Passenger traffic at Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport continues to surge, with the Costa Blanca’s main gateway recording its best February on record, according to figures released by Aena.
The airport handled nearly 1.23 million passengers during February, representing a 5.3% increase compared with February 2025, which previously held the record. Flight activity also reached new highs, with 8,002 aircraft movements, a 5.6% rise year-on-year.
The strong performance follows an already historic January and suggests the airport could be heading toward another record-breaking year if the current growth trend continues.
Strong Start to 2026
During the first two months of 2026, Alicante–Elche Airport processed 2.34 million passengers, marking an overall 5% increase compared with the same period last year.
Aircraft operations have also grown steadily, with more than 15,500 flights handled between January and February, a 5.6% increase year-on-year.
International Travel Dominates
International traffic once again accounted for the vast majority of passengers in February.
More than 1.07 million international travellers passed through the airport during the month, representing a 7.3% increase and over 80% of all passengers.
Domestic traffic moved in the opposite direction, with 154,530 passengers travelling on Spanish routes, reflecting a 7.5% decline compared with February 2025.
UK Remains the Leading Market
The United Kingdom continues to dominate Alicante’s international travel market, with 369,560 passengers recorded in February alone—almost one-third of all international travellers.
The next largest markets were:
- The Netherlands – 85,736 passengers
- Poland – just over 85,000 passengers
- Germany – 83,872 passengers
- Belgium – 79,941 passengers
The figures highlight the continued importance of northern European tourism and second-home travel to the Costa Blanca region.
Growth Expected Ahead of Summer
Despite still being in the traditional low season, passenger numbers have risen steadily since November, supported by increased routes and flight frequencies.
Airlines are already preparing for what is expected to be another record-breaking summer season, with Ryanair announcing expanded operations at the airport, including higher frequencies and three new routes.
Night Runway Closures in March
The main operational challenge this month will be a temporary night-time runway closure.
From 2 to 29 March, the runway will close daily between midnight and 5:59 am. The restriction affects late-night arrivals after midnight and early-morning departures scheduled between 5:30 and 5:45 am.
According to Aena, the temporary closure will allow engineers to carry out maintenance and improvement works on the airfield, as well as tasks linked to the construction of a new taxiway designed to improve airport efficiency.
The airport operator confirmed that affected flights have already been rescheduled during this final phase of the winter season to minimise disruption.
With traffic continuing to climb and airlines expanding their networks, Alicante–Elche Airport appears firmly on course for yet another record year in 2026.
