Barajas and El Prat both sell SIM cards, though not always from the big Spanish networks. Buying one makes sense for some trips and not others, and it mostly comes down to where you are from and how long you are staying in Spain.
Movistar, Orange, Vodafone or Yoigo?
Four national networks: Movistar, Orange Spain, Vodafone Spain and Yoigo. Movistar belongs to Telefonica, the old state phone company. Orange and Yoigo are now in the same group, MasOrange, but still sell under their own names.
5G is live across Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga and Bilbao, and 4G reaches almost everywhere people live.
Where to buy a SIM card at Madrid and Barcelona airports
At Madrid Barajas, MAD, the airport's own shop list has no Movistar, Orange or Vodafone store. What you will find is Sim Local, in the public arrivals area of T1 and T4, open 6:00 to 22:00, selling MásMóvil, Lebara and Lyca SIMs. There is also a Betelphone stand in T1 arrivals.
Barcelona El Prat, BCN, has a Vodafone shop in T1 and T2 that sells prepaid SIMs and eSIMs. It is inside the passenger only zone, and the airport does not say which side that is, so check before you count on it.
Check the brandThe Madrid airport shop sells smaller brands such as MásMóvil, Lebara and Lyca, not Movistar or Orange. If you want one of the big networks by name, you will need a phone shop in town.
Do you need a passport for a Spanish SIM card?
Spain requires prepaid SIM cards to be registered to a named, identified person. You hand over your passport, somebody types your details in, and you wait.
The rule comes from Ley 25/2007, which makes operators keep a register of every prepaid buyer with their name, nationality and document number. Italy and Greece have the same kind of rule. Portugal, for now, does not.
What a SIM card costs at Barajas and El Prat
| Option | Rough cost | Time | Passport needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sim Local or Vodafone at the airport | Prices not published | Depends on the queue | Yes |
| Orange Holiday tourist SIM | €25 for 15 days, €35 for 28 days | A phone shop visit | Yes |
| Movistar, Vodafone or Yoigo prepaid | From €10 for 28 days | A phone shop visit | Yes |
| Travel eSIM | from $1.29 | Set up the night before | No |
Spanish prepaid plans give you a lot for the money. Movistar's €10 plan has 60 GB for 28 days, and Orange's Holiday SIM has unlimited data in Spain. Our Spain plans start at $1.29, with 3 GB over 15 days at $2.10 and 10 GB over 30 days at $5.99. For a normal holiday that is less money and no shop visit. If you stream all day, a local SIM wins.
Does a Spain SIM work in the Canary Islands?
This one catches people out more than anything else about Spanish data, so it is worth being clear.
The Canary Islands are part of Spain for mobile purposes. A Spanish SIM or a Spain eSIM works in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura with no extra purchase, even though the islands sit off the coast of Africa and feel like a separate destination.
The same is true of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. One Spain plan covers the mainland and both island groups.
Island coverageCoverage is strong in the resort areas and towns of both island groups. It thins on the volcanic interior of Tenerife around Teide, and on the hiking routes of La Gomera and La Palma. Download offline maps before you walk.
Which plan for the Camino de Santiago?
If you are walking the Camino de Santiago, think about the route before you buy a Spain only plan.
The Camino Frances stays in Spain and a Spain plan is fine. The Camino Portugues starts in Portugal and finishes in Santiago de Compostela, so a Spain only plan leaves you without data for the first half.
A regional Europe plan covers both countries on one profile, so you install once and cross the border without touching anything. Two country plans cost a little less, but you then switch between them by hand. Our guide to one eSIM for Spain and Portugal runs through both options. Coverage along the Frances is good in the towns and patchy on the meseta between Burgos and Leon, so download each stage in the morning while you still have signal.
When a Spanish SIM card makes more sense
- Your phone cannot take an eSIM. Generally anything before 2019.
- You need a Spanish number. For a long stay, a rental, a Spanish bank, or any service sending codes to a local number.
- You are staying months. A proper Spanish contract beats any travel product over that period.
Getting data before you reach passport control
An eSIM installs at home over your own WiFi before you fly, sits switched off until you arrive, then connects to a Spanish network while you are still taxiing. You clear customs with maps and your booking already loaded.
Ours runs on Movistar and Orange Spain, both on 5G, so you get the same masts as a Spanish subscriber. The days on the plan only start counting when it first connects in Spain, which means you can buy it weeks before the trip.
Coming from the EU, the UK or the US
An EU SIM already works in Spain, the Balearics and the Canaries at home prices, so skip both the desk and the eSIM.
Visitors from the Americas, Australia or Asia will usually pay a daily roaming fee at home, so a local SIM or an eSIM is worth having. From the UK it depends on your network: some kept free EU roaming after Brexit and some now charge by the day.
Madrid and Barcelona airport SIM questions
Can I buy a SIM card at Madrid or Barcelona airport?
Yes, but not always from the big networks. Madrid Barajas has a Sim Local shop in T1 and T4 arrivals selling MásMóvil, Lebara and Lyca SIMs. Barcelona El Prat has a Vodafone shop in T1 and T2, inside the passenger only zone. Bring your passport, because Spain requires prepaid SIMs to be registered.
Do I need a passport to buy a SIM in Spain?
Yes. Spanish law requires prepaid SIM cards to be registered to a named person, so you show your passport when you buy, at the airport or in town.
Does a Spain SIM work in the Canary Islands?
Yes. The Canary Islands are part of Spain for mobile purposes, so a Spanish SIM or Spain eSIM works in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura with nothing extra to buy. The same applies to Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Which network is best in Spain?
In the cities and along the coasts, all four are good. Movistar is the old state operator. Our Spain eSIM uses both Movistar and Orange, so you have a second network if one is weak where you are.
Do I need a SIM in Spain if I am from the EU?
No. A SIM from any EU country works across Spain, including both island groups, at home prices. Visitors from outside the EU do need something, and UK travellers should check their own network.
Sources
- Ley 25/2007 on keeping records of prepaid buyers, BOE
- Aena: Sim Local at Madrid Barajas
- Aena: Vodafone at Barcelona El Prat
- Orange Holiday Mini
- Movistar prepaid plans
- Your Europe: mobile roaming costs, the EU's own page on Roam Like at Home.
- Our own prices come from the MegaEsim catalogue, checked 29 September 2026.
