Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport Sets New Passenger Records
Friday, November 15th, 2024
Record-Breaking Growth in Passenger Numbers
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport has experienced an exceptional year, welcoming 15.9 million passengers by the end of October 2024. This surpasses the total number of passengers recorded throughout 2023, which stood at 15.75 million.
In October alone, the airport set an all-time monthly record, handling nearly 1.8 million passengers—an impressive 13.3% increase compared to the same month last year. The number of flights in October also grew, with 11,243 operations, marking a 13.1% rise year-on-year.
International Passengers Lead the Way
The majority of travellers in October were international passengers, with the United Kingdom contributing the largest share. A total of 594,284 passengers travelled between Alicante and UK airports during the month. Other significant markets included the Netherlands (114,560 passengers), Germany (108,688), Belgium (89,848), and Norway (81,769).
Future Expansion and Infrastructure Plans
As passenger numbers continue to climb, discussions about infrastructure improvements are gaining momentum. Options on the table include extending the existing terminal or adding a second runway. However, the central government has currently ruled out the second runway, leaving the terminal expansion as the preferred solution.
Winter and Summer Route Expansion
For the winter season, which began on the 27th of October and runs until the 29th of March 2025, Alicante-Elche ranks fourth among Spanish airports for scheduled flight operations. This places it behind Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, and Málaga-Costa del Sol airports.
This winter sees the addition of 16 new international routes, some offered by multiple airlines. Looking ahead to next summer, Ryanair plans to introduce routes to Linz and Salzburg in Austria, as well as Bydgoszcz in Poland. Jet2 has also announced new connections to London Luton and Bournemouth.
Exploring Transatlantic Connections
The airport is exploring the possibility of establishing its first transatlantic route. Talks are underway with American travel operators to assess the feasibility of a direct connection between Alicante and New York, potentially opening a new chapter in the airport’s growth story.
With passenger numbers breaking records and exciting developments on the horizon, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport continues to cement its position as a vital hub for international and domestic travel.
Featured image courtesy of Brad Kiracofe – Pexels