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Five ways to save money at Spanish airports

It’s no secret that airports are expensive places. Coffees and bocadillos (filled baguettes) can cost almost triple the price of what you’d pay outside the airports, so how can you save money?

Published: 11 September 2023 16:23 CEST
Five ways to save money at Spanish airports
How to save money at airports in Spain. Photo: LLUIS GENE / AFP

Paying out more money doesn’t only begin when you arrive at your holiday destination, but when you arrive at the airport too. It’s not only food and drink that are more expensive, however, everything from parking to printing boarding passes can cost you extra. 

Choose food establishments carefully

If you’re in the know, you can actually find cheap eats at Spanish airports. Hint, these are typically fast food chains rather than the independent or healthier options.

One Spanish influencer, Nerea (@ohlileven) discovered that she could eat at Madrid airport for just €2.40. Fries in McDonald’s at Madrid airport cost €1.20 and a chicken burger another €1.20, bringing the grand total for the meal to €2.40. You can find McDonald’s at many of the major airports across Spain.  

Another cheap meal at some Spanish airports is 100 Montaditos. Classic small-filled sandwiches start at €1.45 each.

Find out about VIP lounges for long stopovers

Airport VIP lounges may sound like they’re only for business travellers or celebrities, but in fact, they can be used by anyone who pays for them. If you have a long stopover but don’t want the hassle of getting out of the airport and travelling into the city or you can’t, then these can be a good option and save you money.

VIP lounges in Spain typically cost between €25-€35 and offer you more comfortable seats than the general airport. They sometimes have showers and an open bar with snacks and drinks, making it a lot more affordable than paying for all those elements individually in the general airport.  

READ ALSO: Spain to relax airport security rules for liquids and electronics in 2024

Bring a refillable water bottle

It’s still not possible to bring liquids that are more than 100ml through security in Spain and because of this, travellers often have to throw away their water and buy a new bottle once they’re through the other side. Shops and cafes often take advantage of this fact and can even charge over €4 for you to buy some more. 

Bringing your own water bottle means that you can fill up at the fountains instead of wasting your money on overpriced water in the shops. It also means that your water will stay cooler if you want to take it on the flight with you too. 

Look for parking deals

Parking at the airport can add on a lot of extra costs. The official AENA car park at Spanish airports costs between €14 and €60 per day, which can add up a lot if you’re on holiday for a week or two. Luckily, however, there are many alternatives and you don’t have to be stuck with these prices. 

READ ALSO: How to save money on airport parking in Spain

The best way to find a good deal is to go to an airport parking comparison website such as Parkos or TravelCar. These enable you to find other alternatives to the official airport car park. If you reserve your spot well in advance, you can find some great deals. Looking for a parking space at Madrid-Barajas for example, there are options from €10, almost half the price of AENA.

Print your tickets or download them to your mobile

The issue of needing to have tickets and boarding passes for low-cost airlines before you arrive at the airport has caused problems for many. Perhaps you forgot, simply didn’t know or there was a technical error. Whatever it was, it’s likely you may have had to pay to get them printed upon arrival and paid a lot of extra money in the process.

Nowadays you can always download your ticket or boarding pass to your phone too. It’s always best to have them printed out though, in case your phone runs out of battery, breaks, or you lose it. Even if you don’t have a printer at home, it’s a lot cheaper to pay a couple of euros to get them printed at a shop, than to spend around €40 for the airline to do it for you. 

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The new rules for e-scooters in Spain in 2024

As the popularity of electric scooters continues to rise in Spain, 2024 will see new rules brought in to try and better regulate them and avoid accidents.

Published: 21 December 2023 14:58 CET
The new rules for e-scooters in Spain in 2024

According to data from the Spanish Federation of Personal Mobility Vehicles, there are now around 5 million electric scooters in use around Spain.

In many towns and cities, scooters are now competing with bikes as a mode of transport, and the sudden explosion in popularity (and subsequent uptick in accidents) has forced Spain’s DGT to eventually step in and try and regulate their use.

This was with good reason, according to the stats. In 2020 (the last year we have complete data) the DGT recorded 8 ‘personal mobility vehicle users’ (i.e. e-scooter riders) killed in accidents, 97 seriously injured, and 1,097 slightly injured.

READ ALSO: Madrid bans e-scooters on all public transport

Regulations in place since January 2021 attempted to put e-scooter users on the same level as other drivers and established a speed limit of 25 km/h, as well as establishing rules on their use on motorways roads and pavements.

A new traffic law passed in 2022 attempted to further deal with electric scooters, and from 2024 a few more new changes will be brought in. A big part of this is a DGT manual, focusing largely on the design spec for scooters and outlining which are acceptable. Jorge Ordás, a spokesman from the DGT, said that “the technical specifications manual will help to reduce the number of accidents.”

Here’s what you need to know.

READ ALSO: What are the rules for renting electric scooters in Spain?

Safety certificates

The main change is that from January 22nd, 2024, all e-scooters sold in Spain must have a VMP (personal mobility vehicle) mandatory safety certificate in order to be able go public roads, although the scooters purchased before that date may continue to circulate normally until January 22, 2027, when the rules will change again.

The DGT has published a full list of brands and models that currently have a VMP Certificate here, in accordance with the VMP specifications manual.

ITV

In Spain, an MOT is known as an ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) and is basically a test to certify your vehicle’s roadworthiness. If you drive in Spain, you might’ve taken one of these before.

Electric scooters will now also have to undergo an ITV. This will be based on three key sections: speed, braking, and the battery and wiring.

  • Speed: tests will be done to verify that the scooter speed is within the legally allowed range (6 km/h-25 km/h) and aren’t modified in any way.
  • Braking: thorough braking tests with a brake meter, GPS or other measurement tool.
  • Battery and wiring: checks to see if there is any damage on the battery or body of the scooter, the status and safety of the wiring, if there is an additional battery, and the voltage of any batteries the scooter has.

Helmets

Wearing a helmet is mandatory for drivers of electric scooters and other personal mobility vehicles. Electric scooters are considered vehicles for all purposes and drivers are obliged to comply with traffic regulations in exactly the same way that drivers of cars and motorbikes are.

Visibility

E-scooters must be equipped with front retro-reflectors (in white), on both sides (white or yellow) and one on the rear (in red). In addition, the brake light must be differentiated or combined with the rear light.

Where you can use an e-scooter in Spain

There are also some rules on where you can and can’t use your e-scooter, though these rules are often done at a local level so it’s always advisable to check with your local town hall for the updated rules (and potential fines).

In Madrid and Barcelona, for example, e-scooters are banned on the metro systems. In other cities, such as Bilbao and Valencia, it is still allowed but may stop sooner rather than later. On the Seville metro system, access with a scooter is prohibited from Monday to Friday at peak travel times.

In many parts of Spain, breaking the rules can get you a traffic fine of up to €200.

As The Local reported a few weeks ago, from December 12th, Spain’s state rail operator Renfe banned electric scooters on all of its trains.

READ ALSO: Spain’s Renfe bans e-scooters on all its trains

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