Canary Island Resident Discount
What is the Canary Island Resident Discount?
Residents of the Canary Islands (as well as the Balearic Islands and Ceuta) are eligible for a 75% discount on domestic travel between the Canary Islands and to mainland Spain.
Who is Eligible for the Island Resident Discount?
To take advantage of the domestic travel discounts, you must be registered as living in the Canary Islands via empadronamiento in the town hall.
You must also be one of the following: 
- a Spanish national
- an EU/EEA/ Swiss National
- a family member of an EU national
- a non-EU National holding a long-term residence permit
If you are an Auxiliar de Conversación from the USA or Canada,
please click here as your situation is different.
How to Get the Canary Island Resident Discount
If you fall into one of the above categories, you’re in luck! Soon you’ll be exploring the seven wonders of the seven islands at a delightful 75% discount.
Required Documents
- A valid, unexpired TIE (Spanish foreigner ID card)
- A Certificado de Empadronamiento (Certificate of Residence) with a Canary Islands address
Register Online
Some town halls (Las Palmas, for example) offer this service online.
- Check the website for your local town hall (the ayuntamiento where you did your empadronamiento) to find out if they offer the service online.
- If so, fill out your info and your Certificado de Viajes should be registered and ready to print. In theory you don’t need to carry this with you to travel, but I definitely recommend doing so. Better to be safe than sorry.
Register In Person
If your town hall doesn’t offer the service online, do it the old fashioned way.
- Make an appointment at your local town hall.
- Bring your TIE and Certificado de Empadronamiento.
- The appointment usually takes just a few minutes to process and print sobre la marcha and you’ll be out the door with the paper in hand. Some town halls charge a fee of about €3 for the document.
Please note that the document is only valid for 6 months and you will need a fresh copy after that time. The date is printed at the bottom.
Booking Discounted Travel
When searching for flights or ferries online, there will be an option on the search page for discounts. Select “Island Resident Discount” and the fares shown will already reflect the discounted rates.
In some cases – especially the first few times you book travel – you may get a pop up warning saying that you haven’t been found in the SARA database for the Resident Discount. Select “try again” and it will try up to three times to validate your residence. Your booking should go through regardless, but you’ll need to bring your proof of residency with you for check-in or risk being denied boarding.
Travelling with the Canary Island Resident Discount
To board a flight or ferry, you must bring:
- Spanish Nationals: A valid Certificate of Residence and a Valid National Identity Card / valid passport *
- Spanish Nationals under 14 years, without a DNI: A valid Certificate of Residence
- EU/EEA/ Swiss Nationals: A valid Certificate of Residence and a valid National Identity Card issued by the country of origin/ valid passport. *
- Family members of EU nationals: A valid Certificate of Residence along with the valid residence card indicating his/her status of existing EU family member. *
- Non-EU Nationals holding a long-term residence permit: A valid Certificate of Residence along with the valid resident card indicating his/her condition of long-term resident. *
* If your residence wasn’t validaded when you booked your passage, you must bring your Certificado de Viajes.
** I recommend carrying a copy of the Certificado de Viajes even if you were verified in the system. Better safe than paying triple!
What Happens if You Don’t Hold the Correct Documentation?
Travelling By Ferry
If you book travel with Armas or Fred Olsen and are found to not have the correct documentation as noted, you will need to pay the difference, including the higher prices incurred for purchasing in person on the day of travel. I’ve seen this happen to friends who were not properly registered in the system.
Travelling By Air
Several airline websites state that those unable to show the valid documents at check-in will be denied boarding. Even if you check in online, it is not uncommon to be asked to show the appropriate documents when boarding the aircraft.
I recently heard a tale of 3 friends who didn’t carry proper documentation on a Norwegian flight and had to pay in full for new seats without receiving any refund from the original booking.
Any Questions?
I’d love to hear about any issues you’ve had the the Canary Island Resident Discount in the comments below in order to better assist future readers. If you have any questions, ask away!
Happy travels,
Erica
Get Up. Get Out. Get Lost. 
We have our cert empadronamiento from local town hall, greed residencia card, NIE cert. got to the airport and Norwegian airlines also wanted the cert de viajes. I was under the impression these certs are no longer needed and some councils don’t even print them anymore? Really need some advice on this. My husband had to purchase a new flight costing 200 euros all because he didn’t have this cert to travel. It’s worth mentioning that we have travel with Norwegian air before and never been asked for this certificate.
