Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, Spain’s fifth-busiest, has unveiled a €1.1 billion modernisation blueprint that will double passport-control capacity and add a dedicated hall for the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). Construction begins in January 2026 but short-term works—including 60 self-service kiosks and a new biometrics data centre—will already be in place for next summer’s UK holiday peak.
British nationals accounted for more than 6 million of the airport’s 15 million passengers last year. Since they are now treated as third-country travellers, Aena fears bottlenecks unless infrastructure keeps pace. The upgrade will expand the arrivals hall, reroute air-conditioning ducts to house EES booths, and add a fast-track lane for holders of Spanish residence cards and crew IDs.
![€1.1 Billion Revamp at Alicante-Elche Airport to Handle Post-Brexit Biometrics Surge]()
Airlines welcome the investment. EasyJet and Jet2 told the regional press they have filed for 12 percent more slots for 2026 once the first phase is complete. Airport retailers are equally upbeat: commercial director Sergio Lillo expects dwell time—and spending—to rise as passengers clear formalities earlier.
For mobility managers, the project signals both opportunity and risk. Alicante is a popular entry point for tech contractors bound for the Valencia corridor; smoother processing may make the airport the preferred gateway over Madrid or Barcelona. Yet construction could cause temporary gate changes and longer walks, so global travel policies should flag ‘allow extra transfer time’ until works finish in 2028.
The announcement comes as Spain accelerates EES deployment nationwide, aiming for full compliance before ETIAS is launched across the bloc.
British nationals accounted for more than 6 million of the airport’s 15 million passengers last year. Since they are now treated as third-country travellers, Aena fears bottlenecks unless infrastructure keeps pace. The upgrade will expand the arrivals hall, reroute air-conditioning ducts to house EES booths, and add a fast-track lane for holders of Spanish residence cards and crew IDs.
Airlines welcome the investment. EasyJet and Jet2 told the regional press they have filed for 12 percent more slots for 2026 once the first phase is complete. Airport retailers are equally upbeat: commercial director Sergio Lillo expects dwell time—and spending—to rise as passengers clear formalities earlier.
For mobility managers, the project signals both opportunity and risk. Alicante is a popular entry point for tech contractors bound for the Valencia corridor; smoother processing may make the airport the preferred gateway over Madrid or Barcelona. Yet construction could cause temporary gate changes and longer walks, so global travel policies should flag ‘allow extra transfer time’ until works finish in 2028.
The announcement comes as Spain accelerates EES deployment nationwide, aiming for full compliance before ETIAS is launched across the bloc.
