Flying to Tenerife – Practical Tips for Purchasing Flight Tickets for Beginners and Experts

For many, a visit to sunny Tenerife is a well-deserved opportunity to relax. However, the journey itself can be challenging for some, especially if you decide to head to the island on your own. In today’s economic climate, travelling without a ‘travel agent’ is undoubtedly preferable, but can it be done even if you haven’t done much travelling on your own? 

In this article, we’ll take you step by step through the whole process of getting to Tenerife.

Step 1 – Choosing the right airport in Tenerife

You may be surprised to learn that Tenerife has two airports – Tenerife North (TFN) and Tenerife South (TFS). You can tell which airport is used by your chosen airline by both its name and the airport code in brackets. You will always find this information on your ticket, but also when making the booking.

Tenerife North Aiport

Tenerife North was the first to open on the island in 1929. As the name suggests, it is located in the north of the island near the town of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, 7 km from the capital city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Its location can be advantageous for those staying in this part of the island. However, you are unlikely to land at this airport when traveling from Czechia or other neighboring countries. The airport is mainly used for connections to the rest of the Canary Islands and as a link to mainland Spain. 

Tenerife South Airport

Tenerife South receives around 12 million passengers a year, making it the second largest airport in the Canary Islands, after Gran Canaria Airport. It is located in the south of the island near the towns of San Miguel de Abona and Granadilla de Abona, approximately 15 km from the popular resort of Los Cristianos. It is because of its proximity to the main tourist resorts that the airport is used by almost all other companies heading to the island from Europe and other parts of the world.

Step 2 – Choosing where to fly from

Although it may seem logical to fly to Tenerife from the city closest to you at first glance, it may not always be the best and most convenient option. That’s why, we’ll present you with several options you can take advantage of.

Flying from Prague

Unfortunately, Prague airport has quite high fees, which is why only Smartwings currently flies from there to Tenerife. Since the airline has no competitors here, prices can be quite high. Return tickets from Prague are usually around 8,000 – 9,000 CZK unless there is a special promotion, which is usually on less attractive dates. However, if you are not too far from Prague, this may be the easiest route for you. There are no flights to Tenerife from other Czech airports. You can’t even get to the island from Slovakia.

Flying from Vienna

One of the most common choices of travellers who want to save money on flights is to fly from Vienna. With a bit of luck and the right timing, you can get a return ticket from Vienna to Tenerife for under CZK 3,000, but generally expect to pay around 4,000 to 5,000 CZK. It’s still significantly cheaper than flying from Prague. Low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air fly from Vienna to Tenerife, as does Austrian Airlines.

Getting to Vienna Airport

To Vienna from Prague 

• By bus: 

Vienna Airport is easily accessible by Flixbus and RegioJet buses. You can buy one-way tickets from 400 CZK with both companies, but prices may vary depending on availability, so we recommend booking early. Most buses depart from Prague’s Florenc Bus Station, but with Flixbus you may find that the bus departs from the Main Station in Wilsonova Street. This is always clearly stated on the company’s website when booking, often with a map attached. The journey takes approximately 5 hours, depending on the traffic situation. You may be thinking, what if you miss your flight because of traffic? For 95 CZK, you can buy flight guarantee insurance from RegioJet. If you miss your flight, RegioJet will reimburse you for the cost of the expired ticket and cover the difference in the price of a new ticket. However, this only applies if the timetable says you had at least 2.5 hours between the arrival of the bus and departure.

• By train: 

The train journey to Vienna Airport from Prague is more complicated, but definitely possible. Czech Railways and RegioJet trains leave from Prague Main Station several times a day and take you to Vienna Central Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) in about 4 hours. From here, direct trains operated by ÖBB run to the airport every 30 minutes, with tickets costing €4.50. On the way back from the airport, be careful not to use the CAT express train, which goes to another station 3 km away from the main station and costs €15. A train journey with a stop in central Vienna can also be a nice addition. If you’re not pressed for time, we recommend exploring the city itself. 

How to save money? If you can’t find bus tickets at a good price, there are still ways to get to Vienna Airport cheaper. From Prague, take the train or bus to Bratislava, where several buses leave daily directly to Vienna Airport. Even if the journey takes a bit longer, you can save a couple of hundred CZK.

