El Salvador’s tourism sector is reaching a new milestone in international connectivity. Starting this September, airline Iberojet will officially link San Salvador with Madrid and Barcelona through direct flights, offering round-trip tickets starting under $600. This historic expansion represents a massive leap in transatlantic travel, making European destinations unprecedentedly accessible for both regional travelers and international tourists.
The operation will feature a modern Airbus 350 with 432 seats, scheduling two weekly flights on Mondays and Tuesdays. With this new capacity, Iberojet will inject nearly 50,000 available seats over the next year. Industry experts expect this massive influx to double the number of Spanish tourists visiting El Salvador, a figure that already surpassed 50,000 visitors in 2025.
To kickstart the launch, the airline is introducing an exclusive promotion for early birds. The first 1,000 tickets sold will receive a 15% discount by applying the promo code objhola, valid until Sunday, July 5. This aggressive pricing strategy is designed to stimulate immediate demand and capture the attention of budget-conscious travelers looking for premium transatlantic experiences.
This strategic move reflects growing global business trust in El Salvador’s economy. Tourism Minister Morena Valdez highlighted that Iberojet’s parent company, Ávoris, brings a complete value chain including tour operators and luxury hotel brands like Barceló. Valdez noted that this investment says much about investor confidence in a country where international tourism grew 35% up to May, totaling 2.1 million visitors.
From an industry perspective, this expansion marks a new phase of market maturity. Carlos Umaña, president of the Salvadoran Chamber of Tourism (Casatur), emphasized that the local private sector is aggressively working to elevate service standards. According to Umaña, we are highly committed from the private sector to strengthen our capabilities to meet and exceed the expectations of a new wave of demanding international travelers.