Alicante-Elche Airport begins major expansion with new taxiway construction
The Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport is set to undergo significant improvements as part of a government-backed investment initiative through AENA, Spain's airport authority. The first of these major projects, the construction of a new aircraft taxiway, has entered its early stages, with completion expected by May 2027.
This new taxiway will enhance aircraft manoeuvrability, reducing take-off and landing times and increasing the airport's capacity beyond its current limit of 40 operations per hour.
The tender process for this construction began in June, attracting 19 proposals from construction companies. After the first round of evaluations, eight firms remain in the running for the contract, with bids ranging from €14 million to the maximum budget of €17.4 million.
The contract stipulates a 27-month construction period, with work expected to begin by early 2025. This timeline places the taxiway’s opening between late 2027 and early 2028.
The taxiway construction is part of a broader effort to expand Alicante-Elche’s capacity. The airport is also planning a terminal extension, designed to accommodate up to 26 million passengers annually, with an estimated cost of nearly €600 million. The drafting of this project is expected to be tendered by the end of 2024.
Despite calls from politicians and business leaders, AENA and airlines have not yet deemed a second runway necessary for the airport's growth. Transport Minister Óscar Puente argues that a single runway can suffice, noting that other airports with one runway manage more than 33 million passengers annually.
In 2023, Alicante-Elche set a record with 15.7 million passengers, a figure likely to be surpassed by the end of 2024, given the 12.3 million passengers recorded in the first eight months of this year—a 17.2% increase over 2023.
Alicante-Elche is emerging as one of Spain’s fastest-growing airports, outperforming top hubs like Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat in August 2024, with a 15.3% year-on-year increase, the only airport among Spain's five busiest to achieve double-digit growth.
