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Date Published: 21/07/2026

More Brits than ever choosing Spain as summer travel boom continues

More than 2.6 million passengers arrived in Spain from the UK in June alone

Despite concerns over airport queues, rising travel costs and ongoing disruption across Europe, British holidaymakers are continuing to flock to Spain in huge numbers.

New figures released by Turespaña show more than 11 million international air passengers arrived in Spain during June, a 4% increase on the same month last year. That means Spain has welcomed 54.6 million overseas arrivals during the first half of 2026, up 5% compared with the same period a year ago.

Once again, the UK topped the list of international markets, underlining Spain's enduring appeal for British tourists, second-home owners and expats travelling between the two countries.

Almost 2.6 million passengers flew to Spain from the UK in June alone, accounting for nearly one in every four international arrivals. That's a 4.6% increase compared with June 2025.

The Balearic Islands remained the most popular destination for British travellers, but the Valencian Community and Catalonia also enjoyed strong growth, attracting tens of thousands more UK visitors than they did a year ago.

The latest figures come shortly after Ryanair warned passengers travelling to Spain this summer to allow extra time at airports due to delays linked to the EU's Entry-Exit System (EES). Despite those concerns, demand for Spain shows little sign of slowing.

Across Europe, most of Spain's major tourism markets recorded growth in June. Italy saw passenger numbers rise by almost 8%, while arrivals from Belgium and Poland increased sharply. Germany was one of the few exceptions, with visitor numbers falling slightly compared with last year.

The Valencian Community enjoyed one of the strongest performances among Spain's regions, recording an 11.2% increase in international arrivals. Only the Canary Islands saw a decline.

Spain's busiest airport remained Madrid-Barajas, which welcomed 2.2 million international passengers during the month. Barcelona-El Prat followed closely behind with 2 million arrivals.

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