Last-minute August flight bookings DOUBLED in 2026

Last-minute flight bookings by Spanish travellers rose 104.5 pc in the final fortnight of July
Spain accounts for 44 pc of late bookings, up 145.6 pc compared with 2025
Ibiza leads regional growth with bookings up 293.3 pc, followed by Bilbao and Menorca
Average fares fell 4.2 pc despite higher demand due to increased supply and comparison shopping
Madrid, Palma and Barcelona lead in absolute booking volumes

Last-minute flight reservations by Spanish travellers for August have more than doubled, rising by 104.5 pc in the final fortnight of July compared with the same period last year. Data from Kiwi.com shows Spain accounts for 44 pc of these late bookings, with the strongest growth in Ibiza, Bilbao and Menorca. Despite the demand surge, average fares have fallen slightly by 4.2 pc year-on-year, a trend the company links to a greater supply of seats in the market and to consumers comparing more options until the final moment of booking.

By region, the largest relative increases in passenger arrivals are in Ibiza, where bookings have quadrupled (+293.3 pc), as well as Bilbao (+209.5 pc) and Menorca (+124.6 pc). In absolute volume by city, Madrid (+133.6 pc), Palma de Mallorca (+163.9 pc) and Barcelona (+136.8 pc) lead the national ranking, followed by Valencia (+164.9 pc), Alicante (+144.1 pc) and Málaga (+141.9 pc). The surge in demand has translated into a 96.7 pc rise in the total number of passengers.

Spain reinforces its position as the preferred destination for domestic tourists, concentrating 44 pc of all last-minute operations and recording a rise of 145.6 pc compared with 2025. The consumer-friendly trend of falling fares despite higher demand is attributed to increased competition and comparison shopping by travellers waiting until the final moment to lock in their itineraries. The data covers the second half of July 2026, comparing the period with the same dates in 2025.