On the archipelago, there are two ways to reach a neighboring island: by ferry or by plane. Let me elaborate specifically on flights between the Canary Islands. You’ll learn where to check schedules, purchase tickets, baggage regulations, types of aircraft used, how much time prior to departure you should arrive at the airport, and much more. These are the details you might not think about before your trip, but having this information at hand can save you time, and possibly money, when you need it.

Flights Between the Canary Islands

This article focuses on domestic flights. If you want to know how to get to the Canary Islands cheaply and the optimal routes available today, check out the linked article.

Here are the key points you need to know about domestic flights within the Canary Islands:

  • It’s very convenient and fast.
  • If you need to transport a car or five suitcases to a neighboring island, then ferry it is. But if you’re a typical lightweight tourist with standard luggage, then planes are much more convenient.
  • Most flights between the islands last between 20 to 50 minutes. Whereas, by ferry, you’d spend around 4 hours or more on the same route.
  • Ferry and plane ticket prices don’t differ much. Yes, pricing is dynamic, but very often you can find plane tickets even cheaper than ferry tickets.
Flights Between the Canary Islands
All domestic flights between the islands are operated by twin-engine ATR-72 aircraft, accommodating 40 to 60 passengers

It’s important to note:

There are airports on all seven islands of the Canary archipelago. However, some are local airports with short runways. For instance, the runway at La Palma Island is only 1500 meters long, while conventional airplanes require a minimum of 2500 meters. And there’s no need for large planes; these are essentially shuttles making around 10 flights a day.

Local airlines: tickets, prices

Two local airlines operate in the Canaries. They offer roughly similar prices, the same routes, identical aircraft, and baggage regulations. So, there’s no real difference; choose whichever has a more convenient flight time or cheaper tickets.

The only difference is that Binter serves a cookie and water even on flights as short as 20 minutes, while CanaryFly does not 🙂

So, here are the airlines and websites to check schedules, prices, and buy tickets:

There are also European airlines such as Air Europe, Iberia, Vueling, but their main routes are between mainland Spain and Tenerife or Gran Canaria. There are few or no flights between the other islands. Hence, Binter and CanaryFly are the main players in this market.

flights within canaries
Such planes don’t need a ramp, and passengers typically walk from the airport building to the plane. It’s like a local shuttle, flying non-stop.
  • I recommend checking composite routes on platforms like WayAway. Compare prices; they’re usually the same.

Tip:

Make sure to also check tickets on booking platforms because the Binter and Canaryfly websites only show tickets for their own airlines. For example, there are no direct flights between La Palma and La Gomera, but you can quickly get there with one layover in Tenerife. n booking platform will show you all possible options where one segment is with Binter and the other with Canaryfly, which the airline websites won’t display. You’ll save a lot of time with shorter layovers.

Ins and Outs of Domestic Flights Between the Islands

And a few tips to help you when buying plane tickets between the Canary Islands.

  • Binter and Canaryfly are not low-cost carriers; they are full-service airlines. Every ticket, even promotional ones, includes a full 23kg baggage allowance and hand luggage. Seat selection is always free.
  • Since the planes are small, with sometimes only 10-20 passengers on a flight, boarding and disembarking are quick, within 5 minutes. There are no buses or ramps; passengers always walk from the airport building to the plane.
  • Arriving at the airport 2 hours before such flights isn’t necessary. But you should be there an hour before departure.

Important:

If you’re flying from major airports like Gran Canaria or Tenerife, it’s better to arrive at the airport an hour and a half to an hour beforehand. Traffic, security queues, and so on, you never know where you might lose time. But if you’re flying from, say, La Gomera Airport, with only 5 flights a day, you can arrive just 40 minutes before departure and go through all procedures in 5 minutes. Check out an overview and list of all airports in the Canaries.
by plane between islands canaries
Local airports look like this, specifically in the photo on La Gomera Island. They have all the necessary infrastructure.
  • You don’t need to print tickets; having an electronic boarding pass on your phone is sufficient.
  • Even on domestic flights, you need your passport; names on the ticket and passport are always cross-checked.

And most importantly, there are two price categories for ferries and flights between the Canary Islands, so be careful when booking. Island residents get a 75% discount on any ticket, while you, as a tourist, always pay the full price. Documents (residence ID cards) entitling you to a discount are always checked.

Sometimes, during your search, you might see a price, say, 15 euros for a flight. Double-check to ensure the correct box is ticked, as it’s likely a price for residents. For tourists, it will be four times higher. The average prices for inter-island flights range from 50 to 60 euros per ticket.

Canary Islands flight
You can see Mount Teide on any domestic flight, weather permitting. The key is to choose seats on the correct side of the plane.

I always book tickets in advance and often find prices at 30-35 euros per ticket, and I’m not a resident. Prices are always higher a couple of days before departure. By the way, ferries are not cheap either, with the standard ticket price for tourists also around 50 euros.

Advantages include: since tourists purchase tickets for inter-island flights at full fare, baggage and hand luggage are always included in the ticket. Residents don’t have this privilege; they have to pay separately for baggage.

  • I recommend reading an article on travel cost in the Canaries, where I detailed expenses by category. You can estimate your budget and understand how much money to bring with you. Tourists who want to explore different islands of the archipelago should plan for transportation expenses. Travel between the islands by any means of transport cannot be called cheap.

Of course, a plane will quickly get you to the desired island to explore the location you’re interested in. After all, the best attractions are not only on Tenerife. Check out the top 25 cool locations in the Canary Islands. You might find one you won’t want to miss.

In conclusion: inter-island flights between the Canary Islands are excellent transportation and an alternative to ferries. Often, they are even cheaper than ferries if you buy tickets in advance. It’s fast and doesn’t cause seasickness like on a ferry.

If you need to get to an island at the other end of the archipelago, you’ll spend the whole day on a ferry. But by plane, you’ll arrive in an hour. Moreover, it’s a cool experience to fly on such a twin-engine plane, flying low, and almost always having Mount Teide visible from the window on any route.

Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:

  • Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.

  • Accommodation:
    • Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.

    • or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.

  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.

  • Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.

  • eSIM and internet: Airalo.

  • Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.