Alicante-Elche Airport Expands Winter Routes and Capacity by Over 10%

The airport will offer 8.2 million seats and 181 routes this winter, confirming strong year-round demand and record connectivity across Europe, writes Información

Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport enters the 2025–2026 winter season with record-breaking figures that confirm the end of its traditional seasonal dependence.
According to Aena, airlines have scheduled a total of 8.2 million seats—combining arrivals and departures—and around 44,200 commercial flights
between October 26, 2025, and March 28, 2026. Compared with the previous winter, this represents a 10.2% rise in available seats
and a 9.1% increase in flight operations, writes Información.

Europe remains the key market, accounting for 93% of all scheduled capacity. More than 6.8 million seats will connect the Costa Blanca to 158 European routes
this winter. Domestic flights within Spain total about 1.1 million seats across 17 routes, while Africa maintains six routes offering approximately
334,500 seats. In total, Alicante-Elche Airport will serve 181 routes this winter—twelve more than last year—linking to 118 destinations in
29 countries through 29 operating airlines.

The United Kingdom continues to dominate as the airport’s leading market, with about 2.6 million seats, up 8.8% year-on-year. Domestic traffic ranks second
with 1.1 million seats, though this segment has seen a 6.4% decline. The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Poland also show strong growth, with over
545,000 (+13.2%), 518,000 (+9.7%), 495,000 (+20%), and 482,000 (+21.3%) seats respectively. These numbers could translate into around
1.6 million passengers per month if occupancy rates remain high, consolidating Alicante-Elche’s position as Spain’s fifth busiest airport by passenger volume.

The airport’s expansion coincides with continued investment and strong airline confidence. Ryanair recently announced a 12% increase in its winter capacity from Alicante,
operating 79 routes and maintaining an estimated 43% market share. This aligns with Aena’s upward forecasts and underlines Alicante-Elche’s role as a strategic hub for
southern Europe. In September alone, passenger traffic reached 1.9 million, bringing the total to over 15 million in the first nine months of 2025.

Infrastructure upgrades are also moving forward. Aena has tendered a full renovation and expansion of the VIP lounge, with an investment exceeding €7 million.
Additionally, construction of a new aircraft taxiway—awarded to Pavasal in August for €13 million (excluding VAT)—will begin early next year and is expected to take about
27 months. The project aims to increase operational efficiency and reduce congestion, with completion anticipated by 2028.

While the tourism sector celebrates this progress, local business and institutional voices continue to call for a second runway to meet long-term growth. For now, Aena is focusing on
targeted investments that enhance passenger comfort and operational reliability. The combination of record winter schedules, ongoing upgrades, and steady airline growth
underscores Alicante-Elche’s evolution from a summer-dependent airport into a key year-round gateway for tourism and business on Spain’s Mediterranean coast,
as reported by Información.