Spain welcomed a total of 53.49 million travelers arriving from international airports in the first seven months of the year, according to data released by Turespaña on Monday. The gain stands at 21.6% versus the same period in 2022, with low-cost carriers responsible for about 60% of those arrivals.
In July alone, international airport traffic to Spain reached 10.3 million travelers, up 11.5% from July of 2022. Based on the best historical figures for July 2019, today’s level is just 1.62% below that peak.
Commenting on the figures, Héctor Gómez, the acting Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, framed the data as proof that Spain is a leading destination. He highlighted record summer spending and tourist arrivals, noting that the industry is shifting toward quality and sustainability as a lasting trend that touches every segment of the sector.
Of the 53.49 million international arrivals through July, 31.8 million (59.5%) came via low-cost airlines and 21.6 million (40.5%) via traditional carriers.
During July alone, 6.14 million international travelers arrived with low-cost operators and 4.1 million with traditional ones. Travelers by low-cost carriers were mainly from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, while those flying with traditional carriers originated largely from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Among the autonomous communities, low-cost services predominantly served the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community, whereas traditional carriers concentrated their July traffic to Madrid, the Balearic Islands, and Catalonia.
Most from EU
July showed growth across all major markets into Spain. European Union travelers accounted for 56% of all arrivals and rose by 11.4%, while travelers from other parts of the world, representing 44% of total traffic, increased by 11.7%.
Compared with the previous year, the strongest growth in July came from Poland at 34.7%, followed by Portugal at 23.3% and Italy at 18.8%.
United Kingdom visitors represented 24.1% of July’s total arrivals, with an 8.2% year-on-year increase. The Balearic and Canary Islands benefited most, hosting 28.7% and 20.1% of their total travelers respectively. Germany contributed 14.2% of the total, up 6.6%, and attracted nearly half of its traffic to the Balearic Islands (48.4%).
Italy accounted for 9.3% of the July total, while year-on-year growth reached 18.8%, with Catalonia and Madrid gaining 27.4% and 23.3% of passengers respectively. France accounted for 7.8% of July’s arrivals, with its strength particularly supporting the Balearic Islands (23.4%), Madrid (21.6%), and Catalonia (21%). The Netherlands increased traffic by 15% in July, with Catalonia drawing 22.5% of all Dutch travelers.
Balearic Islands leader
The six leading autonomous communities saw an overall arrival increase of 11.1%, with the Balearic Islands occupying the top spot at 23.8% of total traffic. Catalonia followed at 19.6%, and Madrid at 19.4%. Among the six main communities, the Valencian Community posted the strongest annual growth at 16.7%.
Madrid stood out as the region with the largest share of arrivals via traditional carriers compared with the previous year, while Catalonia recorded the most notable rise in the same traditional segment. In the low-cost segment, the Balearic Islands claimed the highest share of arrivals at 26.9%, followed by Catalonia at 22.4% and the Valencian Community at 18.7%, which also showed the strongest year-on-year growth.