The airport operator Aena confirmed that the 4.4% growth occurred despite having exceeded the theoretical capacity limit of 55 million annual travelers two years ago. The entity is confident that more efficient exploitation of less utilized time slots will allow capacity to continue increasing without saturating operations before the completion of the expansion, scheduled for beyond 2030.
“"This evolution reflects a clear desesonalization strategy, which allows improving the operational stability of the airport and reinforcing its competitiveness throughout the year."
The data confirms that most of the growth experienced by the airport in 2025 comes from international flights, which accounted for 43.27 million passengers (+6.2%). In contrast, domestic flights remain stagnant, falling by 0.6% to 14.13 million travelers, a trend reflecting the shift towards high-speed rail.
Regarding intercontinental routes, the offer for the 2025/2026 winter season stands at 3.69 million seats, a 21.9% increase over the previous year. Nearly 20% of these seats connect the Catalan capital with the United States, consolidating it as a key growth driver.
In parallel, the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) has created the Autoritat Aeroportuària de Catalunya (AAC) to integrate the functions already attributed to it regarding airports. This measure aims to be a preliminary step toward participating in the management of Catalan airports, as stated by the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau.
