Tenerife travel advice: latest guidance on holidays, flights and quarantine as Spain restricts entry to UK travellers

As the UK reimposes quarantine rules for travellers returning from Spain, how does that affect travel to its islands?

On 10 December, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that the Canary Islands would be removed from the UK’s travel corridors list.

From Saturday 12 December, people arriving in the UK from the Spanish islands (including Tenerife) must self-isolate.

The decision was a major below to the UK travel industry, which has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, and as countries around the world continue to ban UK visitors in light of the ‘new variant’ of coronavirus which has made itself known in recent weeks, travel to the popular holiday destination grows more uncertain by the day.

(Photo: DESIREE MARTIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Following identification of a new variant of the virus, international travel from your area may be increasingly restricted.

For example, those in Tier 4 areas in England are not be permitted to travel abroad apart from limited exceptions, such as work purposes. Other countries have closed borders, and may restrict movement or bring in new quarantine rules with little warning.

So just how is travel to Tenerife affected?

Here’s everything you need to know:

Can I travel to Tenerife?

Spain has announced it will be restricting passenger travel on inbound flights from the UK from Tuesday 22 December, with the exception of Spanish nationals and those legally resident in Spain.

If you were due to travel to Spain past this date, the best course of action is to contact your travel operator before departure.

Additionally, all passengers (excluding children under the age of six years old) travelling to Spanish airports from ‘risk’ countries, as determined by the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control, are required to present a negative Covid-19 test taken within no more than 72 hours prior to arrival, in order to enter the country.

You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test and should confirm with the testing facility the type of tests available prior to booking an appointment.

What are the lockdown restrictions in Tenerife?

On 25 October, the Spanish government declared a nationwide State of Emergency which includes a national obligatory overnight curfew, though specific curfew times vary, starting between 10pm and midnight and lasting until 6am.

The State of Emergency also provides regional governments with legal powers to impose further restrictions in their region if deemed necessary (e.g. entry and exit restrictions to and from specific areas).

Though the Canary Islands are currently exempt from the curfew due to the latest data, the situation is evolving and restrictive measures to control the virus may be introduced at short notice.

For details of local outbreaks and the specific measures in place in your destination, you should check the advice of local authorities in your destination prior to travel.

Social gatherings are limited to a maximum of 6 people, and the use of face coverings is mandatory for anyone over the age of six years old on all forms of public transport in Spain and in many other indoor and outdoor public spaces.

For more information on Spain’s social distancing measures, head to the FCO’s website

Do I have to self-isolate when I return to the UK?

The Canary Islands have been removed from the travel corridors list, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on 10 December.

People arriving in the UK from the popular Spanish islands must now isolate. Mr Shapps said their removal was due to a rise in weekly cases and positive tests of the virus.

You must isolate for 14 days, although this quarantine period can be shortened for people arriving in England if they pay to take a private coronavirus test at least five days after they land, and receive a negative result.

Travellers to mainland Spain already have to isolate on their return to the UK.