Lorraine Williamson
With a cautious but strategic long-term vision, the Patronal for Tourism is evaluating Canada as an emerging market for the Costa Blanca. Efforts are underway to explore the feasibility of direct flights between Alicante and North America.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport is a key hub in the European market, offering direct flights to most countries on the continent. In 2024, it recorded over 18.3 million passengers, ranking as Spain’s fifth-busiest airport. Tourism officials are now assessing the potential to expand direct flights beyond Europe, targeting North America and Asia.
Focus on North America and Asia
For 2025, Costa Blanca aims to strengthen connectivity with North America and Asia. During the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid, Toni Pérez, president of the Diputación, and José Mancebo, director of the Patronage of Tourism, expressed their ambition to establish new air links. This strategy aligns with the planned airport expansion, which will increase capacity from 20 million to 26 million passengers.
Professional meetings to secure new routes
The Conselleria of Tourism and the Patronage Costa Blanca have been holding discussions with airlines and operators to secure these connections. While Canada and the United States are priority markets, economic uncertainties tied to US trade policies under Donald Trump have influenced decision-making.
New flight destinations in 2025
At Fitur, Patronal Costa Blanca engaged in 25 strategic meetings with airlines to strengthen Alicante’s connectivity. Ryanair, the airport’s largest operator, announced the addition of two new aircraft and the launch of three new summer routes. EasyJet, meanwhile, expects 12% growth in operations with expanded connections to Naples and Athens.
Overview of new routes for summer 2025:
- Athens (easyJet) – From 31 March
- Bydgoszcz (Ryanair) – From 31 March
- Salzburg (Ryanair) – From 31 March
- Linz (Ryanair) – From 1 April
- London Luton (Jet2.com) – From 3 April
- Bournemouth (Jet2.com) – From 3 May
- Chisinau (SkyUp Airlines) – From 19 May
- Bordeaux (Volotea) – From 31 May
- Chisinau (Fly One) – From 7 June
- Naples (easyJet) – Date to be determined
- Riga (Norwegian) – Date to be determined
Future plans for Alicante Airport
In addition to securing direct flights to North America and Asia, other key expansion efforts are underway. Fly Play is considering increasing its Reykjavik-Alicante service to daily flights in the summer, enhancing links with Nordic countries. SkyUp is introducing the first direct route between Alicante and Moldova, catering to the Ukrainian market. Meanwhile, Jet2 continues to expand UK routes.
These developments position Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport as a key player in international travel, enhancing its global connectivity and offering more options to passengers.
Also read: Expansion of Alicante-Elche airport to meet rising demand