Ryanair, EasyJet, Norwegian see strong demand for new destinations including Linz, Salzburg, Athens, and Riga.
Alicante-Elche Airport has kicked off the high season with record-breaking numbers, bolstered by the success of several newly launched European routes. April marked the airport’s fourth consecutive monthly passenger record, as airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2, and Norwegian reported strong initial results for their new destinations.
Ryanair leads the surge, with three new routes proving especially popular. Nearly 3,000 passengers traveled to Linz, while Salzburg attracted 2,619 travelers in April alone. The new connection to Bydgoszcz in Poland also surpassed 2,900 passengers, further cementing Poland’s position as a fast-growing market for the airport.
EasyJet’s launch of a new route to Athens has been met with enthusiasm, drawing 1,946 passengers in April after debuting in March. The airline has also extended its winter Naples route into spring, reaching 2,952 travelers last month.
In northern Europe, the Riga connection has seen a notable boost. Norwegian’s entry onto the route—previously operated solely by Air Baltic—has helped nearly double April passenger figures year-over-year, rising to 7,029 from 3,000.
While data for Jet2’s new Bournemouth service is still pending, the UK connection remains strong, with over 9,300 passengers flying to the city via Ryanair in April.
Looking ahead, further growth is expected. Volotea will begin service to Bordeaux by the end of May, stepping in after Ryanair dropped the route. Wizz Air will launch its Belgrade connection on June 3, continuing its impressive expansion throughout 2025.
Passenger Growth and Airline Rankings in 2025
From January to April, the United Kingdom remains Alicante-Elche’s top market, delivering 1.75 million passengers—an 8.3% increase over last year. The Netherlands (371,192) and Germany (334,938) follow, while Poland has now overtaken Belgium with 316,000 passengers. Notably, Algeria has emerged as a standout market with nearly 75,000 travelers, reflecting a 300% year-on-year increase.
Ryanair continues to dominate airline traffic with 2.3 million passengers so far in 2025. EasyJet (575,000) and Vueling (573,000) hold second and third place, while Jet2 and Norwegian both top 320,000. Transavia (312,200) and Wizz Air (195,073) are also posting strong growth figures.
With more routes set to launch and demand on the rise, Alicante-Elche Airport appears poised for a record-breaking summer season.
