Alicante–Elche Airport continues to break records and looks forward to a busy winter ahead.
The airport is once again soaring above expectations, confirming its role as one of the strongest indicators of the province’s year-round tourism boom. The upcoming winter season, beginning this Sunday, 26 October, promises record numbers for both flights and passengers.
Airlines operating at the Alicante terminal plan to offer 8.2 million seats for arrivals and departures. They will operate around 44,200 commercial flights between now and 28 March 2026. That marks a 10.2% rise in available seats and a 9.1% increase in scheduled flights compared to last winter.
These figures have exceeded even the most optimistic forecasts from the Costa Blanca Tourism Board, which had predicted growth of up to 10%. The airlines’ final slot reservations show strong confidence in Alicante as a key destination, not just for summer holidays but all year round.
Growing connections across Europe and beyond
Europe continues to dominate the flight schedule, accounting for more than 6.8 million seats across 158 routes. Domestic travel within Spain represents around 1.1 million seats on 17 routes, while the African market adds a further 334,500 seats over six routes.
Altogether, the airport now connects to 181 routes, twelve more than the same period last year, reflecting steady progress in Alicante’s international reach.
Alicante-Elche Airport: Ryanair leads the way
Alicante is currently linked to 118 destinations in 29 countries, served by 29 airlines. Much of the growth comes from Ryanair, which has expanded its network to 79 destinations this winter, adding ten new routes. Vueling is also stepping up, now flying to 13 destinations, including new additions such as Santiago de Compostela, Amsterdam, Brussels, Oran, and Algiers.
The British market still on top
When it comes to passenger numbers, the United Kingdom remains Alicante’s biggest market, with almost 2.6 million seats available this winter, an increase of 8.8%. Spain comes second with 1.1 million seats, although this category has seen a slight drop of 6.4%.
Other European markets showing strong growth include the Netherlands with more than 545,000 seats (up 13.2%), Germany with nearly 518,000 (up 9.7%), Belgium with around 495,000 (up 20%), and Poland with nearly 482,000 (up 21.3%).
Of course, as always in aviation, the final numbers may shift slightly as airlines make last-minute adjustments. But for now, one thing is certain: Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport is heading into one of its busiest and most promising winter seasons yet!
