Clear skies ahead: Spain’s ambitious plans to expand Alicante-Elche Airport

Spain’s Ministry of Transport has unveiled plans for expanding Alicante-Elche airport, focusing on technical aspects.

These plans may be included in the next airport investment package spanning 2027 to 2031.

Tourism Minister Nuria Montes responded ironically to the emphasis on technical criteria and hinted at political reasons for delays in expansions, citing the Central Government.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to meet future demand at the airport while prioritising technical and environmental factors.

They mentioned analysing terminal needs for potential investments through Aena.

The Government clarified that building the second runway at Alicante-Elche airport aligns with the master plan and will proceed based on technical assessments of demand.

They highlighted Alicante airport’s growth potential, with expansion decisions to follow suit.

Alicante-Elche airport has shown robust recovery post-pandemic and recorded 15.7 million passengers in 2023, a 4.6 per cent rise from 2019.

National traffic constituted 14 per cent of operations, while international traffic, comprising 86 per cent, was led by the UK market.