Aena, Spain’s airport operator, confirmed it managed 4,207 take-offs and landings on 24 December—77 more than last year’s Christmas-Eve tally—marking the busiest pre-holiday day since 2019. Madrid-Barajas topped the list with 967 movements, followed by Barcelona-El Prat (738) and Málaga-Costa del Sol (322).
The surge is part of Aena’s wider seasonal forecast of 101,793 flights between 19 December and 7 January, up 7.8 % year-on-year. To cope, the company deployed 500 additional temporary staff, extended passport-control lanes during Schengen peak waves and coordinated slot-allocation tweaks with Eurocontrol. No major disruption was reported despite fog in northern hubs.
On the documentation side, travellers connecting through Spain who still require entry clearance can rely on VisaHQ to fast-track Schengen visa applications, provide real-time status updates and deliver digital copies straight to their phones—crucial when flights are running at near-capacity. The service’s Spain gateway (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) lists the latest requirements and turnaround times, helping both leisure and corporate travel planners stay compliant amid the Christmas rush.
![Spanish Airports Handle Record 4,207 Flights on Christmas Eve as Holiday Rush Peaks]()
For corporate mobility managers the data signal limited spare seat capacity until early January. Travel-policy teams should advise employees to book flexible fares and allow extra time at security; Barajas reported average wait times of 19 minutes during the afternoon wave.
Airlines are capitalising on pent-up demand: Iberia reinstated a fifth daily Madrid–New York flight, while Vueling added pop-up services from Barcelona to Rome and Paris. Business-class load factors hit 88 %, according to OAG.
Looking ahead, Aena projects the quieter Christmas Day (3,515 flights) to provide a brief operational breather before New Year traffic peaks at nearly 5,000 flights. Employers scheduling January kick-off meetings should consider off-peak dates to avoid surcharge periods.
The surge is part of Aena’s wider seasonal forecast of 101,793 flights between 19 December and 7 January, up 7.8 % year-on-year. To cope, the company deployed 500 additional temporary staff, extended passport-control lanes during Schengen peak waves and coordinated slot-allocation tweaks with Eurocontrol. No major disruption was reported despite fog in northern hubs.
On the documentation side, travellers connecting through Spain who still require entry clearance can rely on VisaHQ to fast-track Schengen visa applications, provide real-time status updates and deliver digital copies straight to their phones—crucial when flights are running at near-capacity. The service’s Spain gateway (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) lists the latest requirements and turnaround times, helping both leisure and corporate travel planners stay compliant amid the Christmas rush.
For corporate mobility managers the data signal limited spare seat capacity until early January. Travel-policy teams should advise employees to book flexible fares and allow extra time at security; Barajas reported average wait times of 19 minutes during the afternoon wave.
Airlines are capitalising on pent-up demand: Iberia reinstated a fifth daily Madrid–New York flight, while Vueling added pop-up services from Barcelona to Rome and Paris. Business-class load factors hit 88 %, according to OAG.
Looking ahead, Aena projects the quieter Christmas Day (3,515 flights) to provide a brief operational breather before New Year traffic peaks at nearly 5,000 flights. Employers scheduling January kick-off meetings should consider off-peak dates to avoid surcharge periods.
