Spain Plans a 24-Hour Walkout That Could Strand Your November Trip

Spain’s two biggest union federations, UGT and CCOO, have called a 24-hour general strike for November 11, 2026, joined by housing campaign groups. The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports it as the country’s first joint general strike in 14 years, with the housing crisis as the trigger and a stated goal of bringing the country to a standstill ahead of a snap election on November 29.

For travelers, the exposure is broad. Flights to, from and within Spain may be delayed or cancelled, as in past strikes that involved ground staff, air traffic controllers and cabin crew. Severe disruption is expected on Renfe trains, including AVE high-speed lines, along with city metros and local buses. Large marches in Madrid and Barcelona could block roads and slow airport transfers, and some restaurants, museums and shops may close or cut hours.

Passengers on British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Iberia are among those flagged as potentially affected. Airlines must rebook or refund cancelled flights, but strike action usually counts as an extraordinary circumstance, so extra compensation is typically not owed. Ryanair also closes baggage check-in 60 minutes before departure from November 10, which matters for anyone flying around the strike date.

Travel insurance generally covers strike disruption only if it was bought before the strike was announced, which the report puts at October 7, 2026. Anyone with plans on or near November 11 should check refund and rebooking terms now, consider shifting to the day before or after, and keep flexible onward arrangements. The exact level of service on the day has not been published.

Sources: Majorca Daily Bulletin, Travel Tourister