Vueling is adding four new winter routes from Bilbao Airport to Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin, and it is lifting London Heathrow service to two daily flights.
According to Hosteltur’s July 23, 2026 report on the Bilbao winter schedule, the airline plans more than 1.5 million seats to and from Bilbao next winter, about 10 percent above the prior winter, inside its longer Rumbo 2035 plan that treats Bilbao as its second base after Barcelona.
If you are flying from Bilbao this winter, search Rome, Venice, Naples, Turin, and the second Heathrow bank before connecting through Madrid or Barcelona by default.
- New routes: Bilbao to Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin for winter.
- Heathrow: Second daily flight lifts LHR capacity toward 102,000 seats.
- Scale: More than 1.5 million BIO seats, about 10% above last winter.
- Italy total: More than 144,000 seats including a thicker Milan link.
- Network: Twelve international routes and 13 domestic destinations planned.
What Hosteltur and EFE reported
Hosteltur, carrying EFE transport reporting, says Vueling announced a winter program that adds more than 175,000 seats versus the prior winter and frames the growth under Rumbo 2035. The plan is designed to strengthen Barcelona as the main hub and Bilbao as the second base.
The four new Italian cities are Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin. Milan capacity rises as well, so the Italy program is expected to top 144,000 seats.
London Heathrow moves to two daily flights with about 102,000 seats, on top of about 118,000 seats already programmed at London Gatwick. Paris Orly is expected to add about 30,000 seats.
Across the international map, Hosteltur lists 12 winter routes from Bilbao: Rome, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Lisbon, Milan, Marrakech, Naples, Porto, Paris Orly, Prague, Turin, and Venice.
That is a clean shopping list for travelers who want nonstop options out of northern Spain without a Madrid transfer.
Domestic seats and the Granada return
On the domestic side, Vueling plans more than one million seats, about 3 percent above the prior winter. The Bilbao to Granada link returns, and Malaga and Alicante get thicker schedules.
The rest of the interior network covers Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife North, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura for a total of 13 domestic destinations.
Route count rises from 22 last winter, including nine international markets, to 25 this winter. Seat volume moves from about 1.3 million to more than 1.5 million.
International seats alone are expected to top 484,000, about 10 percent higher than the prior winter international program. That international growth is the clearest signal that Bilbao is not being treated as a purely domestic spoke.
For a traveler comparing Bilbao against Santander or Biarritz as a northern Spain air gateway, the expanded Italy and dual London map is the practical difference. More nonstop cities usually mean fewer forced overnight connections when weather or ATC trims the day.
Vueling has operated at Bilbao since 2004 and has based aircraft there since 2010. Hosteltur notes that Bilbao is the airline’s second base and second-largest international connection point after Barcelona.
Independent local confirmation of the Italy package
Earlier local coverage tracked the same four Italian cities when Vueling first framed the winter Italy push. Bilbao Air’s May 26, 2026 report said the airline would launch Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin from La Paloma and thicken Milan.
That earlier local package matches the July Hosteltur and EFE seat totals on the Italy side and helps confirm the city list is not a one-outlet rumor. Use the July Hosteltur numbers for the full 1.5 million seat frame and Heathrow second daily, then use the May local report as independent naming of the four Italian cities.
Vueling’s own cheap-flights pages already surface Bilbao to Rome inventory for late 2026 months, which is a practical booking surface even when a formal press PDF is hard to open from outside Spain.
Travelers should still verify exact start dates, days of week, and aircraft type in the Vueling booking path for their own travel month, because winter banks can shift after the headline announcement.
Who should rebook or book now
Basque Country and northern Spain travelers who usually connect through Madrid for Italy can try direct Bilbao metal first. A nonstop Rome or Naples flight can save a half day of terminal time even if the base fare is only modestly higher.
United Kingdom visitors who prefer Heathrow over Gatwick for connections now have a second daily BIO to LHR bank to check. Compare total journey time against Gatwick plus a hotel night when bags and immigration matter.
Business travelers between Bilbao and northern Italy can treat Turin and Milan as a paired industrial corridor. A morning arrival into Turin can replace a late Madrid connection that used to burn half a workday.
Families planning a multi-city Italy trip can enter through Venice or Rome and leave through Naples without forcing every leg back through Barcelona. That only works if you accept Vueling’s fare rules on bags and seat selection for each segment.
Cruise guests embarking in Italy or the Mediterranean can look at Bilbao as a new air gateway into Venice or Rome rather than defaulting to Barcelona or Madrid only. Build a buffer night before ship day until the first winter weeks prove stable.
Domestic Spain travelers using Bilbao for Canary Islands or Balearics still get the familiar island set, with a Granada recovery that matters for Andalusia city breaks and Alhambra-timed visits.
What is still open
Hosteltur does not publish every first-flight date for the four Italian cities in the July recap. Day-of-week patterns and introductory fares can change before the first departure bank.
Treat the city list and seat totals as confirmed planning facts, and treat the exact first operating day as something to lock only after you hold a PNR.
If a winter storm or industrial action hits Italy or France, these new banks can still cancel like any other European short-haul line. Buy flexible fares when the trip is date-sensitive, and keep Deep Arrival’s Europe summer 2026 strike protection guide handy for care rules when a third-party walkout, not Vueling crew, is the cause.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Need Bilbao to Italy this winter | Search Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin nonstops before a Madrid connection. |
| Prefer Heathrow over Gatwick | Compare the new second daily BIO to LHR bank against Gatwick fares. |
| Want Andalusia from Bilbao | Check the returning Granada link plus thicker Malaga service. |
| Are timing a cruise embarkation | Book a buffer night in Rome or Venice until early winter banks stabilize. |
- First-flight dates: Confirm each Italian city pair in the booking calendar.
- Heathrow slots: Second daily timing can move with winter slot changes.
- Introductory fares: Early sale prices may not last through peak Christmas weeks.
- Domestic recovery: Verify Granada days of week before locking hotels.
Search Bilbao nonstops to Rome, Venice, Naples, Turin, and the second Heathrow flight first, then buy only after the exact winter date and aircraft show in Vueling’s calendar.
Which new winter routes is Vueling adding from Bilbao?
Hosteltur lists Rome, Venice, Naples, and Turin as the four new Italian routes, with thicker Milan service as a separate capacity boost.
How large is the Bilbao winter schedule?
Hosteltur says more than 1.5 million seats to and from Bilbao next winter, about 10 percent above the prior winter and up from about 1.3 million seats.
Is London Heathrow becoming daily twice?
Yes. The report says Heathrow moves to two daily flights with about 102,000 seats, separate from about 118,000 seats at Gatwick.
Does Vueling still fly domestic from Bilbao?
Yes. Domestic seats top one million, Granada returns, Malaga and Alicante thicken, and 13 domestic destinations remain on the winter map.
