Good News for Young Travelers in the Canary Islands
Young residents of the Canary Islands have reason to celebrate. In a significant move, the Joint Committee on Insularity has approved a modification to the “Youth Summer” (Verano Joven) program, finally extending financial travel aid to young people from non-mainland territories—the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla—for their journeys to mainland Spain. Set to launch in 2026, this initiative, driven by the Canary Coalition, directly addresses the unique transportation challenges of island life.
Bridging the Transport Gap for Island Youth
Since its inception two years ago, the national program excluded travel from these regions to the mainland from its subsidies, creating a significant financial burden for young islanders. The core of the issue lies in the distinct connectivity limitations of the islands. The absence of long-distance trains or intercity buses in the Canary Islands forces young people to rely on planes or ferries, which come with a much higher price tag. While 18 to 30-year-olds across the rest of Spain enjoy discounts of up to 90% on public transport thanks to the Youth Summer scheme, this benefit has been, in practice, out of reach for those in the archipelago.
A Political Compromise for Maritime Travel
The motion, which is non-binding, faced opposition from the Socialist Party and Vox. However, the Canary Coalition secured the backing of the Popular Party after accepting one of its key amendments. The PP insisted that the discounts be applied exclusively to maritime transport, describing it as a “sustainable, effective, and fair way to facilitate travel to other islands, as well as their connection with the continental territory.” From the mainland, young travelers could then fully benefit from the program using the discounted train and bus routes. The PP argued that air travel is more expensive and therefore not viable for programs like Youth Summer.
Ending De Facto Exclusion
With this approved modification, the program is finally being adapted to the reality of island territories, preventing their residents from being “de facto excluded” from the benefits promoted by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. The Canary Coalition had sharply criticized the previous setup in its motion, stating, “The youth from all these parts of Spain are, once again, excluded from policies designed from the Peninsula, with no alternative, compensation, or adjustment having been foreseen.”
This was a particularly sore point because, although residents of the Canary Islands already receive a 75% discount on flights to the mainland, this separate aid did not cover effective access to the Youth Summer program. This discrepancy caused significant frustration within the autonomous community and led to demands for a specific solution tailored to non-peninsular territories. The new 2026 scheme promises to be that solution.
