Vueling cancels Barcelona-Madrid route from March 29

The Catalan low-cost airline Vueling will cancel its Barcelona-Madrid route from March 29, ahead of the summer season.

Passengers can still purchase tickets on the company’s website, but Spanish airline Iberia will operate flights under a codeshare agreement. Vueling and Iberia are part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), which also owns British Airways, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL.

Currently, Vueling offers three daily flights between the Catalan and Spanish capitals, totaling 21 flights per week. The airline has operated the route since its founding in 2004.

After Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia first reported the story, airline sources told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that the route cancellation was temporary and that no decisions had been made for future seasons.

Vueling aims to focus on promoting Barcelona and key domestic and international markets. This summer, flights between Barcelona and the Canary Islands will increase by 21%, while connections with the Balearic Islands will rise by 7%.

Vueling accounts for 40% of passenger traffic at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, which surpassed 55 million travelers in 2024 and set a new all-time high in January.

Iberia will continue to operate the Barcelona-Madrid route with around a dozen daily flights.

Meanwhile, the number of high-speed train passengers between cities continues to grow, reaching nearly 14 million in 2023, according to data released last July.