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Alicante-Elche Airport is set to break records this winter, offering 8.2 million seats and 181 routes between 26 October 2024 and 28 March 2025—an increase of 10.2% compared to last winter. The airport, which has already welcomed over 15.3 million passengers from January to September 2024, is on track to exceed 20 million passengers in 2025 for the first time. According to airport operator Aena, flights will connect Alicante to 118 airports across 29 countries—three more than last year—marking the widest winter network in its history. Europe accounts for the majority of capacity, with 6.8 million seats across 158 routes. Domestic travel, however, will see a 6.6% decline, with airlines scheduling just under 1.1 million seats on 17 Spanish routes. Africa will be served by 334,500 seats on six routes to destinations including Algeria and Morocco. The United Kingdom remains the airport’s strongest market, offering 2.6 million seats on 22 routes, up 9% from last winter. Other key markets include the Netherlands (545,000 seats, +13.2%), Germany (518,000 seats, +9.7% and 14 routes), Belgium (495,000 seats, +20%), and Poland (482,000 seats, +21.3% and 10 routes). Major airlines are reinforcing their operations. Ryanair leads the winter schedule with 16 aircraft and 79 routes—10 of them new—following a €1.6 billion investment. The carrier will offer 3.4 million seats this season, representing a 12% increase, and flights to 22 countries. Vueling is also expanding, adding an aircraft to operate new domestic services to Santiago de Compostela and Tenerife North, and taking over the Santander route. A total of 29 airlines will fly from Alicante-Elche this winter. New additions include routes to Bratislava, operated by both Ryanair and Wizz Air, as well as expanded services to emerging destinations like Chisinau (Moldova) and Belgrade (Serbia), alongside popular airports such as London Gatwick, Lyon, Stockholm, and Cardiff. Ryanair Launches New Route from Alicante to Germany Ryanair is expanding its German network from Alicante-Elche Airport by announcing a new route to Friedrichshafen, on Lake Constance, for summer 2026. This follows the recent addition of flights to Saarbrücken. The airline will operate two weekly flights to Friedrichshafen, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, starting April 1, 2026. To celebrate, tickets are available from €35 for travel between April and May. Germany is one of Alicante’s key markets, especially in the low season. This is Ryanair’s second new German route from Alicante, alongside upcoming flights to Saarbrücken and a separate new link to Bratislava.
