Spanish airport operator Aena confirmed on 24 October that airlines have reserved capacity for 137.6 million passengers on 788,400 flights during the forthcoming winter timetable (26 Oct 2025 – 28 Mar 2026). The figures, released via the Servimedia news-wire, represent year-on-year rises of 3.5 % in seats and 3.3 % in movements—evidence that Spain continues to outperform most Euro-zone peers in post-pandemic traffic recovery.
Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat account for more than 43 % of total capacity, but the sharpest percentage growth is happening at secondary gateways. Córdoba—which re-opens to scheduled flights this winter—leads with a 110 % surge in seats, followed by Reus (+37.8 %), Vitoria (+37.8 %) and Murcia (+29.8 %). The expansion underpins regional development programmes designed to attract logistics investors and near-shore manufacturing talent.
International demand is the main engine. Capacity to China jumps 47.6 % as carriers restore Beijing and Shanghai rotations suspended during the pandemic, while Turkey (+33.7 %), the United Arab Emirates (+32.5 %) and Brazil (+29.7 %) post double-digit increases. These routes are strategic for Spanish exporters in the renewable-energy, agri-food and fashion sectors that rely on frequent executive travel. In contrast, domestic seat supply drops 3.8 %, reflecting rail competition on the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Valencia corridors and airlines’ redeployment of aircraft to more profitable long-haul sectors.
Aena said 81 new routes will debut this winter—25 from Madrid, 19 from Barcelona and 14 from Málaga. Business-traveller favourites include Iberia’s Madrid-Tokyo restart (via codeshare with Japan Airlines) and Vueling’s new Barcelona-Boston service timed around conferences in both cities. Companies should verify negotiated fares quickly; many carriers are using dynamic-pricing engines that raise corporate rates once load factors hit 60 %.
For global-mobility teams the message is twofold. First, capacity growth should ease some fare pressure on long-haul markets, but seat shortages could persist on heavily booked Asia-Pacific flights. Second, staff heading to emerging regional airports must check ground-transport links—Córdoba, for example, relies on a shuttle to the AVE high-speed-rail station.
Aena reiterated that the slot data are provisional and subject to airline changes, but analysts expect Spain to approach its strategic target of 320 million passengers in calendar-year 2025—reinforcing the country’s position as Europe’s most dynamic aviation market.
Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat account for more than 43 % of total capacity, but the sharpest percentage growth is happening at secondary gateways. Córdoba—which re-opens to scheduled flights this winter—leads with a 110 % surge in seats, followed by Reus (+37.8 %), Vitoria (+37.8 %) and Murcia (+29.8 %). The expansion underpins regional development programmes designed to attract logistics investors and near-shore manufacturing talent.
International demand is the main engine. Capacity to China jumps 47.6 % as carriers restore Beijing and Shanghai rotations suspended during the pandemic, while Turkey (+33.7 %), the United Arab Emirates (+32.5 %) and Brazil (+29.7 %) post double-digit increases. These routes are strategic for Spanish exporters in the renewable-energy, agri-food and fashion sectors that rely on frequent executive travel. In contrast, domestic seat supply drops 3.8 %, reflecting rail competition on the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Valencia corridors and airlines’ redeployment of aircraft to more profitable long-haul sectors.
Aena said 81 new routes will debut this winter—25 from Madrid, 19 from Barcelona and 14 from Málaga. Business-traveller favourites include Iberia’s Madrid-Tokyo restart (via codeshare with Japan Airlines) and Vueling’s new Barcelona-Boston service timed around conferences in both cities. Companies should verify negotiated fares quickly; many carriers are using dynamic-pricing engines that raise corporate rates once load factors hit 60 %.
For global-mobility teams the message is twofold. First, capacity growth should ease some fare pressure on long-haul markets, but seat shortages could persist on heavily booked Asia-Pacific flights. Second, staff heading to emerging regional airports must check ground-transport links—Córdoba, for example, relies on a shuttle to the AVE high-speed-rail station.
Aena reiterated that the slot data are provisional and subject to airline changes, but analysts expect Spain to approach its strategic target of 320 million passengers in calendar-year 2025—reinforcing the country’s position as Europe’s most dynamic aviation market.
