Flights to Ibiza

I'd like to add a quick comment to help out my poor fellow Americans who get gouged on ticket prices to Ibiza.

I just finished planning my 2nd trip to Ibiza, and both times I've done hours & hours of research getting the cheapest flights, at the times I want to travel. Tips for yanks trying to fly on the penny:

- Oribtz.com normally has the lowest rates for full round-trip from US -> Ibiza (compared with Expedia, Travelocity, and Priceline)

- It's much cheaper to fly if you don't buy full round-trip tickets. To get the best deal on tickets you should buy round-trip tickets to Barcelona (BCN) or Madrid (MAD). Next, go to iberia.com, air-europa.com or spanair.com and buy roundtrip tickets from MAD or BCN to Ibiza (IBZ).

- The above point will normally always save you a few bucks. If you buy 2+ months in advance it probably won't save much. But if you only book tickets 2-4 weeks in advance you'll save anywhere from $200 to $800 on your total ticket price. (Last August the cheapest I could fly full roundtrip US -> IBZ was $1800. So instead I flew to BCN for $750, then flew iberia roundtrip BCN-IBZ for $70. Trip: $800 instead of $1800)

- If you do use the above method then be sure schedule at least 2 hours between flights on BOTH ends of the trip when you pass through BCN or MAD. This is because you have to leave the airport, and the re-check-in to get on your next flight. Give yourself time that you don't have to rush.

- On the way home be ESPECIALLY aware of the time between flights. International flights take a lot longer to get through ticketing since they're not allowed to pre-print tix, you MUST check-in.

- Roundtrip BCN to IBZ should only cost you around $45 - 70. If you can't find any better rates, then the ferry to Ibiza is only a very quick cab ride from the BCN airport.

- Watch for special European travel offers from airlines. If you see a deal to fly to London, Madrid, or Barcelona for cheap, jump on the deal, then buy tickets direct for that city roundtrip to Ibiza. I've seen deals for $300 - 400 to fly to spain. That means you can get to Ibiza for a total of $400 - 500!

- Don't worry about being a foreign national buying airline tickets in other countries. Being foreign and buying tickets isn't a big deal at all over there.

- Unfortunately if you want a late flight out of Ibiza you CAN'T do it. All international flights out of Spain leave no later than around 2pm. Which means you have to arrive in mainland Spain no later than noon, so you have to fly out of Ibiza no later than 11am. If you REALLY want to work around this, you can get a late flight out of Ibiza (8 - 11pm) to fly into MAD or BCN, and then spend the next 6-8 hours hanging out in the BCN or MAD airports and catch the earliest flight home. (This is a great method if you REALLY want to stay at a club til 8am on your last night and don't want to worry about rushing to the airport afterwards)

- Spanish airlines don't charge too much more / less for two one-way tickets or 1 round-trip ticket. This means that if one airline can get you THERE cheaper, or at a better flight time, but a different one gets you BACK cheaper or easier, then just book one-way tickets with both airlines.

- The best days to fly for the lowest rates are Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Of those, Fridays are typically the lowest for most airlines.

- Unless you have a package deal, don't even bother trying to check if it's cheaper to do the double-roundtrip-ticket plan and try to go through London. It'll cost you an extra $100 - 200 no matter how you shake it. Just go through MAD or BCN.

- I recommend choosing between BCN and MAD as to which one is a better hub to get you a direct flight back home. You'll want to deal with as FEW lay-overs as possible, especially when coming home.

Phew. That was a lot. Anyhow, I hope some of this helps... somebody.

G'luck!
 
Riddil said:
- Roundtrip BCN to IBZ should only cost you around $45 - 70. If you can't find any better rates, then the ferry to Ibiza is only a very quick cab ride from the BCN airport.

Riddil, excelent comment :D
The only point is that I'm not sure ferries are worth, it's very expensive compared to fly tickets and the journey is 4 our 8 hours, while flying from BCN it's only 30 minuts.
 
Yeah, you're totally right, Silvia. I just wanted to include the comment about the ferry b/c sometimes when you're doing some last minute planning and trying to book round-trip tix to BCN there are some days where there are NO open flights to Ibiza, or the only ones available are super-expensive. The ferry is good to know about as a 2nd option so that you can still fly in / out of BCN on the day you planned for. (but yeah, a 4-8 hour ferry ride doesn't sound like much fun) ;)
 
Great advice Riddil... there seem to be an awful lot of American peeps who are trying to get to Ibiza but aren't sure of the cheapest way to do it. 8)
 
the barcelona ferries are like ocean liners with gym, jacuzzi, pool, sunloungers, bars, cinema and even a disco on the overnight one. i had a little cabin with beds and a toilet/shower which is great for a bit of privacy and a place to sleep.

i think it's good value for a med cruise!
 
best post i have seen. Yes flying directly to ibz from honolulu hawaii is like 1700. But if we can do it for around 5-800 USD. I am soo going to ibiza in 2005.

Anyone else care to add to what Riddil said?

Thanks in advance.

-Edgar-
 
integlspwr said:
best post i have seen. Yes flying directly to ibz from honolulu hawaii is like 1700. But if we can do it for around 5-800 USD. I am soo going to ibiza in 2005.

