Overview
Spanish airport operator Aena said it handled 28.3 million passengers across its Spanish airports in April, a 3.7% increase compared with the same month a year earlier. The company framed the monthly result against a backdrop in which Spain continues to draw significant tourist flows even as the global airline sector grapples with a range of operational pressures.
Industry context cited by Aena
Aena highlighted that the wider airline industry is contending with geopolitical instability, aircraft delivery delays, labor shortages and rising operational costs. According to the company, those factors have constrained capacity growth in some regions outside Spain, which helps explain why growth in April was positive but not stronger.
Comparison with previous period
The 3.7% year-on-year increase for April was slower than the 6.3% rise Aena recorded between April 2024 and April 2025.
Modal shift and year-to-date impact
Aena said that year-to-date passenger figures received an additional lift from travelers who switched from rail to air following a train accident on January 18. The company did not provide further detail on the duration or scale of that modal shift beyond its contribution to the year-to-date totals.
Airport rankings and network totals
Within Spain, Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Barajas airport remained the busiest hub, followed by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat and Palma de Mallorca. Across Aena’s entire operating footprint - which comprises 46 airports and two heliports in Spain, 17 airports in Brazil and London’s Luton airport - passenger traffic rose 3.6% to 33.5 million in April.
Cargo and operational disruptions at Luton
Separately, Aena reported a sharp decline in cargo volumes at Luton airport, where freight fell by 38.2%. The company attributed that decrease to a nighttime runway closure at Luton for resurfacing work.
Key takeaways
- Aena recorded 28.3 million passengers in Spain in April, up 3.7% year-on-year.
- Consolidated traffic across Aena-operated sites reached 33.5 million, a 3.6% increase.
- Madrid, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca were the top three busiest Spanish airports.
Notes on limitations
The company’s public comments link part of the year-to-date uplift to a modal shift after the January 18 train accident but do not quantify the precise contribution. Aena also pointed to industry-wide constraints that have limited capacity increases in other markets, without providing specific regional breakdowns.