The Undersecretariat of Air Transport officially granted Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas the concession to operate air services on the route connecting Madrid with Buenos Aires. This administrative measure provides the definitive legal framework for the operation that the Spanish airline had already put on sale in early November, confirming its arrival in the country for 2026.

Through Disposition 40/2025 published this Thursday in the Official Gazette, the government authorized the company to operate regular and non-regular combined passenger and cargo air transport services on the Madrid (Kingdom of Spain) - Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) route and vice versa.

The regulation, signed by Undersecretary of Air Transport Hernán Adrián Gómez, states that the company "accredited the legal and administrative requirements demanded" by the bilateral Air Services Agreement.

Legal Backing for Advance Sales

The publication of the rule comes nearly three weeks after Plus Ultra commercially moved ahead by loading its schedule into reservation systems. As reported by this outlet on November 3, the airline activated ticket sales projecting the start of operations for May 23, 2026.

With the government authorization now secured, the operational scheme proposed by the company to compete with Aerolíneas Argentinas, Iberia, and Air Europa is ratified:

  • Start Date: May 23, 2026.
  • Frequencies: Two initial weekly flights, increasing to four weekly starting July 2026.
  • Aircraft: Airbus A330-200.
  • Schedule: Night departures from Madrid (23:00) and day departures from Buenos Aires (12:35).

The route launch was designed to coincide with the centennial of the Plus Ultra seaplane flight, which crossed the South Atlantic in 1926, a symbolism the company seeks to capitalize on in its marketing strategy.

Competition and "Open Skies"

The formal approval falls within the deregulation policy of Decree 599/2024. The entry of a fourth operator on the Madrid-Ezeiza route puts pressure on fares in the segment, where Plus Ultra aims to position itself with promotional prices that, at the time of the commercial launch, started at 467 euros per leg.

Plus Ultra, which already operates in Lima, Bogotá, Cartagena, and Caracas, thus consolidating its expansion in South America, now with full regulatory backing to operate in Argentina.