Skyrocketing numbers: Alicante-Elche Airport smashes passenger records

In 2024, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport welcomed a total of 18,387,387 passengers, marking an increase of over 2.6 million compared to 2023.

This represents a growth of 16.8 per cent.

The year stood out for a more balanced distribution of passenger traffic throughout the year, reducing the usual concentration in peak seasons. Both national and international traffic saw similar growth rates, with international passengers accounting for the majority. In 2024, international traffic reached 15,790,142 passengers, a 16.8 per cent rise from the previous year. Domestic traffic totalled 2,578,389 passengers, growing by 16.9 per cent. These figures pertain to commercial flights compared to 2023.

The United Kingdom remained the top international market for Alicante-Elche Airport in 2024, with 6,118,903 passengers. It was followed by the Netherlands (1,155,475), Germany (1,085,150), Belgium (956,502), and Poland (846,940).

In terms of flights, the airport also set a new record in 2024, managing 116,270 operations, up by 15.6 per cent from 2023.

December Highlights

December 2024 was the busiest December in the airport’s history, with 1,216,350 passengers, reflecting a 16.8 per cent increase compared to the same month in 2023. The number of flights also hit a record for December, with 8,402 operations, a 17.7 per cent rise from the previous year.

Aena Group Airports

The Aena Group, which operates 46 airports and two heliports in Spain, along with London-Luton Airport and 17 airports in Brazil, handled 369,444,029 passengers in 2024. This marks an 8.5 per cent increase compared to 2023. The group also recorded 3,203,747 aircraft movements (+7.1 per cent) and transported 1,421,640 tons of cargo (+18.1 per cent).

In December 2024 alone, Aena Group airports managed 26,925,911 passengers, a 7.2 per cent increase compared to December 2023. Aircraft movements reached 239,377 (+5.7 per cent), while cargo transportation totalled 124,571 tons, up by 11.5 per cent from the previous year.

Skyrocketing numbers: Alicante-Elche Airport smashes passenger records. Image: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock.com.