Seeing Spain and Portugal at Reasonable Prices

If you’ll be traveling to and within Spain and Portugal you’ll have several air and rail options to explore.

Renfe, the Spanish rail company, has introduced a flexible non-consecutive-day pass that allows you to select which days you want to travel. The new 15-day Spain Flexipass provides unlimited rail travel during any four days out of a 15-day period. The pass costs $99 for first-class travel, $75 for second-class.

Consecutive-day passes are also available. You can get an eight-day pass, with the clock ticking from the first use, for $145 first-class and $105 second-class. A 15-day pass, also on a consecutive-day basis, goes for $235 first-class and $165 second-class.

The Spain Flexipass has to be bought in the United States, while the pair of consecutive-day passes can be bought in the United States or Spain. Contact travel agents and/or the National Tourist Office of Spain, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960, Beverly Hills 90211, (213) 658-7188.

The Portugal Tourist Ticket offers three consecutive-day passes. The seven-day pass costs about $70, a 14-day pass is $120 and a 21-day pass goes for $175. Each pass allows unlimited rail travel on any class of service and on any type of train.

The Portuguese rail passes have to be bought in Portugal. More details are available from the Portuguese National Tourist Office, 590 Fifth Ave., New York 10036, (212) 354-4403.

If you’re traveling by air, Iberia has a Visit Spain Airpass that allows you to fly to any of its destinations in Spain, including Majorca and Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, during a 60-day period. The pass costs $249. For an extra $50 you can add flights to and between the Canary Islands.

Passes have to be bought in the United States in conjunction with round-trip transatlantic Iberia flights.

If you fly Iberia to Madrid by May 31, and pay for your tickets on an American Express credit card, you’re entitled to a complimentary companion ticket. You need to buy a full-fare ticket on either first- , business- or economy-class, and you have until May 30, 1991, to complete the round-trip flights.

TAP, the Portuguese airline, doesn’t have an air pass within Portugal, but passengers who buy a full-fare business-class seat on a transatlantic flight out of Los Angeles can get a companion seat for 50% off the regular rate.

With both the Iberia and TAP programs, the companion has to travel with you on each segment of your flight.

Contact travel agents, Iberia at toll-free (800) 772-4642 and TAP at (800) 221-7370.