Aena has tried to put an end to the argument over the second runway at Alicante-Elche Airport. The business sector and the Valencian regional government mutually agree that the project is necessary to keep the airport from becoming a victim of its own success. In fact, the Alicante Chamber of Commerce wrote a report that said the current El Altet terminal is developing faster than planned and questioned its ability to compete without this “essential” infrastructure.
Laura Navarro, the head of Alicante-Elche Airport, has been very clear about this, saying that “a second runway alone wouldn’t be enough; we need that second terminal.” “In an interview on COPE Alicante, Navarro said that Aena’s top objective is the expansion of the terminal. The five-year investment plan, which runs from 2027 to 2031, already includes this big project.
“We need that second terminal; a second runway alone won’t give us more.”
Laura Navarro
The director stresses that these processes “are lengthy and involve many milestones” now that the first steps in the bidding process for drafting the project have begun. Navarro says that the expansion will start in 2027 and finish between 2032 and 2036. She concedes that “the second runway will come after that,” but she also says that “Aena’s planning is working very well.”
Navarro went into more detail about this issue, which has been a major concern for businesses in the province. He said, “It’s clear we need to expand the terminal and improve the taxiway’s operational capacity to reduce aircraft taxiing times.” Both of these projects are part of this DORA. The director of the airport says that the airfield can still accommodate more, which is why they need a second terminal “that can support it.”
Aena’s main goal is to “increase the terminal’s capacity.” They say that “a runway has a certain capacity, but the terminal also needs to be able to handle the number of passengers.” The director wanted to conclude the argument with these explanations. He said, “Right now, the terminal is the most important thing; the second runway will come when it’s ready.”
Navarro talked about the problems the airport is having right now during the interview. For example, the runway is closed at night for maintenance work. “We have to take advantage of the nights that aren’t in the height of summer; we’re trying to make everything as comfortable and efficient as possible.” The closure has caused flights to be rescheduled during the affected time windows, and it will only be in effect this March, before the busy season starts.
Ongoing records and best markets
The growth in 2025 was mostly because the British market, which was hit worst by Covid, was recovering. The UK sent the most people to Alicante Airport, with more than six million people coming through.
Navarro says that even though last year was a record year with almost 20 million passengers, “we still have room to grow.” He points to the fact that traffic has become less seasonal as a key factor in spreading that growth throughout the year: “We have grown more in the winter months than in the summer months,” he says.
People from central and northern Europe who travel during the off-season are mostly second-home owners, but they are also interested in sports tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), and inland tourism. Navarro says that the foreign market is getting more diverse, with a big rise in visitors from Central Europe. He also says that “the Costa Blanca is solidifying its position and becoming less seasonal.”
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