Why go
- Municipality in Basque Country, Spain.
- Served by Bilbao Airport (BIO).
History
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 347,342 as of 2024, it is the 11th most populous city in Spain, and the most populous in northern Spain. The Bilbao metropolitan area has 1,037,847 inhabitants, making it the most populous metropolitan area in northern Spain. The comarca of Greater Bilbao is the fifth-largest urban area in Spain. Bilbao is also the main urban area in what is defined as the Greater Basque region.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 18 airlines, 35 direct destinations
- Iberia Airlines IB (A320, CRJ-900, CRJ-200, A319, A321, ATR 72) · 20 routes: Alicante*, Amsterdam*, Arrecife*, Barcelona*, Berlin*, Fuerteventura*, Gran Canaria*, Ibiza*, La Coruna*, London, Madrid, Malaga*, Milano*, Palma de Mallorca*, Paris*, Santiago*, Sevilla*, Tenerife*, Valencia*, Vigo*
- Vueling Airlines VY (A320) · 16 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Arrecife, Barcelona, Berlin, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, La Coruna, London, Malaga, Milano, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Sevilla, Tenerife
- Air Europa UX (737-800, Embraer 190) · 7 routes: Arrecife, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Paris*, Tenerife
- easyJet U2 (A319, A320) · 4 routes: Geneva, Lisbon, London, Manchester
- Alitalia AZ (A320, Embraer 170, Embraer 190, 32S) · 2 routes: Paris*, Rome
- Germanwings 4U (CRJ, A319) · 2 routes: Duesseldorf, Stuttgart
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A319, A320, A321, A320, Embraer 195) · 2 routes: Frankfurt, Munich
- Turkish Airlines TK (A320) · 2 routes: Istanbul, Santiago
- Aer Lingus EI (A320) · 1 route: Dublin
- Air Berlin AB (A320, 737-800) · 1 route: Palma de Mallorca
- Air France AF (Embraer 170, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Paris
- Brussels Airlines SN (A319) · 1 route: Brussels
- Hainan Airlines HU (A319) · 1 route: Brussels
- Norwegian Air Shuttle DY (737-800) · 1 route: Oslo
- SATA International S4 (Fokker 100, ERJ-145) · 1 route: Lisbon*
- TAP Portugal TP (Fokker 100, ERJ-145) · 1 route: Lisbon*
- US Airways US (Fokker 100, ERJ-145) · 1 route: Lisbon*
- VOLOTEA Airways V7 (717) · 1 route: Venice
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Regional airports
Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 3 airlines, 17 direct destinations
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 16 routes: Arrecife, Barcelona, Bergamo, Charleroi, Dublin, Edinburgh, Gran Canaria, Hahn, London, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Rome, Sevilla, Tenerife, Valencia, Weeze
- Iberia Airlines IB (A319, A320) · 2 routes: Barcelona*, Madrid
- Vueling Airlines VY (A320) · 1 route: Barcelona
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Bilbao Airport (BIO); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: BIO has direct flights to 35 destinations on 18 airlines (incl. Lisbon, Palma de Mallorca, Arrecife, Gran Canaria, Ibiza…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Pío Baroja plaza, 0.7 km); routes include El Bote Tours, Gasolino Portugalete - Getxo, Portsmouth-Bilbao.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Bilbao. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Trains & rail
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.