To Vienna from Brno 

• By bus: 

Vienna Airport is also conveniently accessible by bus from Brno. The main bus station is served by Flixbus, RegioJet and Gepardexpress.com. Prices for one-way tickets start at 299 CZK and depend on availability. The journey takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. With RegioJet, you can again purchase a departure guarantee, which will refund the price of the expired ticket if you miss your flight and make up the difference when you buy a new ticket. This guarantee is only valid if there is a difference of at least 2.5 hours between the scheduled arrival time of the bus and your scheduled departure time.

• By train: 

Gepardexpress.com also operates a train service between Brno and Vienna Airport. Currently, there is one connection per day, which departs from Brno Central Station at 2:15 am.

TIP to improve your wait in the Vienna lounge for free:

Getting to the airport by public transport may not always work out the way you want. We definitely recommend that you don’t take any chances and arrive at the airport with extra time in reserve. Airport lounges are a great way to ease your wait, and you can usually spend up to 3 hours there. There are two lounges in Vienna – the SKY Lounge and the VIENNA Lounge. Although there is a fee for general travelers, many credit and debit card holders, especially MasterCard holders, can get in for free. We recommend checking with your bank before departure to see if this benefit applies to you. 

To Vienna by car: 

When travelling to Austria, don’t forget your valid vignette. If you are being dropped off or picked up at the airport, you can stop at the terminal for up to 10 minutes. For longer parking, you can use car parks K3 and C or parking houses 3 and 4, where parking costs around €4 to €5 per hour. If you are driving to the airport on your own and need long-term parking, the official airport car park costs around €80 to €100 per week. The cheapest parking is offered by Parktiger, with daily rates starting at €5.99. The car park is close to the village of Schwechat, from where you can get to the airport by regular trains for €2. You can also pay extra for a transfer for €14. Other companies offering airport parking include Panda Parken, Holiday Parking and Mazur. We recommend booking online in advance. The very cheapest alternative is to leave your car at the P+R car parks in Vienna and drive to the airport by public transport. A good option is the Leopoldau covered car park, for example, from where the S-Bahn line S7 runs directly to the airport. The price for a week’s parking here is € 18.30.

Flying from Katowice  

It is worth flying from Katowice, especially if you are travelling from the Moravian-Silesian region. The connection to Tenerife is operated here by the low-cost airline Wizz Air, tickets are in the same range as in the case of Vienna, around 4,000 – 5,000 CZK. 

Getting to Katowice Aiport

• By bus: 

There is a direct Flixbus bus from Prague to Katowice Airport only once a day. So if you are planning to travel by bus from the Czech capital, you should first use the more frequent Flixbus service to the centre of Katowice and then continue with the regular public transport line directly from the same station to the airport. The price of a Flixbus ticket starts at 500 CZK, while a public transport ticket in Katowice costs 7 PLN. The total journey time is approximately 6.5 hours. You can also take the Flixbus to the airport or to the centre of Katowice from Brno, Olomouc and Ostrava.

• By train: 

Katowice Airport is not directly connected to the railway, so in this case you must first arrive in the city centre and then continue by public transport. Both Czech Railways and Leo Express trains run to Katowice, with direct connections from Prague, Olomouc and Ostrava.

• By car: 

Katowice can be easily reached from the Czech Republic via the D1 motorway, which connects to the Polish A1 motorway. From the Czech border to the airport, there is no need to pay motorway tolls. Long-term parking is available in unsupervised car parks near the airport, with weekly parking costing approximately 160 PLN. Other companies also offer parking in the vicinity of the airport, such as Parking Alda, where parking can be significantly cheaper.

Flying from Germany

Many travellers also use airports in Munich, Berlin or Nuremberg for cheaper tickets. 

Munich Airport is connected to Tenerife by TUI Fly and Condor, which mainly focus on charter flights for tour operators. Ticket prices here are around 8,000 – 9,000 CZK, so it is not very convenient to fly from Munich. 

In contrast, Berlin Airport offers flights to Tenerife from low-cost carriers Ryanair, easyJet and Eurowings, which drives the prices to much more favourable prices, usually in the range of 3 500 – 4 000 CZK. 

Nuremberg Airport also offers interesting ticket rates. Ryanair and Marabu Airlines, whose tickets are sold by Condor, operate flights to Tenerife. It is with this company that you can find tickets even below 3,000 CZK.

