Cheap Flights Bilbao to Lisbon in 2026

Cheap flights Bilbao to Lisbon from $35 one way. Direct airlines, airports, cheapest months and money-saving tips for the BIO–LIS route.

Cheap Flights Bilbao to Lisbon

Cheap flights from Bilbao to Lisbon start from around $35–50 one way on the direct service, which covers the 800 km between the two cities in about 1h40. That makes Lisbon an easy long weekend from the Basque Country — search and book your flight now and see today’s lowest fares.

Here is what you need to know: the airlines on the route, which alternatives exist when the direct flight is expensive, the cheapest months, and how to keep the ticket under $50.

How to find cheap flights from Bilbao to Lisbon

Only one airline flies Bilbao–Lisbon non-stop, so when that fare is high you need alternatives rather than another direct carrier. Your options:

  1. Book 3–6 weeks ahead. The direct flight has a monopoly premium; its cheap seats are released early and disappear first.
  2. Price the connection via Madrid. Bilbao–Madrid–Lisbon with Iberia or its partners is sometimes cheaper than the non-stop, at the cost of 2–3 extra hours.
  3. Fly midweek and off-peak. Tuesday and Wednesday are consistently the cheapest days on this route; Friday and Sunday the priciest.

A flexible-date Bilbao to Lisbon flight search shows the price calendar across both direct and connecting itineraries in one screen.

Airports: Bilbao and Lisbon

Bilbao Airport (BIO), locally known as La Paloma for its curved white terminal, is 12 km north of the city. The Bizkaibus A3247 runs to the centre and Moyúa in about 20–25 minutes, and taxis take 15. It is a compact airport: 90 minutes before departure is plenty.

Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) is unusually central — just 7 km northeast of Baixa, inside the city. The red metro line connects the airport directly to downtown in about 20 minutes, and an Aerobús also serves the centre. Immigration queues for non-Schengen arrivals can be long, but Bilbao arrivals stay in the Schengen lane and walk straight out. Note that LIS is fully exposed to west Lisbon’s crosswinds: morning flights are less likely to face delays than late-afternoon ones.

Airlines flying Bilbao to Lisbon

Airline Typical route Type Notes
TAP Air Portugal BIO – LIS Direct, full-service The only non-stop; several weekly frequencies
Iberia BIO – MAD – LIS Connecting, full-service Via Madrid Barajas; sometimes undercuts the direct
Vueling BIO – BCN – LIS Connecting, low-cost Via Barcelona; watch total journey time
Air Europa BIO – MAD – LIS Connecting, full-service Occasional competitive fares via Madrid

The direct flight takes about 1h40. Connections via Madrid total 4–5 hours door to door — reasonable if the saving is real, poor value if it is $20. Compare both in your flight search on TopTravelCentre before booking.

Best time to fly Bilbao to Lisbon

  • Cheapest months: January, February, November and early December, with one-way fares from $35–45.
  • Most expensive: June–September and around Easter, when both cities are in high tourist season — expect $90–130.
  • Sweet spot: March–May and October: warm days in Lisbon, thinner crowds in the Alfama, and fares still moderate.

Lisbon is a year-round city, but its hills are kinder in spring and autumn temperatures than in the August heat, when many locals leave and tourist pricing peaks.

Money-saving tips

  1. Travel carry-on only. The direct fares at the bottom of the scale include hand luggage only; a checked bag can double the ticket price on a 1h40 hop.
  2. Check return-as-two-one-ways. Flying out direct and back via Madrid (or vice versa) sometimes beats the round-trip fare.
  3. Set an alert and wait 48 hours. If the direct fare looks high today, fares on this route fluctuate week to week; alerts catch the drops.
  4. Mind the metro at the Lisbon end. The airport metro station makes a taxi unnecessary — save the $15–25 for pastéis de nata.
  5. Fly early. Morning departures avoid both Bilbao’s occasional fog and Lisbon’s afternoon wind delays.

FAQ

How long is the flight from Bilbao to Lisbon? The direct flight takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. Connecting itineraries via Madrid or Barcelona take 4–5 hours in total.

Are there direct flights from Bilbao to Lisbon? Yes. TAP Air Portugal operates non-stop service on the route, though not daily year-round — check frequencies for your dates.

What is the cheapest time to fly? January, February and November, with one-way fares from about $35–45 on the direct flight.

Which airport does the flight use in Lisbon? Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS), which is inside the city and connected to downtown by metro in about 20 minutes.

Is a connection via Madrid worth it? Only if it saves you meaningfully — $50 or more. Otherwise the direct flight wins on total time and simplicity.

Book your Bilbao–Lisbon flight

Tiles, trams and hills by the Tagus are under two hours from Bilbao. Compare direct and connecting fares, pick a midweek date in low season and book your flight to Lisbon with TopTravelCentre today.