The government endorses this policy by the airport operator. Aena, which runs Spain’s airport network and is 51% state-controlled, announced changes this week. The Council of Ministers approved a so-called P index tied to inflation, setting a value of 3.5%. This paves the way for a 4.09% rate increase, with airports set to begin applying higher charges from March. The impact translates to roughly 40 cents more per passenger. The proposed rise still awaits final approval from the National Markets and Competition Commission CNMC, with timing and details to follow.
Airlines operating in Spain have pushed back against the increase, and several large carriers along with major industry players, including Ryanair, are sounding alarms about this shift. They warn it could slow Spain’s market growth and push routes to other countries. Aena defends the price adjustment, citing multi‑million euro investments needed to modernize and expand airport infrastructure, alongside a history of cost reductions in prior years.
Even with the adjustment, officials note that the average charges remain lower than in 2015. Data from the Ministry of Transport indicates a 6.9% overall drop in average rates between 2015 and 2024, and a larger decline of around 11% during 2015–2023. The ministry, led by Óscar Puente, argues that the rate rise is justified by a record passenger year of more than 283 million travelers, alongside inflation that has risen about 15% since pre‑pandemic 2019.
Ryanair presses Aena over expansion and calls on rate pauses
Ryanair and other stakeholders describe Aena airports as the most competitive in Europe, noting differentiated charges across airport types and hubs. Officials argue that Madrid‑Barajas and Barcelona‑El Prat carry charges up to 60% lower than major European rivals such as London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam Schiphol. They also point to a broad European trend of higher airport fees since the Covid era and ongoing inflation.
Aena incentive plan
Aena’s board has approved an incentives program for airlines operating regional airports. The plan offers bonuses and discounts at 32 airports and helipads that served fewer than 3 million passengers last year. Airlines are exempt from per‑passenger fees for three consecutive years for all travelers, with 2023 bonuses at Algeciras and Ceuta airports slated to become annual.
Aena will continue incentives to encourage new routes to airports with more than 3 million passengers through March 2027, with growth in Asia routes supported compared with the prior season. The operator also provides discounts for general interest flights in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, ranging from 15% to 70% depending on passenger type and season. A separate government subsidy of 45 million dollars is available to help cover some costs airlines incurred adapting infrastructure during the pandemic.
Ryanair has requested additional incentives to support its plan to establish bases at regional airports such as Valladolid, Vigo, Asturias, Santander, and Jerez de la Frontera in Cadiz. All these sites are part of the incentive package designed by Aena.
Ryanair also unveiled a growth plan to boost Spanish traffic by 40 percent, aiming to rise from 55 million to 77 million passengers by 2040. The plan foresees a 5 billion euro investment, the addition of 33 planes to Spanish airports, the creation of five new operating bases, and the expansion of routes from 730 to over a thousand by the end of the decade. The carrier attributes the aggressive expansion to Aena’s restraint on fare increases and the possibility of shifting some operations to other markets if required.
Alongside these announcements, Aena’s board approved the appointment of three new council members to fill vacancies created by governmental changes. New board members include Beatriz Alcocer, Ainhoa Morondo, and Ángel Faus, aligned with the government’s technical and communications teams.