This Airports in the Aena network carried a total of 53.6 million passengers in the first quarter of the year, according to the airport manager. The number marks a 41.6% rise from the same period in 2022 and is 1.6% higher than the first three months of 2019.
From January to March, 491,344 aircraft movements were recorded, up 0.1% from 2019. Cargo totaled 251,593 tons, a 0.5% increase versus the same period in 2019.
Public transport users increase in February as plane pushes
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport led the country with 13.4 million passengers in the first quarter, representing the highest national total and a 47.2% increase from 2022 while closely matching pre-pandemic figures.
Following Madrid, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat registered 9.9 million passengers and Málaga-Costa del Sol reached 3.7 million. These results show year-on-year gains of 56.2% and 5.1% below pre-pandemic levels, respectively, but are about 8.7% higher than 2019 for Barcelona and about 35.4% more than last year for Málaga.
Regarding operations so far this year, Aena airports posted 491,344 movements, an 18.6% rise from January–March 2022 and 0.1% above 2019. At the same time, 89,539 aircraft movements occurred, up 22.6% from the previous year but still 8% below 2019 levels.
Freight traffic surpassed 2019 figures in the first quarter, with a marginal gain of 0.5%. Barajas again led in cargo volumes, handling 148,974 tons, an increase of 14.9% versus the same period in 2019 and 7.5% above 2022.
March surpassed 2019 figures
In March, arrivals reached 20 million passengers, topping the same month in 2019 by 0.6% and marking a 28.9% year-on-year rise from March 2022.
Almost all passenger traffic in March consisted of commercial travelers. Of these, 12.8 million flew on international routes, down 1.6% versus March 2019 but up 30.6% from March 2022. Domestic travel accounted for 7 million passengers, up 4.4% from pre-pandemic levels and about 25.8% higher than a year earlier.
During March, the total of 180,627 aircraft movements exceeded 2019 figures by 1.9% and exceeded 2022 by 18.2%. Meanwhile, cargo handled reached 96,566 tons, up 2.2% from March 2019 and 4.6% above March 2022.
Barajas leader in number of moves in March A
Barajas stood as the busiest airport in passenger terms for March with 4.8 million travelers, a 1.7% dip from March 2019 but a 35.5% rise compared to March last year.
Barcelona-El Prat followed with 3.7 million passengers, down 5.2% versus 2019 but up 39.3% from 2022. Málaga-Costa del Sol reached 1.4 million passengers, up 9% and 25.1% versus the earlier year. Palma de Mallorca processed 1.3 million passengers, up 3.3% and 22.4% respectively, while Gran Canaria handled 1.2 million, down 1% but up 22.1% versus March 2019 and 2022 respectively. Tenerife Sur moved 1.1 million, up 4.6% on 2019 and 16.4% on 2022, and Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández carried one million, a 4.9% rise on 2019 and a strong year-on-year growth overall.
In terms of movements, Barajas logged the most flights in March with 31,320, down 8.6% from 2019 but up 17.2% from 2022. Barcelona-El Prat registered 24,176 movements (-6.9% vs 2019; +21.3% vs 2022), Palma de Mallorca 11,752 (+12.6% vs 2019; +10.1% vs 2022), and Gran Canaria 11,672 (-1.7% vs 2019; +13.7% vs 2022). Málaga-Costa del Sol posted 10,908 movements, a 11.4% increase versus March 2019 and 12.7% higher than March 2022.
Barajas again led cargo traffic, moving 57,011 tons, up 16.9% from March 2019 and 9.7% above 2022.
Barcelona-El Prat followed with 13,516 tons (-14.5% vs 2019 and -0.2% vs 2022); Zaragoza recorded 12,036 tons (-30.5% vs 2019 and -9.8% vs 2022); and Vitoria handled 6,770 tons, up 25% from the same month in 2019 and 0.5% higher than March 2022.