Anyone else care to add to what Riddil said?

Thanks in advance.

-Edgar-
Are you trying to say Ibiza is better than Hawaii?!?! :eek: Never been to either one, but Hawaii is the heaven in everyone's mind (everyone I know, anyway :D )
 
I've hear that Hawaii still has way too much of a "small-town" feel. The nature is great, but the urban side is really watered-down. And it's soooo painfully expensive you need to drop tons of cash to do anything.

I've friends who've been a few times to Hawaii, and their honest recommendation is if you wanna head to the Pacific, skip Hawaii, and go straight to Thailand. Cheaper, better beaches, better night-life.
 
Froggie said:
integlspwr said:
best post i have seen. Yes flying directly to ibz from honolulu hawaii is like 1700. But if we can do it for around 5-800 USD. I am soo going to ibiza in 2005.

Anyone else care to add to what Riddil said?

Thanks in advance.

-Edgar-
Are you trying to say Ibiza is better than Hawaii?!?! :eek: Never been to either one, but Hawaii is the heaven in everyone's mind (everyone I know, anyway :D )

Im going to have to say that Ibiza i think is better than hawaii. From what i have been told Ibiza has that hawaii feel, but with the super clubs, now only if hawaii had those super clubs. I think i would be set.
 
Riddil said:
I've hear that Hawaii still has way too much of a "small-town" feel. The nature is great, but the urban side is really watered-down. And it's soooo painfully expensive you need to drop tons of cash to do anything.

I've friends who've been a few times to Hawaii, and their honest recommendation is if you wanna head to the Pacific, skip Hawaii, and go straight to Thailand. Cheaper, better beaches, better night-life.

Yes surfing, the nature stuff is top notch, but the night life / city life is the suckiest thing in the world.

I stay home and watch 24 since the night life here is non existant.

I think everyone needs to go to hawaii once, and from there just explore the rest of the pacific. I haven't been to thailand, but maybe i should look into it.

<=-=- Ibiza Bound in 2005
 
Thanks for the info Riddil - I was having a devil of a time finding anything under $1300 USD till I used your "method".

Interesting, costs about the same to go to Hawaii from here in Orlando as it does to Ibiza...but that will have to wait! I've put this one off for too long already. :)
 
Nez said:
Thanks for the info Riddil - I was having a devil of a time finding anything under $1300 USD till I used your "method".

Interesting, costs about the same to go to Hawaii from here in Orlando as it does to Ibiza...but that will have to wait! I've put this one off for too long already. :)

rather go to ibiza then come to hawaii.

Hawaii suxors. :x
 
para los Americanos coming to Ibiza........

Great advice Riddil, I'm going on the same track......do your own research and save.
For Americans who'd like to do a bit of sightseeing :D - if you arrive early in the day in Barcelona you can put your luggage in a locker and take the bus to downtown Barcelona and enjoy this beautiful city. There's a cheap flight at midnight from BCN >> IBZ for aprox euro 20 at www.vueling.com
check it out! gives you a great day to explore Barcelona.

Welcome! and enjoy la isla bonita
Kathy
 
Great post by Riddil!

I'd like to add that his method works just as well for people travelling to Ibiza from European cities that don't have direct flights, especially Eastern Europe (in my case, Moscow). I'm sure this works just as well from other points outside of W. Europe.

In my case, I had 4 choices - Madrid, Barcelona, Dusseldorf and Berlin. The German flights don't even show up if you try to book a roundtrip Ibiza trip, but there are some very cheap options on charter, travel agency and budget airlines.

I usually go to Madrid on Aeroflot (tickets purchased here locally) and then take Air Europa or Spanair from there. This year, because of when I booked and the dates I wanted to travel, the cheapest way turned out to be through Barcelona on Aeroflot connecting to Iberia.

The Spanish airlines (Iberia, Spanair, Air Europa, Vueling) let you buy E-tickets through their websites, and you can you can find cheaper fairs than through Expedia, Travelocity, etc. When you travel, you just have to show your passport and credit card at the airport along with a copy of your online reservation and off you go!
 
www.traveljungle.co.uk

Check out this site. Checks out loads of sites. (Easyjet, Ryanair, Opodo, etc)

Need to decide exact date and airport, otherwise very comprehensive.

The code for ibiza is IBZ, which you wil need.
 
Cheap Flights

Booked up London Gatwick to Ibiza flying Britsh Airways - £70 Return !!!

Not bad for BA !!!

Accomdation for 11 nights £160 each Im laughing :D
 
**** me, that's some serious good price you have there. What hotel are you booked with if you don't mind me asking. I don't have much money but if I can get out there and stay for prices like that, I might have to reconsider.
 
gatwick airport to ibiza: urgent

I am trying to book a flight from london gatwick to ibiza around the first week of june for a low price yet it has to be after 10am, any ideas what airlines fly from only gatwick to ibiza at a low price? something leaving between 12-6 pm would be ideal for a low price.

also just curious how far of a drive is it from heathrow to gatwick?

what about gatwick to stansted

I am from Canada so unsure, thanks for your help its always appreciated!:D
 
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