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Ugh, I’m sorry that happened to you! When you book your tickets, it should let you know if you need to bring the certificado de viajes with you, as many name are not updated in the system. Either way, I always carry a hard copy of my certificate when traveling, as well as an image of the certificate stored in my phone. It seem they’re getting quite a bit stricter now that the discounts are up to 75%. I’ve heard similar stories from people flying with Binter over the last months, so I’d be sure to bring a copy of your viaje certificate no matter who you’re traveling with.
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How do I get this cert to travel? Can I get it on line or do I need to go to the town hall?
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Depends on where you’re empadroned. You should be able to find it by googling “certificado de viajes + city you’re empadroned in”. For las palmas it’s here: http://www.laspalmasgc.es/es/ayuntamiento/certificados/
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Are residents of the islands entitled to travel discount when travelling in mainland Spain.
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Yup! 75% within the Canaries and on flights to the mainland 🙂
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Wife has residencia I don’t..can I get any benefits if she books travel?
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Nope. If she´s a Spanish citizen she can pass her rights to you, but residents (permanent or temporary) can´t pass their rights along. Sorry!
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I have my residencia green card. I have tried to get the discount travel document online. But I says that there is ne person registered with the NIF I have had my nif/ nie for 18yr and never had any problems with nie to obtain anything. How can I register for the travel discount
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Have you done the empadronamiento? In order to obtain the certificado de viajes you must have both a valid NIE and a valid, unexpired certificado de padron. You must g to the ayuntamiento and do this in person with your NIE, a photocopy of your NIE and the contract for your flat proving that you live here. You usually need an appointment to do this, which you can book online on the website of your local townhall (ayuntamiento).
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All my family have travelled may times and have had no problems, I have travelled with them and had to pay full price, we are all residents, I have been told it’s because my name is not in sara, so how can I rectify this. I have been to the ayuntamiento and they say everything thing is correct, how do I get in touch with sara?? I have had documents with me but travel company not interested Thankyou
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Your name (spelling, spacing) must match *perfectly* across 3 places: 1. Your immigration paperwork at the extranjería 2. Your residence information at the Ayuntamiento and on your Certificado de Empadronamiento / Padrón 3. The website in which you are booking travel. Your first step should be to check for any small differences between your name on extranjería and ayuntamiento documents and fix any errors in order/spelling/spacing/etc. Good luck!
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If I have the certificate already but I’m resident on fuerteventura can I get discount on ferry in beleares? And the flight to beleares as well?
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Hi Mateo! To my understanding, the discont to the Baleares would work ONLY if you book the flight from the Canaries to the Baleares. You can´t fly from the mainland to the Baleares with the discount.
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If I have the certificate already but I’m resident on fuerteventura can I get discount on ferry in beleares? And the flight to beleares as well?
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Hi Mateo, I´ve never tried, but to my understanding you are not eligible for discounted ferry travel in the Baleares. I do, however, believe you should be able to fly to the Baleares using the discount as technically it´s valid from the Canaries to any domestic destination within Spain. Would love to hear how it goes if you´re going to give it a try!
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Hi Erica. Many thanks for all of this very useful info. We aren’t living in the Canarias, yet, but are seriously considering it! We currently live on mainland Spain. A question!: As the UK is very likely leaving the EU, it’s likely we’ll be known as ‘non- EU nationals’, in the foreseeable future. You’ve stated that travel discounts will be issued if being on the padron AND “non-EU National holding a long-term residence permit…” are you referring to the normal green residencia card, or is this the ‘new’ 5-year residency card? Also, do you know whether the period of having residency in mainland Spain, can be counted towards Canarian residency? I.e. we currently have 3 years residency, here (4 years on padron). Would really appreciate any info/advice you’re able to offer. Many thanks!!
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Question if you have the green card but the address is not the same as your new registered address do you have to change your address on the green card?
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Hi Erica! Me and my husband are moving to the Canary islands, he is Spanish and I am Russian. As a wife of a Spanish guy, will I also receive a resident discount?
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On dec 10th 2020 I got the travel discount certificate. I have booked a ferry from lanzarote to spain on the 29th may and return on the 9th june. This is within the 6 months the certificate is valid for. However, as a non permanent residents I am worried that they may say its invalid now. Do you think this will be the case or do they have to recognise the certificate as it is still in date.
