can also board a ferry to make your way to Ibiza or Mallorca.
