SPAIN’S enormously popular subsidised holiday scheme for pensioners has officially launched its new season with nearly 880,000 bargain trips up for grabs.
The government-run Imserso programme will open its doors for new applications and data modifications on Monday June 22.
Foreign expats living legally in Spain can fully access the cut-price getaways, provided they are registered residents and meet specific pension criteria.
Foreign residents qualify for the heavily discounted trips if they receive a public retirement pension from the Spanish social security system.
Expats are also eligible if they are aged 55 or above and receive a Spanish widow’s pension, or if they are individuals aged 60 or older on invalidity or early retirement benefits.
Anyone aged 65 or older who is registered within the Spanish healthcare system can also apply for a spot.
According to a resolution published in the Boletin Oficial del Estado, a total of 879,213 places are available for the 2026-2027 season.
The massive allocation includes 440,284 places for traditional coastal holidays on the Spanish mainland.
Another 228,142 spots are dedicated to island travel in the Balearics and Canaries, alongside 210,787 places for shorter cultural escapes and city breaks.
Successful applicants can secure massive discounts on travel and accommodation, with a special quota of 7,447 places reserved for low-income seniors.
Pensioners receiving non-contributory pensions will pay a flat rate of just €50 per trip, with the state covering the remaining cost.
Organisers have also confirmed that a popular rule allowing holidaymakers to bring their pets on coastal breaks will be maintained this year.
The application window will shut on Friday July 10, meaning new hopefuls have less than three weeks to get their paperwork in order.
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Pensioners who have successfully participated in the scheme in previous years do not need to fill out a new application.
They will automatically receive renewal letters at their home addresses starting in the second half of August.
The official letters will contain unique booking codes, with holiday sales set to start in September before the first trips depart in October.
Applications can be submitted rapidly online via the official website, through designated local government offices, or by standard post to Madrid.
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