Inter-Island Flights from Lanzarote to Become More Expensive: What It Means for Residents and Visitors
Travelling between the Canary Islands is set to become slightly more expensive after the Spanish Government officially updated the reference fares for a number of inter-island air routes covered by Public Service Obligations (PSOs). The changes have now been published in Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) and come into force immediately.
For anyone living in Lanzarote or planning to island-hop during their holiday, here’s what you need to know.
Which Lanzarote Routes Are Affected?
The updated fares apply to several protected air routes, including flights between Lanzarote and:
- Gran Canaria
- Tenerife North
- La Palma
These are among the Canary Islands’ Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes, which exist to guarantee reliable air connections between the islands, even when some routes may not be commercially viable.
Why Are Prices Increasing?
According to Spain’s Ministry of Transport, the reference fares have been updated by an average of around 7%.
Officials say the adjustment reflects rising operating costs across the aviation industry, including higher fuel prices and other expenses affecting airlines throughout Europe. The Government says the revised limits will also give airlines greater flexibility to offer a wider range of ticket prices, including discounted promotional fares, while remaining within the regulated pricing system.
Will Canary Islands Residents Pay More?
For most Canary Islands residents, the impact should be limited.
That’s because eligible residents continue to receive the 75% resident discount on domestic flights, a subsidy provided by the Spanish Government. While the underlying reference fares have increased, the resident discount remains unchanged.
What About Tourists?
Visitors travelling between the islands should be aware that fares may be slightly higher than before, particularly on the affected routes.
However, prices will still vary depending on:
- Demand
- Time of booking
- Airline promotions
- Season of travel
Booking in advance remains one of the best ways to secure lower fares.
Which Routes Are Included?
The updated reference fares apply to ten inter-island PSO routes, including:
- Gran Canaria – Lanzarote
- Tenerife North – Lanzarote
- La Palma – Lanzarote
- Gran Canaria – Tenerife North
- Gran Canaria – Tenerife South
- Gran Canaria – Fuerteventura
- Gran Canaria – El Hierro
- Tenerife North – Fuerteventura
- Tenerife North – El Hierro
- Tenerife North – La Palma
Three other protected routes retain their existing reference fares and are not affected by this latest update.
Why Are These Flights Protected?
Unlike mainland Spain, Canary Islanders often rely on air travel for work, healthcare, education and family life.
The Public Service Obligation system helps ensure essential routes continue to operate year-round, even when passenger numbers alone may not make them profitable for airlines. It also sets pricing rules designed to keep travel accessible for residents.
What This Means for Lanzarote
For residents, daily life is unlikely to change significantly thanks to the continuing resident subsidy.
For tourists planning to explore more than one Canary Island, it’s worth factoring slightly higher airfare costs into your holiday budget and booking flights as early as possible to take advantage of promotional fares when available.
Although ticket prices are increasing, the islands remain well connected, making it easy to combine Lanzarote with destinations such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria or La Palma during the same trip.
