Vueling announced this week its sponsorship as the official airline for the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Barcelona 2026, the prestigious start of the 113th edition of the world’s most important cycling race, scheduled for July 4-6, 2026. For the first time, Barcelona will host the official start of the race, reinforcing the city and Catalonia as international sports hubs.
The agreement allows the airline to strengthen ties with two of its key markets: Barcelona and Paris. One of the most anticipated highlights of this sponsorship will be the unveiling of a customized aircraft featuring the official race livery. The event will take place at Barcelona-El Prat Airport on Friday, March 27, with the presence of Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme and other local institutions.
An Airbus 320 will be painted with the Grand Départ design, serving as an airborne ambassador for the cycling race across Europe. From July 2 to 6, the airline will activate an interactive space at the Fan Park located at Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf, where fans can enjoy various activities. Vueling will also launch a challenge for the local cycling community, with users completing the task eligible for VIP experiences at the Grand Départ and l’Étape du Tour 2026. Additionally, Vueling will participate in the stages of Barcelona, Tarragona, and Granollers-Les Angles.
Barcelona and Paris: Two Key Markets
With this sponsorship, Vueling reaffirms its role as an economic and connectivity driver between Barcelona and Paris, where it leads passenger traffic between the two cities as well as France-Spain connections. At Barcelona-El Prat, the airline closed 2025 consolidating its leadership by transporting 22.7 million passengers. Vueling connects the city with over 100 destinations, around 80 of which are international. This strong presence in the Spanish market is mirrored in France, where Paris-Orly has become its most important international base, positioning Vueling as the second-largest airline at that airport.
