Aviation data analysts AirHelp published their annual punctuality report overnight, revealing that almost 34 million passengers departing Spanish airports last year – roughly one in three travellers – experienced a significant delay or cancellation. The study, released 7 February, crunches flight-status data from Aena and Eurocontrol to measure departures delayed by more than 15 minutes plus all cancelled rotations.
While Spain’s headline figure marks only a marginal improvement on 2024, the report warns that climate-related disruption is rising faster than industrial-action shocks. The biggest single event was Storm “Leonardo” last December, which forced 2,300 cancellations in three days. Business hubs Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat accounted for 42 % of all affected passengers, but regional airports Alicante and Palma saw the sharpest year-on-year deterioration, linked to European staff shortages and ATC capacity constraints.
For travellers who want to minimise itinerary stress, VisaHQ offers a streamlined way to secure the necessary visas for Spain and onward destinations, helping passengers rebook quickly when plans change. Corporate travel teams can use the platform’s digital tools and real-time tracking to keep mobile employees compliant and on schedule—particularly valuable when delays force unexpected route changes. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
![Report Finds 34 m Airline Passengers Leaving Spain Faced Delays or Cancellations in 2025]()
For multinational employers Spain remains mid-table in Europe for punctuality – ahead of France and Portugal but trailing peers Germany and Italy. However, AirHelp notes that Spain’s performance gap versus northern Europe is widening during peak summer weekends, when slot-constrained coastal airports struggle to absorb weather diversions.
The findings land just weeks before Easter week – traditionally the first surge in corporate group travel – and will feed into travel-policy updates. Risk consultants recommend building 24-hour buffers into assignment start dates and requiring travellers to overnight at origin rather than attempt tight morning connections.
Aena responded that 2025 saw record passenger throughput of 298 million and highlighted investments in dual-taxiway capacity at Barcelona and a new remote de-icing pad at Madrid. Still, without a continent-wide reform of air-traffic-management rules, analysts expect weather-driven volatility to intensify, reinforcing the need for flexible remote-work clauses in expatriate contracts.
While Spain’s headline figure marks only a marginal improvement on 2024, the report warns that climate-related disruption is rising faster than industrial-action shocks. The biggest single event was Storm “Leonardo” last December, which forced 2,300 cancellations in three days. Business hubs Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat accounted for 42 % of all affected passengers, but regional airports Alicante and Palma saw the sharpest year-on-year deterioration, linked to European staff shortages and ATC capacity constraints.
For travellers who want to minimise itinerary stress, VisaHQ offers a streamlined way to secure the necessary visas for Spain and onward destinations, helping passengers rebook quickly when plans change. Corporate travel teams can use the platform’s digital tools and real-time tracking to keep mobile employees compliant and on schedule—particularly valuable when delays force unexpected route changes. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For multinational employers Spain remains mid-table in Europe for punctuality – ahead of France and Portugal but trailing peers Germany and Italy. However, AirHelp notes that Spain’s performance gap versus northern Europe is widening during peak summer weekends, when slot-constrained coastal airports struggle to absorb weather diversions.
The findings land just weeks before Easter week – traditionally the first surge in corporate group travel – and will feed into travel-policy updates. Risk consultants recommend building 24-hour buffers into assignment start dates and requiring travellers to overnight at origin rather than attempt tight morning connections.
Aena responded that 2025 saw record passenger throughput of 298 million and highlighted investments in dual-taxiway capacity at Barcelona and a new remote de-icing pad at Madrid. Still, without a continent-wide reform of air-traffic-management rules, analysts expect weather-driven volatility to intensify, reinforcing the need for flexible remote-work clauses in expatriate contracts.
