By Ion Axinescu
Copyright euroweeklynews
After years of silence, empty halls, and frustrated locals, one airport in Andalusia is back in business.
On Thursday afternoon, September 18, a Vueling flight from Barcelona touched down at 14:50 in Cordoba, marking the return of regular commercial air traffic to the city. Just 35 minutes later, the same aircraft took off again for Catalonia, officially closing the loop on a comeback many in Cordoba thought they’d never see.
Cordoba now becomes Andalusia’s sixth active airport, joining the regional heavyweights of Malaga, Sevilla, Granada, Jerez, and Almeria. For locals from Cordoba, it feels like a long-overdue recognition that the city deserves its place on the aviation map.
The long fight to fly again
For many years, the Cordoba airport has been more of a ghost terminal than a gateway. It was used sporadically for seasonal routes but never managed to hold down a consistent service.
The push for revival came largely from the Plataforma por el Aeropuerto de Cordoba, a citizens’ group who lobbied hard for the facility’s comeback. Their persistence finally paid off. Vueling will now operate two weekly flights to Barcelona, at least until March 2026.
Cordoba is now connected to New York, Tokyo and Paris
Two flights a week might not sound like much, but the connection instantly links Cordoba to nearly 200 destinations worldwide via Vueling’s hub in Barcelona. From New York to Tokyo, Paris to Buenos Aires, this Andalusian city is suddenly a single layover away.
And the timing couldn’t be better. This past summer, the airport clocked its best numbers in 15 years, with August traffic up 80 per cent compared to 2024. Seasonal services to the Canary Islands and Palma de Mallorca, offered by Binter and Air Nostrum, have proven there is real demand.
A matter of honour
There are some debates regarding the utility of the airport. Cordoba lies just 133 kilometres from Seville’s airport, 167 from Malaga, and also has one of Spain’s fastest high-speed train links to Madrid. So do people really need another airport here? The answers and opinions are divided.
But for many locals in Cordoba, this isn’t just about practicality. It’s also about pride, visibility, and opportunity. The hope in the city is that if Vueling’s gamble pays off, other carriers will follow. For now, it’s only baby steps, but after years of empty runways, the sight of a plane taking off from Cordoba feels like a big victory.
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