When you think of Spain, places like Barcelona and its world-renowned Gaudí-spawned edifices, like Sagrada Família or Casa Batlló, Madrid and its grand boulevards and lush El Retiro Park, or even Mallorca's picturesque calas and medieval villages, probably come to mind.
That's not for nothing: these 3 popular spots are Spain's easiest destinations to reach if you're flying from the United States, as they host nonstop Transatlantic flights (in the case of Barcelona and Madrid, year-round).
Well, soon enough, a fourth companion is joining their select ranks:
For the first time ever, U.S. passport holders will be able to fly from home directly to the much-underrated North Coast of Spain—more specifically, the Basque Country—home to 4 idyllic beach towns that offer smaller crowds, and cheaper prices in summer:
Fly Nonstop To Basque Country From The United States
As soon as May 31—only a few weeks more to go, you guys!—you'll be able to fly nonstop from Newark (EWR) to Bilbao (BIO), the largest city in the Basque Country, and in the whole of Northern Spain (a courtesy of United Airlines).
As announced by the airline, this is the flight schedule running from late May through September 24, 2025:
Outbound flights
- Leaving Newark (EWR) 9:15 pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
Return flights
- Leaving Bilbao (BIO) 12:30 pm every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
In their press release at the time of the announcement, United also confirmed they will be deploying their Boeing 757-20 on this route.
It features a 176-seat layout, including 16 United Polaris seats, 42 in Economy Plus, and 118 in the more-restricted Economy.
You can already book tickets through their official website, and at the lowest fare, Economy seats start from $603, or 11 monthly installments of $53.75 if you opt for Flexpay as a payment mehthod.
Bilbao Is A Gateway To One Of Spain's Most Beautiful Coastal Regions
We've covered Bilbao and why you should visit it in depth here, so we'll keep it short before breaking down the details of the new flight route: essentially, if you love quirky-looking, modern art museums and strolling scenic riversides, you'll love Bilbao.
If that's not your cuppa, it doesn't mean United's new offer isn't for you.
Bilbao is a major transport hub, and the main gateway to the Basque Coast, an idyllic region full of picture-perfect beaches and timeless, historic towns, so let's look at it this way:
Over in Mexico, Cancun International Airport (CUN) services not only the resort city of Cancun, but also the smaller, neighboring municipalities of Puerto Morelos, Playa Del Carmen, and up until recently, Tulum (before it opened its own airport).
So, when you fly to Cancun International, you're not necessarily staying in Cancun—you might simply be using it as a launching pad to travel to other destinations in the Mexican Caribbean, as connections from there are better.
With Bilbao, it's no different. By all means, feel free to explore it for a day or two, and once you've ticked off the Guggenheim Museum and went on your first pintxo bar crawl, head out to these 4 spots:
Zarautz
Your typical Basque weekend getaway, Zarautz has a myriad of pensions, bars, and campsites encroaching on a wide, long strip of golden sand, hugged itself by azure seas, and it's a charming town buzzing with a youthful crowd.
It is primarily sought-after for its surfing scene, and affordable beachfront stays, starting from as cheap as $79 per night when traveling as a couple (check out Vista Alegre), though you shouldn't miss out on its cultural offer.
Zarautz is famous for its Renaissance-era architecture, most notably the 16th-century Palacio de Narros, homegrown sparkling white wine (txakoli), and renowned chef Karlos Arguiñano's hotel and restaurant, where you can gorge on local delicacies like fish balls and puerro confitado.
Lekeitio
Both a cultural hotspot and a beach lover's paradise, Lekeitio is one of the oldest fishing ports in Basque Country, boasting medieval treasures, like the soaring, Gothic Basilica de la Asunción de Santa María, and largely-uncrowded sandy beaches.
Overlooked as it may be, Lekeitio's cuisine is an attraction in its own right, with local restaurants serving a variety of seafood, especially merluza and squid stew, prepared with the rich, dark ink its spews—for authentic food and reasonable prices, make sure you add Lumentza to your list.
Those Bilbao flights will be running until September, so if you get the chance to visit Lekeitio in early spring (and you're not a PETA activist), you shouldn't miss out on the Antzar Eguna, a centuries-old tradition that has residents attempting to behead a goose hanging from a rope over the harbor.
Mutriku
For a little, offbeat town tourists have yet to discover, and that has retained its long-standing tradition of fishing and shipbuilding, Mutriku is the place to go: not only is the port beautiful, with all the moored colorful boats and old dwellings, but the surrounding nature is breathtaking.
Once you're done wandering the cobbled streets of Mutriku's well-preserved medieval quarter, you should head out to the nearby Basque Coast Geopark, a rugged patch of coastline home to dramatic cliffs, unique geological formations that date back millions of years.
Lucky for the budget-conscious, Mutriku is fairly inexpensive to visit: buses there from Bilbao cost as cheap as $5, a menu del día in one of those storied, family-owned eateries ranges from $13 to $19, and overnight stays start from $45 per person as a traveling couple (Pension Txomin Ostatua).
Donostia (San Sebastián)
The most famous coastal town in the Basque Country, Donostia (alternatively known as San Sebastián) features an intact Old Town (Parte Vieja), where narrow streets are lined with grandiose edifices and tapas bars, and a shell-shaped, soft-sanded beach (La Concha).
Between the Baroque churches and the numerous cafe-bordered plazas of the Old Town, and the sheltered bay bathed by a bright-blue Atlantic, joined by a modern promenade, Donostia is sure to steal your heart, if not for the jaw-dropping sights, then for the food:
For the best braised beef cheeks in the entire territory and $2.50 pintxos, pop by La Chucara de San Telmo. Craving anchovies and some of those mouth-watering tinned fish? Look no further than Txepetxa. Finally, don't fancy spending more than $25 on grilled octopus and wine? Astelena 1997‘s your best bet.
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