An unexpected growth amid uncertainty
Barcelona-El Prat Airport has managed to stand firm against the air crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East, setting a new record in intercontinental flights. Despite global tensions, the airport infrastructure has increased its connections to 62 international destinations, three more than the previous year, reflecting a remarkable resilience in the market.
Among the new additions are key cities such as Seattle, Lima, and El Salvador. This increase allows the airport to offer flights to a total of 16 destinations in North America, 11 in Latin America, 19 in Africa, 7 in Asia, and 9 in the Middle East. Although some flights to the latter region have faced temporary cancellations due to the current geopolitical situation, connections are beginning to recover.
The airport's director, Eva Valenzuela, highlighted during the presentation of the new strategic plan by the Air Route Development Committee (CDRA) that El Prat is going through a “demanding” phase due to the necessary works to improve its terminals. Despite these structural challenges, growth is expected to be “stable and consolidated” for this year.
Until April 2026, El Prat transported nearly 17.4 million passengers, representing an increase of 4.1% compared to the previous year. In 2025, it had already exceeded its technical capacity with 57.5 million travellers managed.
The CDRA observes significant potential to add new intercontinental destinations. Indirect demand between Barcelona and various regions such as Asia and Latin America reached nearly 5.3 million, suggesting there is room to increase direct flights.
As airports in the Persian Gulf have yet to recover their normal activity following the recent conflict, some Asian airlines are seeing an opportunity to expand their routes to Europe. One example is Starlux Airlines from Taiwan, which announced plans to start flights to Barcelona from 2027.
However, experts warn about the high volatility present in the current geopolitical situation. Among the concerns are rising fuel prices and potential shortages. Nevertheless, airlines have assured that they do not anticipate significant problems for this summer thanks to new authorisations from the European Commission.
Despite the current success and positive short-term projections, the CDRA emphasises that El Prat will not be able to continue growing indefinitely without adequate expansion. The most significant reforms are expected to conclude in about ten years; however, passengers will need to adapt during this period to the ongoing works planned for both T1 and T2.
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