Booking flights or trains in Spain? Hidden fees face first crackdown under new law

The frustration of the surprise fee at the end of an online ticket booking is ending, as it could now put a company in the sights of Spain’s consumer watchdog.

Spain cracks down on hidden booking fees

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs has opened proceedings against an online ticket platform over the way it displayed charges during the purchasing process. According to Spanish media reports, the platform, which sells flight and train tickets, added a service fee during the later stages of a booking rather than including it in the initial price shown to the customer.

The action is the first reported enforcement case of this type since Spain introduced new requirements designed to make prices more transparent. The rules form part of the Law on Customer Service (Ley de Servicios de Atencion a la Clientela) and have applied since December 2025.

What Spain’s new consumer law says about ticket prices

Under the new requirements, businesses must make the complete applicable price clear to consumers right from the beginning of the purchasing process. That includes unavoidable charges passed on to the customer, including management, administration, distribution, processing and service fees. The aim is to prevent what is commonly known as “drip pricing”, advertising a lower price initially and revealing additional compulsory costs only as the customer moves through the booking process.

For travellers, the important distinction is between a genuine optional extra and a compulsory charge. A customer who chooses an additional service can still pay for it separately. An unavoidable fee connected to the purchase should not be concealed until the final stages.

When did the new hidden-fee rules come into force?

The relevant requirements came into force on in December 2025. They apply in Spain and cover the way businesses present prices to consumers during the purchasing process. The latest case shows that the rules are now being used in enforcement, although the proceedings against the unnamed platform are still ongoing.

How online ticket prices should now work in Spain

The difference can be explained with a simple example. If a website advertises a ticket at €30 and then adds a compulsory €5 service charge during checkout, the customer has effectively been shown a price that does not represent the full unavoidable cost. Under the new requirements, that compulsory charge should be reflected in the price presented from the beginning.

The website can still provide a breakdown showing the different components of the total. What matters is that consumers are not left to discover an unavoidable cost only after progressing through the booking. This is particularly relevant to online bookings, where an attractive headline fare can become more expensive as additional compulsory charges are added.

What should you do when booking a ticket in Spain?

If you are booking a flight or train online, compare the price shown at the start with the amount displayed before payment. Pay particular attention to charges described as service, management, booking, processing or similar fees.

If an additional amount appears, check whether it is optional or compulsory. The new rules specifically concern charges that consumers have to pay in order to complete the purchase.

Keeping a record of the advertised price and the final price can also help if you later need to query a charge with the company.

For anyone booking flights or trains online in Spain, the practical change is very straightforward, compulsory costs should be visible in the price rather than appearing as an unwelcome surprise at the end of checkout.

The first enforcement case does not establish that the unnamed company has broken the law, that will be decided through the proceedings. But it does show that Spain’s consumer authorities are beginning to enforce the pricing transparency requirements introduced in December 2025.