Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport – the fourth-busiest in Spain for international visitors – has released its Easter operating plan, forecasting 5,996 take-offs and landings between 27 March and 6 April. Aena data published on 26 March show that 4,780 of those services (almost 80 %) will be international, underlining the city’s dependence on inbound tourism from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Nordic markets and France. Daily movements will rise from 496 on Good Friday to a projected high of 580 on Easter Monday. Although the total is marginally below 2025 levels, slot coordinators note that average aircraft size is larger, meaning seat capacity is broadly flat year-on-year. Airlines have concentrated growth on city-break routes: Jet2.com is adding extra Manchester and Birmingham rotations, while Vueling and Ryanair increase frequencies to Paris-Orly, Dublin and Copenhagen. Long-haul connectivity is also creeping back, with Air Transat restarting Montréal and Saudia extending its Jeddah service into the shoulder season.
![Málaga Airport schedules nearly 6,000 mostly international flights for Easter peak]()
Amid the surge in international flights, travellers who need entry documentation shouldn’t overlook the visa lead time. VisaHQ’s Spain specialists (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) can handle the paperwork end-to-end, securing tourist, business or crew visas online and flagging any ETIAS or EES requirements in advance—saving companies and individuals precious hours at this already congested gateway.
For mobility and relocation professionals, the figures are a double-edged sword. On the positive side, plentiful lift makes it easier to fly project teams, cruise-ship crews and seasonal staff into Andalusia at competitive fares. But the concentration of operations in very tight peaks taxes security, immigration booths and ground transport links. Local hoteliers already report average occupancy of 93 % for the period, and ride-hailing platforms have been asked to cap surge pricing. Aena says it will open all passport-control e-gates and bring in 120 temporary agents to manage Schengen-extra-Schengen flows, a rehearsal for the EU Entry/Exit System that becomes mandatory in April. The airport’s private-sector fast-track lane is sold out for 28-29 March, signalling that premium travellers are preparing for longer queues. Companies with time-sensitive cargo should note that slot flexibility is limited: night curfews mean delayed arrivals may have to divert to Seville or Madrid. Practical tips for corporate travellers include arriving at least two hours before short-haul departures, pre-booking parking or taxis, and downloading the Aena app to receive gate changes in real time. Employers bringing expatriates to the Costa del Sol during the period may want to stagger arrival dates or route via Madrid with onward AVE services to avoid peak-day congestion.
Amid the surge in international flights, travellers who need entry documentation shouldn’t overlook the visa lead time. VisaHQ’s Spain specialists (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) can handle the paperwork end-to-end, securing tourist, business or crew visas online and flagging any ETIAS or EES requirements in advance—saving companies and individuals precious hours at this already congested gateway.
For mobility and relocation professionals, the figures are a double-edged sword. On the positive side, plentiful lift makes it easier to fly project teams, cruise-ship crews and seasonal staff into Andalusia at competitive fares. But the concentration of operations in very tight peaks taxes security, immigration booths and ground transport links. Local hoteliers already report average occupancy of 93 % for the period, and ride-hailing platforms have been asked to cap surge pricing. Aena says it will open all passport-control e-gates and bring in 120 temporary agents to manage Schengen-extra-Schengen flows, a rehearsal for the EU Entry/Exit System that becomes mandatory in April. The airport’s private-sector fast-track lane is sold out for 28-29 March, signalling that premium travellers are preparing for longer queues. Companies with time-sensitive cargo should note that slot flexibility is limited: night curfews mean delayed arrivals may have to divert to Seville or Madrid. Practical tips for corporate travellers include arriving at least two hours before short-haul departures, pre-booking parking or taxis, and downloading the Aena app to receive gate changes in real time. Employers bringing expatriates to the Costa del Sol during the period may want to stagger arrival dates or route via Madrid with onward AVE services to avoid peak-day congestion.
