Your Spain travel checklist

Spain typically wants your passport valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen Area. Some airlines still ask for six months—check your ticket now, not at the airport. Bring a passport with a blank page for the entry stamp.

US citizens traveling for tourism currently enter Spain visa-free for a short stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. You do not buy a Spanish tourist visa, and there is no extra arrival form to file before you fly.

ETIAS, the EU’s planned travel authorization, is not in operation as of October 2026. You cannot apply yet. Officials say they will announce the start date months in advance. If it opens before your trip, we will tell you how to apply.

Spain does not require a special national medical-insurance product to enter. We still recommend travel insurance that covers medical care, evacuation, and trip interruption.

It is not required to book our tours. Ask us if you want help reading what a US airline ticket or credit-card policy already includes.

Have your first hotel address and return ticket handy at passport control. Some EU airports now use fingerprint or face-scan kiosks as the Entry/Exit System rolls out.

We send the address of your first stay as the dates get closer. There is no extra Spanish arrival form to file 72 hours before the flight.

Ordinary tourism from the United States to Spain is legal and routine. You do not need extra US travel paperwork. Our tours are guided packages because that is how we work—not because a government license requires a full-time schedule.

Read the US travelers page on this site for the longer explanation. Keep your itinerary accessible while you travel.

Visa and Mastercard from US banks work in almost every restaurant, shop, and hotel. Contactless and Apple Pay / Google Pay are widely accepted. Carry a small amount of euros for markets, tiny bars, and tips.

ATMs are everywhere; use a bank machine rather than an airport exchange booth. Tell your bank you are traveling. We will help you budget for meals that are not included.

Flights are not included. You book your own tickets to Spain—usually into Madrid (MAD). Some itineraries start in Barcelona (BCN); your PDF will say which airport.

Airport transfers are included when they are part of your quote: we meet you on arrival and take you back for departure.

Closer to departure we send the address of your first stay, a reminder on passports and ETIAS (only if it has launched), and a current way to set up an eSIM or roaming if you want data on the road.

Spain uses 230V and Type C / Type F plugs. Bring a compact adapter. Most phone chargers are dual-voltage; hair tools often are not.