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How to Get to the Canary Islands: Flights, Airports & Routes (2026)

Which airport to fly into for each island, direct routes from the UK and Europe, inter-island flights vs ferries, and how to find the cheapest fares.

9 min read

The short version

Almost everyone reaches the Canary Islands by air. Each main island has its own airport, so you fly directly to the island you want rather than to a single hub. Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have the most direct international routes; the smaller islands are usually reached with a quick connecting flight or a ferry.

Which airport for which island

Tenerife has two airports: Tenerife South (TFS) handles most international flights and the southern resorts, while Tenerife North (TFN) mainly serves inter-island and mainland Spain routes. Gran Canaria (LPA), Lanzarote (ACE) and Fuerteventura (FUE) each have one main airport close to the resort areas. La Palma (SPC) and El Hierro (VDE) have smaller airports with mostly domestic and inter-island connections. La Gomera (GMZ) is reached by a short Binter flight or, more commonly, the 45-minute ferry from Los Cristianos in Tenerife. La Graciosa has no airport — you get there on the short ferry from Órzola in Lanzarote.

Flying from the UK and Europe

From the UK, low-cost and charter airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI run direct flights year-round to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with winter being peak season. From mainland Spain, Iberia, Vueling, Ryanair and Binter connect the islands to Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. From Germany and Northern Europe, carriers like Eurowings and Condor serve the main islands. Flight time is roughly 4–4.5 hours from the UK and 2.5–3 hours from mainland Spain.

Getting between the islands

Once you're there, hopping between islands is easy. Binter Canarias and CanaryFly run frequent short inter-island flights (many under 40 minutes) — often the fastest way to combine, say, Tenerife and Lanzarote. Ferries (Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas) are cheaper and let you bring a rental car, and are the natural choice for close pairs like Tenerife–La Gomera or Lanzarote–La Graciosa. See our island-hopping guide for sample routes.

How to find the cheapest fares

Fares swing a lot by season and how far ahead you book. Winter (November–March) is high season for sun-seekers, so book those dates early. Mid-week departures are usually cheaper than weekends, and flying into a different island than you leave from can open up better prices. Use the search box above to compare dates and airports in one go before you commit.

From the airport to your hotel

All the main airports have taxis, public buses (guaguas) and car-hire desks. If you're planning to explore beyond the resort, a rental car picked up at the airport is almost always worth it. If you'd rather not drive on arrival, a pre-booked private transfer takes you door-to-door for a fixed price — handy after a long flight or with families.

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