Flying from Santiago de Compostela is straightforward, connected, and calm. Santiago Rosalía de Castro Airport sits about 12 kilometers northeast of the city in Lavacolla, making departures quick to reach and easy to navigate for both locals and Camino de Santiago pilgrims.
As Galicia’s busiest airport, it connects efficiently to key Spanish cities and useful European hubs. Typical nonstop times are short and practical for quick getaways or business trips, with examples such as Madrid at about 1 hours 15 minutes and Paris at about 2 hours, subject to change. The runway of choices spans city breaks, island escapes, and hub connections for onward long haul via mainland Europe.
The setting also helps your trip start smoothly. The terminal’s modern feel, the quick city to airport journey, and a generally relaxed pace mean less stress before you board. Whether you want cheap one way flights from Santiago de Compostela or a weekend hop, you have reliable options most of the year, with more seasonal choice in summer months, subject to change.
From short Spanish hops to classic European city breaks, routes from Santiago de Compostela balance everyday utility with inspiration for your next trip.
Domestic mainstays include Barcelona at about 1 hours 40 minutes and Madrid at about 1 hours 15 minutes, with Tenerife North at about 2 hours 50 minutes when the islands call, examples subject to change. These routes are popular for work trips, events, and onward connections through larger hubs. Internationally, city break staples lead the way. London is a go to for culture and onward connections, with London at about 2 hours 5 minutes nonstop as an example, subject to change. Paris Charles de Gaulle is roughly 2 hours from Santiago de Compostela and offers a broad web of onward flights through Paris, example timing subject to change. Frankfurt is typically around 2 hours 25 minutes, subject to change. Dublin is another handy option for English speaking travel and transatlantic links, with Dublin served seasonally or year round depending on the timetable, subject to change.
Airlines flying from Santiago de Compostela span low cost and full service carriers. You will often see Vueling on Spanish and European routes, Ryanair on value focused services, and full service options like Iberia and Lufthansa on key hubs, with easyJet and Aer Lingus on select seasonal or year round routes, all subject to change. Recent schedule shifts have seen capacity adjustments, including added frequencies and new seasonal routes such as Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, and Zurich in peak periods, subject to change. If you are eyeing last minute flights from Santiago de Compostela to London or a quick summer escape, flexibility on dates and airports can pay off.
Prices and availability change with the seasons, so timing matters. A little planning plus the right tools can surface excellent value.
Shoulder and off peak months from October to March often bring more competitive fares, while April to September is peak for pilgrim travel and holidays, with more flights and higher demand, subject to change. For most short haul trips, a booking window of about four to six weeks can be a sweet spot, though deals can appear earlier or later depending on route and season, subject to change.
Set up Set a Price Alert to track your preferred route automatically and get notified when the fare moves. If you are mapping a multi city escape through Iberia and beyond, the Nomad Search Tool can arrange three or more stops and find a cheap order in seconds. For maximum flexibility, check Kiwi.com’s Travel Hacks like self transfer, hidden cities ticketing, and throwaway tickets as described on our site. These options can reveal combinations that are not sold as a single ticket by airlines, opening up alternative paths for cheap flights from Santiago de Compostela when standard options look pricey, subject to availability and change.
Here is what to expect at the airport and how to get there smoothly, plus how to mix airlines confidently with Kiwi.com.
Santiago Rosalía de Castro Airport has IATA code SCQ and ICAO code LEST. It sits about 12 kilometers northeast of the city in Lavacolla. By car, the Autovía A 54 links the airport and city in roughly 15 minutes, subject to traffic. A city bus connects the airport and central Santiago in about 30 minutes, with additional coach links to towns across Galicia, subject to change. Facilities include lounges, family areas, and accessibility services for reduced mobility passengers, making departures comfortable whether you are on a quick hop or a longer connection. Check in and security are straightforward, but plan to arrive about 1.5 to 2 hours before domestic flights and 2 to 3 hours before international flights, subject to change.
Airlines at SCQ include low cost carriers such as Vueling and Ryanair, alongside full service airlines including Iberia and Lufthansa. easyJet and Aer Lingus operate on selected routes seasonally or year round, subject to change. With Kiwi.com’s self transfer approach, you can combine separate tickets from different airlines into one itinerary. Add the Kiwi.com Guarantee for extra reassurance on these combinations. If carrier changes stop your trip, the Guarantee includes Disruption Protection which offers instant compensation in the form of Kiwi.com Credit for a replacement booking, or help applying for a refund from the carrier, all handled online. When you add the Guarantee, you also get automatic check in and 24 hour instant chat support to keep your plans moving.