EASA ATPL in Spain
ATPL theory exams and training in Spain
Spain is one of the busiest EASA training countries: sunny flying weather, a cluster of large integrated schools, and ATPL theory exams sat in English draw international students from across Europe. The exams are run by the state safety agency AESA, with the logistics handled by SENASA.
- Spain (here)~€60,000 to ~€130,000
- Greece~€55,000 to ~€90,000+
- Germany~€85,000 to ~€130,000
- Poland~€55,000 to ~€85,000
- Authority
- AESA
- Theory exams
- 13 EASA papers
- Exam language
- English
At a glance
Sitting the exams
How the ATPL theory exams work
The 13 ATPL theory papers are computer-based multiple choice, drawn from EASA's European Central Question Bank, with a 75% pass mark per paper. You must sit and pass all subjects within an 18-month window from your first attempt, and the theory pass is valid for seven years toward licence issue. ATPL, CPL and IR exams are administered in English only (Spanish is available for PPL-level exams). AESA's own 2026 fee schedule sets the theory-exam fee at €77.79 per subject.Where you sit the exams
AESA and SENASA run standing exam venues in Madrid (Avenida de la Hispanidad) and Barcelona (El Prat de Llobregat). AESA also authorises some approved schools as satellite exam centres: One Air in Málaga, for example, has been an official AESA exam centre since 2020, so its students can sit the ATPL papers on-site rather than travelling to Madrid or Barcelona.
What ATPL training costs in Spain
- Integrated ATPL
- ~€60,000 to ~€130,000
Integrated ATPL programmes in Spain are commonly quoted between roughly €60,000 and €130,000, depending heavily on the school and how much is bundled in. Quality Fly advertises an integrated ATPL for under €60,000 on its own site (read September 2026), while Panamedia quotes on request and FTEJerez, whose residential Airline First Officer Programme sits at the top of the market, publishes its prices on a downloadable price sheet rather than on the page. No government body publishes school tuition, so treat any figure as school-quoted and confirm it directly.
Notable ATOs in Spain
A few of the training organisations that run ATPL theory or integrated programmes here under EASA rules. SkyStudy is not affiliated with any of them; the links go to each school's own website so you can check current programmes and pricing yourself.
FTEJerez (Flight Training Europe)
JerezJerez de la Frontera school approved under EASA and by the UK CAA, running the Airline First Officer Programme (AFOP). Its own airline partner list names British Airways, easyJet, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Jet2, Vueling and Volotea among others.
Visit websiteOne Air
MálagaMálaga-based ATO (E-ATO 190) that has been an official AESA examination venue since 2020, so its students sit the ATPL theory papers on-site rather than in Madrid or Barcelona.
Visit websiteCESDA
ReusBased in Reus (Tarragona), CESDA runs the Grado en Piloto de Aviación Comercial y Operaciones Aéreas, an official university degree through the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, alongside the EASA commercial pilot licence.
Visit websitePanamedia International Flight School
MallorcaFounded in 1980 with bases in Mallorca, Valencia and Castellón, delivering ATPL theory in person across the 13 subjects.
Visit websiteEnglish exams, Mediterranean flying weather
Spain's draw for international students is a specific combination: the ATPL, CPL and IR theory exams are administered in English, so you can train and be examined without Spanish fluency, while benefiting from lower living costs and reliable flying weather. FTEJerez notes roughly 300 days of sunshine a year at its Jerez base, which schools credit for fewer weather cancellations and steadier flight-training progress. Several Spanish schools also carry deep airline-partnership pipelines, which is why so many EASA cadets from other countries train here.
ATPL in Spain: common questions
Who runs the ATPL theory exams in Spain?
Who runs the ATPL theory exams in Spain?
How much is the ATPL theory exam fee in Spain?
How much is the ATPL theory exam fee in Spain?
What language are the ATPL exams in Spain?
What language are the ATPL exams in Spain?
Sources
8 cited
Sources
8 citedPreparing for the AESA ATPL theory exams?
Whichever EASA state you sit them in, the core EASA theory syllabus provides the foundation. SkyStudy supports that syllabus with independently authored revision questions, spaced repetition, and timed mock exams. Free to start, no card needed.