Air Europa vs Vueling

Overview

Air Europa is a Spanish airline founded in 1986 and, according to Wikipedia, the third-largest in Spain after Iberia and Vueling. It is owned by the Globalia group, is headquartered in Llucmajor, Mallorca, and has been a member of the SkyTeam alliance since 1 September 2007. Its loyalty programme is called Suma.

Ownership is changing. Aeromorning reports that Spain approved Turkish Airlines taking a minority stake of roughly 25–27% for about €300 million on 4 June 2026, with European Commission clearance still pending at the time of that report. FlightGlobal covered the original investment agreement.

Network and hubs

• Main hub: Madrid–Barajas.
• Focus cities: Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife North, per Wikipedia.
• Network: domestic Spain, European routes and long-haul services to the Americas.

Wikipedia lists about 44 destinations; check the airline's site for the current timetable.

Fleet

According to Planefinder, the fleet is 47 aircraft of four types: Boeing 787-9, 787-8, 737-800 and 737 MAX 8. Other trackers give different counts depending on what they include, so treat the figure as approximate. Air Europa also operates regional ATR and Embraer aircraft through Air Europa Express. In January 2026 it firmed an order for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s to renew its fleet.

On board

• Cabins: Economy and Business.
• Entertainment: films, series and music on long-haul aircraft.
• Wi-Fi: offered on most long-haul and some short and medium-haul flights, according to Kayak. A review of 787 Business noted a small free data voucher for Business passengers.

Good to know

• Baggage: Cabin Zero states that Economy Lite includes no checked bag. Third-party sources report a 10 kg cabin bag in Economy, and stricter limits on ATR and some smaller aircraft. Confirm your own fare on the airline's website.
• Lounges: Air Europa has no lounge of its own in Madrid; Business passengers use Sala VIP Cibeles in Terminal 1.
• Upgrades: Business upgrade bidding is available on some bookings.
• Punctuality and fees: no published figures were found for this profile.

Overview

Vueling is a Spanish low-cost airline based in Viladecans, in Greater Barcelona. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in February 2004 and began flying in July 2004. Since 2013 it has been part of International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns about 97.5% of it. Vueling is not a member of an alliance, but its Vueling Club programme earns Avios.

Network and hubs

The main base is Barcelona–El Prat, with Rome Fiumicino as a secondary base. Other bases include Paris Orly, Amsterdam Schiphol, London Gatwick, Alicante, Bilbao, Florence, Ibiza, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia. The network is mainly European and Mediterranean, with some routes to North Africa and the Middle East.

Fleet

As of August 2025, Wikipedia lists an all-Airbus A320-family fleet of 142 aircraft:

• 6 Airbus A319-100
• 92 Airbus A320-200
• 22 Airbus A320neo
• 18 Airbus A321-200
• 4 Airbus A321neo

In July 2025 it was confirmed that 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft ordered by IAG (25 MAX 200 and 25 MAX 10, with 100 options) are intended for Vueling, with deliveries from 2026.

On board

All flights have a single economy cabin. Food and drink are sold on board. In March 2026 Vueling launched a free streaming entertainment platform with Viasat, available on more than half of the fleet. Passengers use their own devices, and no Wi-Fi is needed. Future Travel Experience notes this complements Wi-Fi already available on much of the fleet. Seat pitch was not confirmed in the sources found.

Good to know

• Baggage: a free underseat bag is allowed. According to Opodo, a 10 kg cabin bag (55x40x20 cm) is included with the TimeFlex fare. Basic, Optima and Family fares can add it for a fee. Checked bags of 15, 20, 25 and 30 kg are sold separately, and airport prices are usually higher than online prices.
• Changes: third-party guides report fees of roughly €50 to €70 plus any fare difference on standard fares. TimeFlex and the Flex Pack add-on allow free date changes. Check vueling.com before booking.
• Loyalty: Vueling Club lets members earn and redeem Avios with Vueling, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Level.
• Lounges: no Vueling-branded lounges were found.