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If you’re a non-permanent resident, it is likely that you’ll be denied the discount. The ferry companies are typically very strict about this, while the airlines tend to be more flexible. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
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Not only did I get the residents discount on that trip, transmediterrania allowed me to use the discount again in july despite not having the discount certificate. My friend was denied the discount without the certificate but I think it was because I was already on their system. We travelled from fuerteventura to cadiz.
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That’s great news! I’m not familiar with Transmediterrania, I’ve only ever used Fred Olsen and Armas which are both quite strict. Happy to hear you were able to get the discount!
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I have renewed my travel discount form online I have downloaded it no problem there but how do I pay the renewal fee it’s about 4 euros but there is no option to pay for it so is it valid can anyone help thank you
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Hi Thomas, there is no fee for the travel discount. Could you clarify your question?
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Hi Erica,
I am on a long-term non lucrative visa here in Las Palmas, filmmaker currently in midst of writing my next project. I went with both documents Certificado de Viajes and Empadronamiento to Fred Olsen when I had to go to Tenerife for a Film festival. They refused stating it is for permanent residents only, since I am on a non lucrative visa although long-term (extended two years), it does not apply to me, apparently -it states “visa temporal” in the front. I was under the impression it was applicable top all long term residents. Keen to hear your thoughts.
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Unfortunately, long term residency only applies to those that are on residency periods of minimum 5 years. Any residency valid for less than that is considered temporary residency. It’s defintiely an unfair rule, especially for those paying taxes in Spain!
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Only permanent residents with over 5 years residency and a TIE are now eligible for the travel discount. You have to get the travel discount certificate from the town hall and take your TIE permanent card with you. There is no other way to get it
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Looking for a discount travel card’ I’ve got 5 years tie card and the amprideno and ni Number will I be accepted, in Los Cristianos, near the town hall,
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Hi there, if you have the Padrón and an active long-term TIE (5 years or more), the next step is to to process the BONO DE VIAJES (sometimes referred to as Certificado de Viajes). In some municipalities this can be done online, and in others it must be done in person. Check your town hall’s website to see which option is available to you. If you’re not able to do it online, you’ll need to make an appointment online and go in person with your NIE (and a photocopy), your Padron (and a photocopy) and sometimes your rental contract or ownership papers (and a photocopy). Good luck!
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My wife and I have lived in Tenerife since August 2020. We therefore have temporary residency cards. We were refused the discount when we attempted to get it on a trip to Gran Canaria. My wife works here full time, I have a pension, and we have bought a house, all of which are taxable. She has not been back to the UK since arriving here. I recently spoke with a Polish couple who have been resident in the UK for the past 20 years, and who are having a gap year, basing themselves here in rental accommodation with no intent of working. They told me, the other day, of the wonderful travel discount of which they are able to take advantage and have indeed done so, as EU citizens. I thought that the withdrawal agreement preserved our rights as per pre Brexit conditions, but seemingly not in this matter. Well, the upshot is thus: now, we choose to holiday in non Spanish places until we receive the discount. They will still be there in a couple of years, but will just have to wait a bit longer to benefit from our tourist euros
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It’s true, the resident discount is only available to European passport holders residing in the Canaries, so since Brexit, British passport holders are no longer applicable.
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Surely, permanent (UK) residents are eligible for this discount, not only those from EU member states?
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If you are a permanent resident of Spain, you should be eligible for the discount. You should try applying in person if the online system denies you.
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Hi Erica,
I am Aussie filmmaker with a NIE been living here for 3 and half years, I was denied the discount as it stated at the back Residencia Temporal, empadron and the certificado were of no use. They knocked them back.
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Unfortunately, only holders of LARGA DURACION NIE’S are elegible for the discount. If your card states temporar, you won’t have any luck with the ferry companies. I’m assuming you might be on a non- lucrative visa (is that correct?), which I believe are not eligible as you’re not paying income tax here in Spain.
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Does your NIE card say “Larga Duración”? Typically a visa of 5 years is considered Larga Duración (long duration) and is elegible for the discount. On the other hand, being that it’s a non-lucrative visa, it’s possible that you’re not eligible for the discount since you’re not paying any income tax here in Spain. My recommendation would be to visit your local Oficina de Atención e Información Ciudadana and ask them directly if you’re eligible. If you are, they will allow you to apply for the certificate there.
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