Getting to Berlin Airport 

• By bus:

Currently, only Flixbus buses run directly to Berlin Airport from Prague, with tickets starting at CZK 630. If you want to save money, you can take Flixbus or RegioJet to the centre of Berlin and then continue to the airport by public transport. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll need to transfer at least once in the city.

• By train:

Taking the train from Prague to Berlin Airport requires at least one transfer. You can choose between changing trains in Dresden, where another train will take you directly to the terminal, or you can ride into the centre of Berlin and continue to the airport by regional train or S-Bahn. All available options can be purchased directly on the Czech Railways website.

• By car:

It takes approximately 3.5 hours to get to Berlin from Prague via the free motorway. The airport offers several official car parks. The cheapest places to park are the open car parks P4, P6 and P56, and it’s a good idea to book as early as possible to get the lowest price. For sheltered parking you can use the parking houses, but expect a higher price. Alternatively, you can park for free in the unguarded P+R car parks Altglienicke and Rudow, from where you can get to the airport by public transport.

Getting to Nuremberg Airport

• By bus:

Flixbus runs several times a day from Prague to Nuremberg, and RegioJet also offers one night connection. Tickets are around 500 CZK. However, the buses only go to the city center, from where you have to continue by public transport to the airport. The U2 metro line will take you from the center to the terminal, running from 04:40 am to 00:40 pm. 

• By train:

The direct train to Nuremberg runs only from Cheb, so when traveling from Prague you must first reach Cheb and then change to the train to Germany. From Nuremberg Central Station you then need to take the U2 metro line to the airport. Train tickets can be purchased directly on the websites of Czech Railways or Deutsche Bahn, where tickets are on offer from time to time. The usual price for a ticket from Prague is around CZK 1,000.

• By car:

It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to get to Nuremberg from Prague via the free motorway. The airport offers its own official car park, but for the best price, you need to book well in advance, even up to six months ahead in the summer season. Parking with private companies is usually more expensive.

Step 3 – How to choose the right flight ticket?

When booking your flights, you will have a choice of several fare and connection options. But which is the best one?

Direct flight or connecting flight?

One of the first things you’ll come across when looking for flights is the option of a direct flight or a connecting flight. Generally, connecting flights are mainly used for longer, intercontinental flights. A flight from Prague to Tenerife takes 5 hours, so most people tend to look for direct flights. 

However, sometimes you can find a connecting flight for a significantly lower price. Beware of such flights, though. In almost all cases, it will be two flights provided by low cost airlines (Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Eurowings, Vueling). And here comes the problem. Unlike traditional airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, etc., you are NOT guaranteed a transfer with these companies. Your tickets will be sold to you as two separate flights. What does this mean? When you land at the connecting airport you will have to re-check your luggage and go through all the controls again. If the gap between the two flights is too small or if you miss the second flight due to delays (which are very common with these airlines), the airline will not allow you to board the next available flight free of charge. Your only option is to buy a new ticket for the next flight, which may be several times more expensive if purchased at the last minute. 

It is also important to mention that Wizz Air unfortunately frequently cancels its flights. So if you have a connecting flight and one of the flights is cancelled by the airline, you run the risk that the alternative flight offered will not fit with the other flight you have purchased. 

Although when searching for tickets on various ticketing portals such as Pelikan or Kiwi, it may appear that it is a connecting flight purchased on one ticket, always keep in mind that if at least one of the companies is a low cost airline, it is NOT a guaranteed connecting flight, the portals are just selling you their own package. Learn more about the pitfalls of these vendors below.

If you still decide to choose a connecting flight, be sure to check if the connection is at the same airport before you buy. Especially for major cities like London or Milan, you may land at one airport but fly out of another airport a few kilometres away. 
When transferring in London, remember that you are leaving the European Union. You must carry a valid passport. This applies even if you are not leaving the airport. You will be leaving the transit zone as part of your transfer. If you are leaving the transit zone, you will also need to have an entry clearance (ETA) from 2 April 2025.

Types of airfares

Once you have selected your flight dates, you will be able to choose the right fare. This varies based on each airline. In most cases, however, the initial price you see in the fare calendar indicates the base price without baggage. Such a ticket includes only cabin baggage, typically around 40 x 20 x 25 cm, which must fit under the seat in front of you. You will have to pay extra for fares that include carry-on or a checked suitcase. Some fares also offer flexible change of departure. The content of each fare is always clearly described when purchasing.

