Spanish airports handle 29 million travelers in just one month, setting new benchmarks for passenger numbers, aircraft movements, and cargo volume across the country. According to Aena, Spain’s airport authority, May 2025 saw a total of 29,226,368 passengers, reflecting a 3.3% increase over the same month in 2024.
The growth was not limited to passengers alone. Aircraft movements reached 247,288—up 3.9% compared to May 2024—while air cargo climbed to 113,631 tons, a 4.8% increase year-over-year. These numbers reinforce Spain’s ongoing recovery and growth in both tourism and logistics, particularly as summer travel ramps up.
Top Airports by Passenger Volume
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport once again led the nation with the highest number of passengers in May, totaling 5,734,394—a 1% increase over May 2024. It was followed by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, which handled 5,176,437 passengers, up 3.7% from last year.
Other notable airports included:
| Airport | Passengers (May 2025) | % Change vs May 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Palma de Mallorca | 3,822,704 | -0.5% |
| Málaga-Costa del Sol | 2,584,681 | +8.7% |
| Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández | 1,850,620 | +5.8% |
| Gran Canaria | 1,157,213 | +5.7% |
| Valencia | 1,053,602 | +7.2% |
| Ibiza | 1,031,136 | 0.0% |
While most airports saw growth, Ibiza remained flat with no change from May 2024, maintaining its exact volume of 1,031,136 passengers.
Airports That Broke Records
May 2025 was especially notable for record-breaking passenger numbers across 23 airports in Spain. Among them were Seville, Valencia, Alicante-Elche, Tenerife South, Bilbao, and even smaller airports such as La Gomera, Reus, and Badajoz.
Seville Airport stood out with its highest-ever monthly passenger volume. This surge is seen as part of a broader trend where secondary airports are catching up with major hubs, especially as regional tourism and connectivity improve.
Flight Movements Rise Across the Board
In terms of operations, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas also led in aircraft movements with 36,641 takeoffs and landings—a 0.8% rise over 2024. Barcelona-El Prat followed closely with 33,131 movements (+4.9%), while Palma de Mallorca saw 27,190 (+0.3%).
Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport saw the most significant jump in aircraft activity at 10% year-over-year, with 17,977 movements. Alicante-Elche also showed solid growth with 11,697 movements (+6.2%).
Overall, May marked the highest number of aircraft operations ever recorded for the month at 18 airports, including: Ibiza, Tenerife South, Seville, César Manrique-Lanzarote, Tenerife North-Ciudad de La Laguna, Fuerteventura, Menorca, La Palma, and Logroño.
Where Cargo Is Also Taking Off
Spain’s cargo figures also received a boost in May 2025, with a total of 113,631 tons handled. This 4.8% increase reflects growing demand for logistics services through air transport, especially for pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, and perishables. Though not all airports publish detailed cargo statistics, Madrid and Barcelona remain the country’s primary cargo hubs.
Implications for Summer Travel and Tourism
The continued growth in May suggests a robust summer ahead for Spain’s travel and tourism sector. The combination of rising passenger traffic and operational efficiency has positioned Aena’s airport network as one of Europe’s most resilient systems post-pandemic.
With additional routes launching from regional airports and ongoing infrastructure improvements, Spain’s aviation sector is well-positioned to meet rising demand—both from international tourists and domestic travelers.
The May 2025 results demonstrate a strong start to the peak travel season, with many airports now setting their sights on breaking more records in June and July.
