The Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, with 15.7 million passengers, grew by 19.2% last year, exceeding its best historical figure by 700,000, recorded in 2019 with 15 million passengers. In terms of operations, the airport was the third that grew the most in percentage terms, 11.6%, with 100,547, behind Barcelona (12.5%) and Málaga-Costa del Sol (12.2% ).
The Aena network in Spain closed 2023 with a record of 283.2 million passengers, exceeding by 2.9% the previous historical figure of more than 275 million reached in 2019 before the pandemic, after a surge in December of 10.6% compared to the number four years ago.
Just up the road, however, it was Valencia airport that achieved the highest growth in 2023, an increase of 22.6 percent, with 9,948,141 travellers. Of the total numbers recorded last year, almost 10 million corresponded to commercial passengers, of which 7,044,009 travelled on international flights, an increase of 26.5%, and 2,880,541 did so on domestic flights, 14% more than in 2022.
The main origin and destination of international passengers was Italy, which totalled 1,486,330 travellers; followed by France, with 864,207; Germany, with 850,080 and the United Kingdom.
In December, Aena airports reached close to 20.2 million customers, 12.8% more than in the same month of 2022, while the total number reached in 2023 represents an increase of 16.2% compared to the same month in 2022.
The president and CEO of Aena, Maurici Lucena, said that “these record figures are fundamental for the economic and social development of Spain”. “We should all congratulate ourselves on them. Aena suffered the harsh consequences of the pandemic, and is now transporting more passengers than ever,” he added.