From November 2024, Smartwings also offers a Business Class comfort option. You may also see business class on other low-cost airlines, but it is usually the same type of seat at the front of the aircraft with only the middle seat empty. Smartwings, however, has come up with a configuration that offers the comforts of business class as we know it from transatlantic flights – comfortable wide seats, on-board dining and access to airport lounges. This enhanced version is currently only offered on flights to the Canary Islands.

Step 4 – Where and when to buy tickets?

Buying flights can be a lot easier than it seems if you know where to look and how to find them. Together we’ll show you what to look out for and which sites to avoid.

Flight search engines

No matter where you want to go, your first steps should start with flight search engines. Here you can find out what airlines fly to your destination and compare which airport has the lowest prices to your destination on a given date. These are sort of signposts that will guide you to your purchase.

• Google Flights

One of the most useful search engines is Google Flights. You can simply enter your airport, destination and desired dates. The search engine will then bring up the current available flights from various companies, sorted by price. You can also choose different filters ranging from selecting only direct connections to selecting departure times. Price tracking is also a very useful tool, when you enable this feature you will receive an email every time the price of your dates changes. Google Flights also allows you to view the price history for a given date, giving you more insight into whether the current price is typical or if it could still drop. A handy feature is also the price chart, which allows you to compare your selected dates with other dates of the same length. Google Flights is only a starting point for your journey. You can use it to find out which airline you can buy a ticket from. You can then make the purchase directly on the airline’s website.

• Skyscanner

The Skyscanner search engine once again gives you an overview of all available airlines serving a given route. The advantage is that if you’re flexible, you can use the full month search. In this case, you will see a calendar with available prices for each day of the month.

Clicking on search flights will again bring up a list of all possible flights, sorted by best, cheapest and fastest. Again, you can play around with filters such as direct flight, departure time or travel time. There will be both direct flights and flights with stopovers. For connecting flights with low-cost airlines, you may notice the aforementioned non-guaranteed transfer in the form of a “Vlastní transfer” notice.

Here below with Swiss, on the other hand, you will notice that there is a guaranteed stopover. This is because it is not a low-cost airline, and there is no notice of the self-transfer.

Once you have selected a combination of flights, you will be redirected to the websites of the various vendors from which you can buy your tickets. Although it may be tempting to buy tickets from a vendor with a lower price, we strongly advise against this. Always buy your tickets directly from the airlines. Why? We’ll cover that in the next paragraph.

Ticket reseller – Kiwi, Pelikan and others

As we have already mentioned, when buying tickets you will definitely come across various sites where your chosen dates will be at much more affordable prices. You might get lucky and nothing unexpected will happen on your trip. Otherwise, however, you may end up paying a significant amount of extra money when buying tickets from these companies.

Why avoid ticket resellers?

• Selling a (non-)guaranteed transfer: Some vendors will offer you a connecting flight as one ticket. But how is this possible when it is a low-cost airline that does not sell this type of ticket? This is because it is not a flight transfer from an airline, but a package created by the seller. Some of them inform you of this, but with others you will only find out the information somewhere below the line. You may also see a service whereby the retailer guarantees to help you find the next connection if you miss your flight, and to pay the full cost. However, we know from experience that claiming anything from these portals is a long shot. 
• The ticket does not belong to you, but to the seller: Although your name may be on the ticket, the seller from whom you made the purchase is in fact the owner of the ticket. They act as a kind of intermediary between you and the airline. Why can this be a problem? First of all, if there is any modification (flight cancellation, change of date), the airline informs the ticket owner, i.e. the retailer. They should properly pass on all the information to you, but this may not always be the case. It may happen that you arrive at the airport and your flight simply does not exist. 
• The problem with claiming compensation: There is another point related to the ownership of the ticket. If your flight is significantly delayed, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline of up to €600. However, if you are not the owner of the ticket, this compensation goes to the retailer. And you will find it very difficult to claim compensation from them.
• Expensive baggage add-ons: Although buying tickets may seem cheaper at resellers, things can change if you want to add extra baggage to your ticket. This surcharge can be up to three times more expensive at resellers than on the airline’s website. 
• Frequent purchase errors: One of the many inconveniences that reseller customers face is server error during purchase. The most common are missed payments, unissued boarding passes, and others.
• Limited assist in case of a problem: If there is a problem and you have purchased your ticket directly from the airline, there is always a chance that your problem will be solved at the airport. However, if you buy from a reseller, airline will refer you to the reseller in question, who probably won’t even answer the phone.

