The finalists include renowned writers such as Enrique Vila-Matas, Héctor Abad Faciolince, Samanta Schweblin, Nona Fernández, and Marcos Giralt Torrente. The jury evaluated works published in Spanish or co-official languages throughout 2025 to select these five contenders for what is now one of the world's richest literary prizes.
“"This prize is a joy for authors. Having money and visibility involved is wonderful. The great aspiration is for it to have weight in world literature."
Unlike traditional awards, the Aena prize is not driven by a publishing house, meaning the winner receives the full amount plus royalties. The four runners-up will each receive 30,000 euros. Additionally, the company will spend another million euros to provide books to schools and libraries in cities with Aena airports.
