Spain’s airport operator Aena expects 16,428 take-offs and landings between Friday 26 and Sunday 28 December—a 3.2 % jump on the same weekend last year and an all-time record for the Christmas period. Madrid-Barajas tops the list with 3,292 movements, followed by Barcelona-El Prat (2,753) and Málaga (1,285). The forecast comes even as rolling ground-handling strikes continue at Barajas and Ryanair bases nationwide.
The numbers show that pent-up demand for holiday reunions and last-minute corporate trips remains strong despite labour unrest, higher fares and lingering uncertainty around the EU’s new biometric border regime. Aena says it has rostered 10 % more border-police and security staff than in 2024, but warns passengers to allow at least two hours for domestic flights and three for Schengen or intercontinental departures.
![Aena predicts record 16,428 flights over year-end weekend despite strikes]()
Amid these operational and regulatory headwinds, many travellers—especially non-EU nationals—are turning to VisaHQ to confirm visa requirements, fast-track Spanish entry permits and stay abreast of the forthcoming Entry/Exit System. The service’s Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) aggregates the latest consular rules, offers digital application tools, and provides on-call experts who can flag any documentation gaps before departure, reducing the risk of being caught in long border queues.
For corporate mobility teams the news is a double-edged sword. More flights translate into greater seat availability for relocating staff or urgent client visits, yet strike-related delays introduce planning risk. Travel-risk consultants are advising companies to book flexible fares, monitor airport-specific strike notices and remind employees that Spain’s minimum-service laws do not protect onward connections missed because of earlier disruptions.
Aena’s year-end outlook also suggests total Christmas-period traffic (19 December–7 January) will reach 101,793 flights—almost eight percent higher year-on-year. Border-control resources already stretched by the EES pilot will therefore face additional pressure, making real-time status alerts and contingency planning essential for business travellers.
The numbers show that pent-up demand for holiday reunions and last-minute corporate trips remains strong despite labour unrest, higher fares and lingering uncertainty around the EU’s new biometric border regime. Aena says it has rostered 10 % more border-police and security staff than in 2024, but warns passengers to allow at least two hours for domestic flights and three for Schengen or intercontinental departures.
Amid these operational and regulatory headwinds, many travellers—especially non-EU nationals—are turning to VisaHQ to confirm visa requirements, fast-track Spanish entry permits and stay abreast of the forthcoming Entry/Exit System. The service’s Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) aggregates the latest consular rules, offers digital application tools, and provides on-call experts who can flag any documentation gaps before departure, reducing the risk of being caught in long border queues.
For corporate mobility teams the news is a double-edged sword. More flights translate into greater seat availability for relocating staff or urgent client visits, yet strike-related delays introduce planning risk. Travel-risk consultants are advising companies to book flexible fares, monitor airport-specific strike notices and remind employees that Spain’s minimum-service laws do not protect onward connections missed because of earlier disruptions.
Aena’s year-end outlook also suggests total Christmas-period traffic (19 December–7 January) will reach 101,793 flights—almost eight percent higher year-on-year. Border-control resources already stretched by the EES pilot will therefore face additional pressure, making real-time status alerts and contingency planning essential for business travellers.
