Volotea and Vueling are both Spanish low-cost airlines with Barcelona links, flying mainly within Europe and the Mediterranean. Travellers compare them on routes such as Bilbao, Florence and other Spanish, Italian and French cities, where both operate. Vueling is a large IAG subsidiary, while Volotea is a smaller carrier serving mid-sized cities.
Quick verdict
Vueling is the safer, broader choice: a bigger network centred on Barcelona, a fleet of 142 Airbus aircraft, IAG backing and Avios earning. Volotea is worth considering when it flies a direct route to a smaller city that Vueling does not serve. Its application for pre-insolvency protection on 29 September 2026 means you should avoid booking far ahead, though flights are running and existing tickets remain valid. Both are low-cost, so compare the final price with bags included.
Choose Volotea if…
- You want a direct flight from a smaller city such as Bordeaux, Nantes, Verona or Olbia that bigger airlines skip.
- You are booking a near-term trip and are comfortable following restructuring news.
- You are happy to check Volotea's current bag rules on volotea.com and add any extras online before travelling.
Choose Vueling if…
- You want a larger network and more frequencies from Barcelona, Rome, Paris Orly, Amsterdam or London Gatwick.
- You want the stability of an IAG subsidiary and to earn Avios through Vueling Club.
- You want free streaming entertainment on your own device on much of the fleet, and flexible TimeFlex fares.
At a glance
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Key differences
Financial position and reliability of booking
Volotea asked a Barcelona commercial court for pre-insolvency protection on 29 September 2026, citing fuel costs, according to Migflug. Flights are reported to be operating normally and tickets remain valid, but a fleet cut to 30-35 aircraft and job cuts are planned, per FlightGlobal. Which routes will go has not been announced. Vueling is owned about 97.5% by IAG, which makes long-range bookings less exposed.
Network and hubs
Vueling is centred on Barcelona–El Prat, with Rome Fiumicino as a second base and others including Paris Orly, Amsterdam, London Gatwick, Bilbao, Florence, Málaga and Palma. Volotea has no single hub. It runs point-to-point flights from bases such as Asturias, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Naples, Venice and Verona. France is its largest market. It planned about 14 million seats and 430-plus routes for 2026, before the restructuring.
Fleet
Both fly Airbus A320-family aircraft only. Vueling's fleet was 142 in August 2025, including A320neo and A321neo types, and it expects Boeing 737 MAX deliveries from 2026. Volotea reported 44 aircraft in September 2026 (A319 and A320), with a plan to reduce to 30-35 A320s. Vueling therefore offers more spare capacity if a flight is disrupted.
Baggage and fares
At Vueling, a free underseat bag is included, a 10 kg cabin bag (55x40x20 cm) comes with TimeFlex or is added for a fee, and checked bags of 15–30 kg are sold separately, usually dearer at the airport. Check Volotea's current bag rules and fees on volotea.com. Add bags online for both.
On board and loyalty
Vueling has a single economy cabin with paid food and drink and no Vueling-branded lounge. It launched a free streaming portal with Viasat in March 2026 for personal devices on more than half the fleet, and has Wi-Fi on much of it. Its Vueling Club earns Avios, also usable with British Airways and Iberia. Volotea's scheme is Megavolotea, and it has a sales agreement with Eurowings on 150 routes, signed in 2023.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vueling better than Volotea?
For most travellers, yes: Vueling has a larger network, a bigger fleet, IAG ownership and Avios earning. Volotea can be better on routes to smaller cities where it is the only direct option.
Is Volotea safe to book in 2026?
Volotea filed for pre-insolvency protection on 29 September 2026, but flights are reported to be running and existing tickets remain valid. EU passenger rights apply to cancellations, so booking far ahead carries more risk than booking soon.
Do Vueling and Volotea include checked baggage?
Vueling sells 15–30 kg checked bags separately and includes a small free underseat bag. Check Volotea's current baggage rules on volotea.com. For both, it is usually cheaper to add bags online than at the airport.
About Volotea Read more
Overview
Volotea is a Spanish low-cost airline. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 2011 by former Vueling founders Carlos Muñoz and Lázaro Ros, and began flying on 5 April 2012 from Venice. It is registered in Castrillón, Asturias, and headquartered in Barcelona. Private-equity funds (CCMP Capital, Axis and Corpfin) have backed it since its foundation. It does not belong to an alliance. Revenue was reported as €818 million in 2025, with about 11.3 million passengers.
Current status: on 29 September 2026 the airline asked a Barcelona commercial court for pre-insolvency protection, blaming fuel costs, according to Migflug. Flights are reported to be operating normally and existing tickets remain valid. FlightGlobal reports a fleet reduction and job cuts.
Network and hubs
Volotea focuses on small and mid-sized European cities, mainly around the Mediterranean and in Western and Southern Europe. It operates from bases rather than a single hub, including Asturias, Bari, Bilbao, Bordeaux, Florence, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Naples, Olbia, Palermo, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Venice and Verona. France is its largest market, according to TravelMole. It planned about 14 million seats and more than 430 routes for 2026. It has a cooperation agreement with Eurowings, signed in 2023, for reciprocal sales on 150 routes. Which bases and routes will go in the restructuring has not been announced.
Fleet
The fleet is all Airbus A320 family. In August 2025 it comprised 17 A319-100s and 24 A320-200s, 41 in total. In September 2026 reports gave 44 aircraft, with a plan to reduce this to 30-35 A320s. It retired its last Boeing 717 in January 2021.
On board
Details of seat pitch, cabin classes, meals, entertainment and Wi-Fi could not be confirmed from the sources reviewed. Check volotea.com before booking. Wikipedia lists A319 capacity as 138-156 seats and A320 as 174-180 seats.
Good to know
- Baggage and change fees were not verified; check the airline's website for current rules.
- The loyalty programme is Megavolotea.
- Volotea won the Skytrax 2024 Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe award, according to Wikipedia.
- If a flight is cancelled, EU passenger rights apply. Follow the restructuring news before booking far ahead.
About Vueling Read more
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.
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