Spain has urged travellers to book flights as early as possible, warning that rising oil prices linked to the conflict in Iran are likely to drive up airfares in the months ahead.
The advice comes amid growing concern over global fuel costs and their potential impact on travel demand. ALSO READ: Spain signals support for EU jet fuel sharing as imports from US & Nigeria increase.
The country’s Industry and Tourism Minister, Jordi Hereu, said consumers should secure tickets now to avoid further increases, noting that current fares still reflect fuel purchased at earlier, lower prices. ALSO READ: Spain and Portugal see tourism surge as travellers shun Middle East.
‘What we’re recommending is that people buy their tickets now because it’s true that (airlines) are currently using kerosene that was purchased some time ago, and therefore there’s an element of price fluctuations involved,’ Hereu said in an interview with the business paper, Expansion.
Spain welcomed a record 97 million visitors last year – an increase of 3.5% on 2024 – and the government expects tourism to continue growing at a similar pace. However, Hereu cautioned that higher fuel costs could push up ticket prices and potentially dampen demand. ALSO READ: Spain sets new tourism record with 96.8 million foreign visitors in 2025, spending €134.7 billion.
‘It’s already clear that prices have risen and this could affect demand,’ he said, adding that Spanish and European authorities were taking steps to avoid fuel shortages.
Oil prices have surged by around 50% since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, disrupting global supply chains. According to campaign group Transport & Environment, this has already added more than $100 to the cost of long-haul flights from Europe – an increase likely to be passed on to passengers.
Despite the pressures, Hereu noted that Spain – the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy – has relatively strong reserves of aviation fuel and greater production capacity than some other countries.
Even so, he warned that the wider international situation remains a risk: ‘If the countries that send tourists to Spain had problems, we would have them too.’
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Con @expansioncom hablamos sobre la política pública activa que desarrollamos en #industria y cómo nos debemos preparar en Europa para afrontar los retos que tenemos delante, con herramientas como los PERTE y apuesta por sectores de alto valor añadido.
🗞https://t.co/W4dUQH0rol pic.twitter.com/0HnxeZLJfO
— Jordi Hereu (@jordihereub) April 27, 2026
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