Spain’s air commercial market continues to grow: more than 6.5 million international passengers arrived in the country during March, 30% more than in the same month of 2022.
On the other hand, Aena, the public company that manages general interest airports in Spain, reported that its network closed the first quarter of 2023 with a total of 53.645.869 passengers, 41.6% more than between January and March of the previous year. The figure also represents a growth of 1.6% compared to the first quarter of 2019, the last year before the start of the pandemic.
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International passengers continue to grow in Spain
According to a statement from the Moncloa Palace, March saw an increase in international passenger traffic from all major markets. Of these, 55.6% came to Spain from other European Union countries, 25.8% more than during the same month last year. Passenger flow from the rest of the world accounted for the remaining 44.4%, 35.7% more than in March 2022.
According to the report, the market from neighbouring Portugal recorded the largest increase, with 63.2% more passengers. It was followed by the United States, with 42.9% growth, and the Republic of Ireland, with 38.9%.
The United Kingdom was the largest issuer of passengers to Spain in March. A total of 1.426.007 passengers travelled from that country, 21.9% of the total share of arrivals and 33.3% more than in the same month of 2022. Germany was in second place with 873.738 passengers, 13.4% of the total. The various destinations of the Canary Islands were the most popular within British and German visitors.
Italy and France were in third and fourth place, with 9.1% and 7.4% of the total passenger flow, respectively. The autonomous communities of Catalonia and Madrid received the largest number of travellers from both countries.
Aena’s network of airports receives almost 54 million passengers in the first quarter
The Aena airport network received a total of 53.645.869 passengers between January and March. During this period, 491.344 aircraft operations were recorded, 0.1% more than in the same quarter of 2019.
In addition, 251.593 tonnes of goods were transported, a growth of 0.5% compared to the year before the start of the pandemic.
The network’s airports received 20.093.589 passengers in March, 0.6% more than in the same month of 2019. Compared to March 2022, the figure represents an increase of 28.9%. There were 180.627 aircraft operations, 1.9% more than in March 2019 and 18.2% more than during the same month of 2022.
Moreover, 96.566 tonnes of goods were moved, 2.2% above the March 2019 value and 4.6% higher than last year.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) recorded the highest number of passengers in the third month of the year, with a total of 4.821.856. The figure represents a decrease of 1.7% compared to 2019, but a growth of 35.5% compared to March 2022.
It was followed by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), with 3.762.656 (5.2% less than in 2019 and 39.3% more than in 2022); Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), with 1.475.066 (9% more than in 2019 and 25.1% more than in 2022); Palma de Mallorca (PMI), with 1.344.375 (3.3% more than in 2019 and 22.4% more than in 2022); Gran Canaria (LPA), with 1.290.562 (1% less than in 2019 and 22.1% more than in 2022); Tenerife Sur (TFS), with 1.158.755 (4.6% more than in 2019 and 16.4% more than in 2022) and Alicante-Elche (ALC), with 1.045.004 passengers (4.9% more than in 2019 and 25.8% more than in 2022).
