Published on September 9, 2025
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport has continued to break records during nan summertime of 2025. Between January and July, a full of 11.3 cardinal passengers were handled, representing a 9.5 percent emergence complete nan aforesaid play successful 2024. The months of June and July unsocial brought much than 4 cardinal travelers, pinch July reaching 2.1 million, nan highest fig ever recorded for that month.
International markets were nan main drivers of this growth. Nearly 90 percent of July’s passengers arrived from abroad, pinch nan United Kingdom maintaining its position arsenic nan starring root market. Strong request was besides noted from Germany, Norway, nan Netherlands, and France. Eastern European markets showed awesome momentum, pinch Poland signaling a 19.1 percent emergence and Ireland increasing by 18.3 percent.
The early portion of 2025 displayed nan aforesaid pattern, pinch double-digit maturation successful January, February, and March. By May, 1.85 cardinal passengers had passed through, mounting different monthly record. These trends constituent to nan Costa Blanca’s continued entreaty arsenic a summertime destination, pinch sun-seeking travelers filling flights from crossed Europe.
Preparing for a Strong Winter
While summertime remains nan airport’s busiest season, nan outlook for wintertime 2025–2026 is remarkably strong. Airlines person scheduled up to 10.2 cardinal seats betwixt October and March, an summation of 8 to 10 percent compared pinch nan erstwhile winter. This projection, issued by nan Costa Blanca Tourist Board, signals 1 of nan champion cold-weather seasons successful nan airport’s history.
Ryanair is starring nan description by basing 16 craft successful Alicante during nan wintertime months. Eight routes that were antecedently summer-only will now proceed year-round. These see Aberdeen and Cardiff successful nan United Kingdom, Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów successful Poland, Stockholm–Västerås and Växjö successful Sweden, Lanzarote successful Spain, and Linz and Salzburg successful Austria.
In addition, formation frequencies will beryllium boosted connected respective important routes. Belfast will summation 5 further play flights, while Brussels–Charleroi and Düsseldorf–Weeze will each spot 4 other services per week. Overall, Ryanair will adhd 71 play flights compared to past winter, equating to 10 much departures each day.
New world links will besides appear. Starting successful November 2025, nonstop flights to Chisinau, Moldova, will beryllium launched. SkyUp will run connected Mondays and Fridays, while FlyOne will service nan way connected Wednesdays and Saturdays, giving travelers 4 play options to Eastern Europe.
Comparing Summer and Winter Dynamics
The comparison betwixt summertime and wintertime tourism astatine Alicante-Elche Airport highlights really nan region’s recreation almanac is becoming progressively balanced. Traditionally, nan Costa Blanca has relied heavy connected summertime visitors, pinch July and August agelong recognized arsenic highest months. The first 7 months of 2025 confirmed this pattern, pinch world arrivals surging and monthly records set.
However, nan description of wintertime services suggests that nan seasonality of tourism is gradually diminishing. By offering 10.2 cardinal seats successful winter, airlines are ensuring that destinations crossed Europe and beyond stay connected year-round. For markets specified arsenic Ireland, Poland, and Scandinavia, this provides travelers pinch greater elasticity to sojourn extracurricular nan accepted summertime season.
The preamble of caller wintertime routes besides supports section tourism businesses, which tin now widen their operations and pull visitors passim nan year. Hotels, restaurants, and taste attractions use from a steadier travel of world guests, reducing dependence connected a fewer highest months.
Infrastructure and Long-Term Considerations
To negociate some summertime surges and increasing wintertime flows, infrastructure improvement is being planned. AENA has outlined projects that see caller craft parking aprons, a redesigned terminal, improved entree roads, and a wide aviation terminal. These upgrades, however, are improbable to statesman earlier 2027. The absence of a nonstop obstruction nexus remains a concern, pinch a relationship improbable earlier 2030.
Policy changes successful Alicante are besides shaping nan tourism landscape. A two-year suspension connected caller tourer rental licenses was introduced successful December 2024 to stabilize nan lodging market. At nan nationalist level, Spain has tightened regulations connected visitant information postulation and is preparing for caller European separator systems, including nan Entry-Exit System successful 2025 and nan ETIAS authorization, now expected astatine nan extremity of 2026.
A Shift Toward Year-Round Tourism
The clear quality betwixt nan record-setting summertime and nan progressively move wintertime illustrates a broader shift. Alicante-Elche Airport is nary longer defined solely by summertime tourism. Instead, it is evolving into a hub that supports balanced, year-round connectivity.
The description of Ryanair’s wintertime network, nan presence of caller Eastern European links, and nan wide summation successful spot capacity item a strategical move to seizure tourism flows moreover extracurricular nan accepted vacation season. With infrastructure projects connected nan sky and world recreation request continuing to rise, Alicante-Elche Airport is poised to fortify its domiciled arsenic a gateway to nan Costa Blanca for each seasons.