Journey from the UK
How long is the flight to Spain?
About 2h 30m from LondonUnder 3 hoursChecked 22 October 2026
About 2 to 2¾ hours to mainland Spain and the Balearics, and 4 to 4½ hours to the Canary Islands. Mainland Spain and the Balearics are 1 hour ahead of the UK; the Canaries are on UK time.
- Under 3 hours
- 3 to 6 hours
- 6 to 10 hours
- 10 hours or more
RatingUnder 3 hours
Areas covered5 on this page
Almost every UK airport has direct flights to Spain, from Inverness to Newquay. There's also the ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander and Bilbao, about 24 to 32 hours.
Flight times from London
- Barcelona (BCN)Under 3 hours
About 2 hours.
- Madrid (MAD)Under 3 hours
About 2¼ hours.
- Mallorca (PMI) and Ibiza (IBZ)Under 3 hours
About 2¼ hours.
- Alicante (ALC) and Málaga (AGP)Under 3 hours
About 2½ to 2¾ hours.
- Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria3 to 6 hours
About 4 to 4½ hours.
The journey at a glance
Flight from LondonAbout 2h 30m
Distance1,676 km
Time difference+1 h
Main airportAGP
Straight-line estimate for a direct flight from Heathrow. Real flights often take longer.
Before you go
- From Scotland and the north of England, add around 20 to 40 minutes.
- Flights to Spain are cheapest midweek and outside school holidays.
Stay and do
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Questions people ask
What's the shortest flight to Spain from the UK?
Bilbao and Santander, in the north, are about 1¾ to 2 hours from the south of England.
Is there a time difference with Spain?
Yes: mainland Spain and the Balearics are 1 hour ahead of the UK all year. The Canary Islands are on UK time.
Related guides
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