While once not particularly known as a travel destination outside of Spain itself and certain religious communities, the town of Santiago de Compostela has been attracting an increasing number of tourists over the last half-decade.
As the number of travelers embarking on the 820-kilometer network of pilgrimage paths ending at the shrine of Saint James the Great quintupled past 500,000 over the last two decades, the city at its endpoint has also seen growing traction.
Last May, United Airlines began running a new seasonal route between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Rosalia de Castro (SCQ) in Santiago de Compostela. On the European end, a new budget airline is preparing to launch from the same airport by December 2026.
Fly2Galicia will launch flights to 17 destinations by December 2026
At the moment, the new airline is scheduled to launch through an ACMI agreement to lease an Airbus A320 operated by Romanian carrier FLYYO, according to TravelBook.
Such a wet lease is a common way for startup airlines to test demand and build an established network of customers prior to rolling out as a full airline with its own planes, operating certificate, and crew.
The 17 weekly departures will run on a network of intra-Spanish and European routes flying from Santiago de Compostela to destinations including Alicante, Zaragoza, Granada, Brussels, Munich, Milan-Malpensa, Venice, and Prague, reported Spanish outlet The Olive Press.
The latter capital of Czechia is the most distant destination currently on the airline’s flight slate, although the expressed plans include expansion to more destinations.
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With ticket sales opening on Aug. 18, the cheapest flights to Spanish cities such as Alicante and Granada currently start at €21.50 ($25 USD) and €19 ($22 USD) for the return ticket.
The airline is also advertising Economy Plus, Economy Premium, and Business Premium fare classes offering perks such as larger armchair-style seating and lounge access, as well as a Fly2Galicia Miles Programme for earning points.
“Fly2Galicia was created to enhance Galicia’s air connectivity through direct flights from Santiago de Compostela to key European destinations, offering competitive fares and reliable, customer-focused service,” the airline writes of its launch on its new website under the tagline “Galicia Takes Off.”
Image source: Unsplash.
Which other airlines fly into Santiago de Compostela in 2026?
With the city itself home to a permanent population of just over 180,000 people, the Rosalia de Castro regional airport has not been served by many carriers.
After failing to reach an agreement with the Spanish government over the rising costs of airport taxes, Dublin-based Ryanair stopped flying into many smaller Spanish cities, including Santiago, by 2026.
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Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air will also open a base out of Santiago by Dec. 17, planning routes to 10 domestic and international destinations, including Rome and Warsaw.
While the airlines will fly to different destinations, the presence of both Fly2Galicia and Wizz Air will create significant competition for a destination that for most arrivals is highly seasonal.
In 2025, the airport handled approximately 3.1 million passengers.
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