Aena is set to invest 153.4 million euros in the biggest overhaul of Barcelona El Prat Airport’s Terminal 2 since it was built, but the work will not increase passenger capacity.
The project will run from 2027 to 2031 and is due to finish before 2032. It will modernise facilities, renew key spaces and update terminal systems while Aena tries to limit disruption to day to day operations.
The planned works come as debate continues over the airport’s future and how to handle rising traffic without causing crowding at peak times.
The investment will focus on Terminal 2, with a series of upgrades covering the facade of T2B, the waiting area at security checks, interior and exterior spaces, and technical systems. Aena said the plan would also reorganise access areas and improve links with the metro and the future R-Aeroport rail line.
The airport’s director, Eva Valenzuela, said the programme matched the importance of earlier work at the airport before the 1992 Olympics. She said the work would be organised to avoid a significant impact on daily activity.
The plan has been split into four projects. These cover the renewal of electromechanical elements, changes to the hold baggage screening system, other improvements across the terminal and a full refurbishment of T2, which has already been awarded and is expected to start in the coming months.
One of the most visible changes will be the reopening of module A, which Aena plans to bring back into regular use. That should create more space for check in and ease pressure on the terminal’s internal layout.
The central walkway after security, known as the Rambla, will also be renewed with new flooring, lighting, furniture and rest areas. Aena said the upgrades would improve comfort and circulation for passengers using the terminal.
Despite the scale of the spending, the project does not address the main question facing the airport, which is how to expand overall capacity. El Prat is one of Spain’s busiest airports and has faced repeated concerns about saturation as traffic is expected to keep growing.
The latest plan therefore offers a modernisation of existing infrastructure rather than a wider expansion of the airport itself. That leaves the broader capacity debate unresolved, even as demand continues to rise.
