With maintenance works cutting high-speed-rail capacity between Madrid and Barcelona, IAG-owned low-cost carrier Vueling announced on 4 February 2026 that it will operate up to four daily round-trips on the busy corridor from 9–22 February. One-way economy fares are capped at €99, mirroring Iberia’s Puente Aéreo pricing and avoiding accusations of price-gouging while essential rail links are down.
Though Vueling normally avoids competing head-to-head with sister airline Iberia on the route, the temporary slot allocation was authorised by Aena to preserve connectivity for business travellers, especially those with onward international connections at Madrid-Barajas. The move follows a request from Spain’s Ombudsman for the Transport Ministry and competition watchdog CNMC to monitor potential fare spikes across all modes while tracks are out of service.
![Vueling Adds Pop-Up Flights on Madrid–Barcelona Shuttle as Rail Works Disrupt AVE]()
For travellers who may need to arrange last-minute entry documents because their itineraries are being rerouted through Madrid or Barcelona, VisaHQ can help streamline the visa process. The service lets passengers check Spain’s latest requirements, complete applications online and even schedule courier pickup for supporting documents, all from a single dashboard—saving valuable time while the rail disruption unfolds. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For corporate-travel managers the ad-hoc flights offer a workable contingency plan. Door-to-door travel times rise slightly compared with the AVE, but same-day returns remain feasible. Vueling will accept Iberia through-tickets and status benefits, easing re-booking. Companies should update their online-booking-tools to include the additional frequencies and remind travellers that rail disruptions are expected to last until late March as Adif completes track-geometry upgrades near Zaragoza.
The episode also highlights Spain’s growing inter-modal coordination: airlines, rail operators and regulators have increasingly adopted voluntary pricing guidelines to keep the business-travel corridor competitive and predictable when one mode suffers disruption.
Though Vueling normally avoids competing head-to-head with sister airline Iberia on the route, the temporary slot allocation was authorised by Aena to preserve connectivity for business travellers, especially those with onward international connections at Madrid-Barajas. The move follows a request from Spain’s Ombudsman for the Transport Ministry and competition watchdog CNMC to monitor potential fare spikes across all modes while tracks are out of service.
For travellers who may need to arrange last-minute entry documents because their itineraries are being rerouted through Madrid or Barcelona, VisaHQ can help streamline the visa process. The service lets passengers check Spain’s latest requirements, complete applications online and even schedule courier pickup for supporting documents, all from a single dashboard—saving valuable time while the rail disruption unfolds. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For corporate-travel managers the ad-hoc flights offer a workable contingency plan. Door-to-door travel times rise slightly compared with the AVE, but same-day returns remain feasible. Vueling will accept Iberia through-tickets and status benefits, easing re-booking. Companies should update their online-booking-tools to include the additional frequencies and remind travellers that rail disruptions are expected to last until late March as Adif completes track-geometry upgrades near Zaragoza.
The episode also highlights Spain’s growing inter-modal coordination: airlines, rail operators and regulators have increasingly adopted voluntary pricing guidelines to keep the business-travel corridor competitive and predictable when one mode suffers disruption.
