Which documents you need to fly from Spain: ID card, passport and children

First, something many people don’t know: Aena doesn’t check your documents; the airline does, under Spain’s National Civil Aviation Security Programme. So if in doubt, your airline has the final say. This guide summarises what Aena and the Spanish Ministry of the Interior say for Spanish citizens. If you are not Spanish, check the rules for your nationality with your airline.

Domestic flights within Spain

Who	Which document
Aged 14 and over	Spanish ID card (DNI) or passport. They don’t have to be in date.
Aged 14 and over, alternative	Spanish-issued driving licence (Aena advises checking with the airline)
Under 14, with their parents	They don’t have to carry a document; the accompanying adult is responsible. The airline may ask for the family book or a certificate.

In other words, if your ID card has expired, you can in principle fly from Madrid to Tenerife with it, but you can’t use it to leave Spain.

Flights to other EU and Schengen countries

You need a valid ID card or passport. An expired document is not accepted here. Children also need their own valid ID card or passport.

Flights outside the European Union

You need a valid passport and, depending on the country:

• an entry visa;
• a passport that is valid for six months or more from the date of entry.

Requirements vary from country to country: check the country page in the Spanish Foreign Ministry’s travel advice before booking.

United Kingdom: passport and ETA

The UK is not part of the EU, so you need a valid passport to enter. In addition, since 2 April 2025 European citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), applied for online or with the official app before travelling. It isn’t a visa, but it has a fee that has changed several times: check the price and requirements on GOV.UK. From Spain there are direct flights to six London airports and many other British cities.

Children travelling abroad without their parents

If a Spanish minor travels outside Spain without either of their parents or guardians (on a school trip or with other relatives, for example), they need, in addition to a valid ID card or passport, a travel permission declaration signed by their legal representatives. According to the Ministry of the Interior:

• it is arranged at a National Police station, a Guardia Civil post or the competent regional police;
• one of the minor’s legal representatives can do it;
• the child doesn’t have to go to the police station.

If the child is flying alone, each airline also has its own rules (minimum age, escort service): check them when booking.

Quick checklist before you leave home

• Domestic flight? ID card or passport, even if expired.
• EU or Schengen? Valid ID card or passport.
• United Kingdom? Valid passport and ETA.
• Outside Europe? Valid passport, remaining validity and a visa depending on the country.
• Minor abroad without parents? Travel permission declaration.
• Not sure? Ask your airline: they are the ones who check documents.

Looking for a direct flight? Start with your airport or the destination you want to fly to.