Alicante’s business community has renewed its demand for a direct air connection with the United States following the announcement of a new route between Valencia and New York.
United Airlines will operate three weekly flights between Valencia Airport and New York, restoring a direct link that was withdrawn several years ago.
The announcement has been welcomed by business and tourism organisations across Alicante province, which believe the service could bring economic and tourism benefits to the wider Valencian Community. However, they insist Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport should eventually secure its own US connection.
César Quintanilla, president of the Alicante branch of the Valencian Business Confederation, described the Valencia route as an important first step.
He said a second step should be establishing a direct flight from Alicante, given the airport’s capacity and the province’s economic and tourism potential.
Alfredo Millá, president of the Alicante Province Institute of Economic Studies, also welcomed the route. He said Alicante would benefit from improved regional connectivity and argued that, if the Valencia service proved successful, it could strengthen rather than weaken the case for additional US routes.
The province’s hotel sector adopted a similarly positive position. Hosbec president Fede Fuster said the priority was securing direct flights between the Valencian Community and New York.
He argued that Valencia and Alicante airports were sufficiently close and well connected for Costa Blanca tourism businesses to benefit from the new service.
José Mancebo, director of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board, said efforts would now focus on ensuring Alicante province gained maximum benefit from the route. However, he stressed that work would continue to secure a separate US connection for Alicante-Elche Airport.
The Association of Real Estate Developers of Alicante Province, Provia, was more cautious. Its general secretary, Jesualdo Ros, warned that having two direct US routes within the same autonomous region could be difficult.
Provia believes the three weekly frequencies should have been divided between the two airports, with two flights operating from Valencia and one from Alicante.
The association highlighted Alicante-Elche Airport’s passenger volume, international network and importance to the Costa Blanca property market. The airport handled almost 20 million passengers in 2025, making it Spain’s fifth busiest and the largest in the Valencian Community by traffic.
Provia also argued that a direct New York service would support Alicante’s high-end residential market, improve territorial balance and reduce commercial risk by drawing on the Costa Blanca’s well-established international demand.
The Valencian Government welcomed United Airlines’ decision, saying the route would create new opportunities in an important long-haul market. However, officials stressed that the choice of Valencia was a commercial decision made by the airline.
