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Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport has set a new record this summer, handling more than two million passengers in August alone. The airport welcomed 2,098,522 travellers last month, a 6.9% rise on the same period last year, with international tourism again driving much of the growth.

 

Figures released by operator Aena confirm the international market continues to bounce back strongly. Just over 1.8 million foreign passengers passed through in August, a jump of 9.9% compared with August 2024. Unsurprisingly, the United Kingdom continues to lead the way, with 714,903 arrivals, up 7.6% on last year. The German market also showed solid growth, with 131,894 visitors in August, a 9% increase that consolidated its position as Alicante’s second most important tourism market.

 

The Dutch were not far behind, with 113,800 passengers making the Costa Blanca their summer destination, a rise of 3%. France followed with 108,473, up 5%, while Belgium registered 97,816, a 4% increase on last year. Poland occupied sixth place, but was undoubtedly the country showing the fastest growth, with its 93,796 travellers up 20% compared with last summer.

 

While international markets expand, domestic traffic is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels. Spanish passenger numbers dropped last month by 10.9% to 240,146. Industry experts say this reflects a rebalancing towards normal patterns, with the surge in demand that followed the lifting of Covid restrictions now subsiding and local travellers settling back into their more usual habits.

 

The year as a whole also looks set to be a record breaker. Between January and August, Alicante airport processed 13,410,004 passengers, 9.1% more than in the same period last year. This puts it well on track to surpass the 18.4 million passengers registered in 2024. If the growth rate for the first eight months is maintained, the airport could exceed 20 million travellers by the end of December.

 

For now, Alicante-Elche firmly holds its position as the fifth busiest airport in Spain, behind Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Málaga. In August, Málaga handled nearly five million more passengers than Alicante at 18.1 million, but the Costa Blanca hub is enjoying stronger percentage growth than most other major Spanish airports.

 

With expansion plans already moving ahead, including a new taxiway and a larger terminal capable of handling 26 million passengers a year, Alicante looks well placed to manage its growing popularity. For many visitors from the UK, Germany and beyond, the Costa Blanca remains as appealing as ever.

 

 

 

Image: Rudy and Peter Skitterians/Pixabay