Quick answer: Lanzarote is the cheaper two-night weekend in our basket: £215–£400 per person against £265–£540 for Tenerife. Tenerife gives you more to do when the weather turns; Lanzarote wins when the trip is short and the budget is tight.
Cite this page: Atravel.uk, “Tenerife or Lanzarote”, updated 12 November 2026. https://atravel.uk/compare/tenerife-vs-lanzarote/
| Two-night weekend | Tenerife | Lanzarote |
|---|---|---|
| Flight time from the UK | 4h 20m | 4h 15m |
| Return flights | £90–£240 | £60–£150 |
| Mid-range hotel, per night | £80–£150 | £60–£100 |
| Two nights, per person (sharing) | £80–£150 | £60–£100 |
| Food and drink, two days | £60–£95 | £60–£95 |
| Local transport | £16–£26 | £16–£26 |
| One paid attraction | £18–£30 | £18–£30 |
| Two-night total, per person | £265–£540 | £215–£400 |
| Best months | October to April | April to June, September to October |
| Cheapest months | November and early December | January and February |
Both columns use the same five-line basket: return flights from the UK, two nights in a mid-range room shared between two, food and drink for two days, local transport and one paid attraction.
The money: flights and the room
Both islands use the same five-line basket, so the comparison is like for like. The gap starts with the flight: £60–£150 to Lanzarote against £90–£240 to Tenerife. The room adds another £20–£50 a night at the top end. Food, local transport and one attraction are identical on both cost pages, which is why the whole difference comes down to getting there and sleeping there.
At the low end Lanzarote saves £50 per person; at the high end, £140. That is the price of the extra choice in Tenerife, not a difference in how the pages are built.
When to go
Both are winter-sun islands, but the guides pick different windows. Tenerife's best months are October to April, with November and early December the cheapest. Lanzarote's are April to June and September to October, with January and February the cheapest. August is the month both guides warn about, for different reasons: crowds in Tenerife, weaker wind in Lanzarote.
If your dates are fixed to a school holiday, the fare gap tends to widen rather than close. If they are flexible, January and February are the cheap window on both islands.
What you get for the difference
Tenerife is the bigger island, with two airports: Tenerife South for the resorts and Tenerife North for Santa Cruz. The Teide cable car is £38, and the north and south feel like different holidays. Lanzarote is smaller and easier to cover in a short trip: Timanfaya park entry is £10 per adult, car hire is £80–£160 a week against £100–£190 in Tenerife, and the airport transfer is under 20 minutes to Puerto del Carmen or Arrecife.
For a two-night trip, that size difference matters in both directions. Lanzarote's short transfers leave more of the weekend for the island; Tenerife's range needs more days to justify itself.
Which island suits which trip
- Lanzarote for a two-night break where the total matters, one base, and a short transfer.
- Tenerife for a week, for volcano and coast in one trip, or when you want a wider choice of resorts.
- Either if you only want winter sun and a pool: then the cheaper total wins.
Verdict
On price alone, Lanzarote. It is cheaper at both ends of the range, and the gap is large enough to pay for a meal or a car for the weekend. Tenerife only justifies the difference if you will use the island: Teide, the north, or a longer stay that spreads the flight cost.
Plan the two trips
Frequently asked questions
Is Lanzarote cheaper than Tenerife?
Yes, in our two-night basket: £215–£400 per person against £265–£540. Flights and the room account for the whole gap; food, transport and one attraction are priced the same on both pages.
Which is better for a short winter break?
Lanzarote, if price is the deciding factor and you want one base with a short transfer. Tenerife if you want more than one part of the island, or you are staying long enough to use it.
Do both have direct flights from the UK?
Yes. Lanzarote has direct flights from nine UK airports in about 4h 15m; Tenerife is about 4h 20m. Check the route page for your airport for the month-by-month fare bands.
More comparisons: all side-by-side guides · weekend cost calculator · what a weekend costs