If nothing happens on your trip, you’ll probably be happy about how smartly you saved. Even so, we recommend that you always buy your tickets directly from the airlines when travelling, not just to Tenerife.   

Other useful sites for finding flight tickets

All experienced travelers have their own tried and tested websites to help them find the best flight tickets. Here are a few of our favourites:

• Airhint.com – this site can give you a hint as to whether or not the price of a ticket for your desired date has yet to drop. Simply enter your flight here and wait for the system to generate its calculation. You will then know whether you should buy the ticket or wait, as the price is likely to drop further. 
• Honzovy letenky – this website offers several discount airline tickets to different parts of the world every day. From time to time Tenerife is also on sale here. This is not a ticket reseller, you will always be referred to the company’s page here. 
• Facebook – Facebook – various FB groups and pages that focus on budget travel can also be a help for a bargain ticket. You can also follow Honzovy letenky on Facebook.

Step 5 – Online check-in 

Before we get to the flight itself, it’s important to mention one specific feature that low-cost airlines are known for. If you are flying with Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Eurowings or Vueling, you will need to do a separate online check-in before you arrive at the airport. Online check-in opens a few days before departure and usually closes 2 hours before. Airlines always inform you of these deadlines regularly. If you do not check in online, you will pay a fee of tens of euros at the airport counter. Don’t worry, online check-in is usually very user-friendly, you mostly just need to fill in your passport or ID card details. 

At Smartwings, check-in at the counter is currently free for all passengers. However, if you don’t want to waste time waiting, we recommend checking in online with them as well.

Step 6 – Transport from Tenerife airport to my accommodation

• By car:

There are many car rental companies right in the arrivals hall, we always recommend booking in advance to ensure the lowest possible price. Car rental prices for the week range from 3500 – 8000 CZK. You can use Booking.com for comparison, but we recommend booking directly on the provider’s website. Again, what the middleman says may not be true. It may be that you pay for insurance with Booking.com, but the rental company will require its own insurance when you rent the car.

We recommend avoiding Gold Car, OK Mobility, TopCar, and Rhodium due to their unreliability. On the other hand, CICAR and Autoreisen are among the best car rental companies.

Be prepared that the rental company may ask for your credit card as a deposit. They are likely to lend you a car on a debit card but may ask for a deposit of up to €1,000. CICAR and Autoreisen do not require a deposit.

• By bus:

Public transport stops right at the terminal and serves the whole island. The airport shuttle also operates 24 hours a day.

• Direction Santa Cruz de Tenerife: line 10 (711 at night)
• Direction Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje: lines 40 and 343 (711 at night)
• Direction Puerto de la Cruz a letiště Tenerife Sever: line 343 (no night service, transfer required)
• Direction Costa del Silencio, Las Galletas: line 415 (no night service, transfer required)

Tickets can be purchased with cash or card from the driver.

To find your connection, we recommend Google Maps and the website of TITSA, the company that operates transport on the island.

• Airport transfer

For the easiest way to get from the airport to your apartment, you can also use our airport transfer service.

What to look out for when flying to Tenerife

To conclude, we’ve put together all the important things to look out for when buying flights to Tenerife:

• Always buy your tickets directly from the airlines.
• If you’re flying with a connection, check if the connection is with a low-cost airline. If so, remember that you need plenty of time to pass again through the checks at the connecting airport. 
• If your transfer is outside the EU (e.g. UK), remember that you must carry a passport that is valid for at least 6 months.
• If you are flying on a low-cost airline, remember to check in online well in advance.
• Check the quantity and size of baggage allowed by the airline on the fare you have purchased.
• When traveling back from Tenerife, make sure you know which airport you are flying from.
• Check that you have all tickets purchased for the correct date (be especially careful that the date is not written in American style, i.e. month/day/year).

We hope this Tenerife travel guide will help you to visit this beautiful island. Although it may not seem like it at first, traveling on your own may not be nearly as stressful as you might think. We look forward to having you join us!

All information in the article refers to January 2025