Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport is entering a significant new investment cycle, with 1,154 billion euro earmarked to expand its capacity and adapt its infrastructure to a growing number of passengers. The roadmap was unveiled during the general assembly of Hosbec, held at the airport facilities, where government officials and the tourism sector identified connectivity as the central pillar for the province’s economic development.
The airport director, Laura Navarro, detailed a plan that begins with an allocation of over 450 million euro for the five-year period between 2027 and 2031, with the remainder of the investment to be distributed in the following term. Key projects include extending the processing area to the north, creating a dedicated boarding pier for non-Schengen flights, and increasing the number of airbridges. Furthermore, the project incorporates a reorganisation of commercial aviation spaces, the expansion of car parks, and the provision of new zones for taxis and buses. Access roads will be redesigned to handle a higher volume of vehicles in line with the growth in air traffic. There are also plans to relocate general aviation to land currently awaiting expropriation.
In 2025, the airport approached 20 million passengers, a volume that has necessitated this infrastructure planning. Navarro indicated that funding for these works comes from airport fees and that capacity must be adjusted to meet demand. The Government Sub-delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, placed these investments within a broader growth strategy, calling for coordination between administrations and the private sector to ensure mobility and security.
While investment plans progress, the airport is also expanding its flight schedule. The facility has regained its connection to Hannover, operated by Eurowings, and added a new route to Tangier via Vueling, both operating twice weekly. This evolution in traffic puts further pressure on the airport’s capacity, reinforcing the need for the planned upgrades.
Local leaders have voiced their own requirements alongside the airport’s growth. The President of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, noted that passenger numbers have doubled from 10 million to nearly 20 million in a decade, driving the need for new infrastructure. Pérez specifically called for a rail link, highlighting that millions of passengers currently rely on a single road access.
The Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, linked tourism growth—noting 2.2 million overnight stays and 40,000 direct jobs in the city—to airport activity, joining the call for the Torrellano bypass rail connection. Similarly, the Mayor of Elche, Pablo Ruz, described the airport as the heart of a “functional area” that integrates industry, logistics, and tourism. Ruz pointed out that the Elche business park, the port, and the trade fair institution create an interconnected economic space, also demanding progress on the Torrellano bypass.
Despite the investment news, the tourism sector remains cautious. Hosbec President Fede Fuster used the assembly to demand the execution of pending projects like the Mediterranean Corridor. On fiscal matters, Hosbec remains firmly against the tourist tax. Fuster argued that the sector already contributes over 9,000 million euro in tax revenue and warned that new taxes create friction in the market, describing the measure as a self-imposed tariff on exports.
