Spanish Airports: The 10 Most Used Airports in Spain
Spanish Airports are essential to Spain because the country gets many visitors throughout the year, especially the summer months. Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia are among the most popular destinations. Spain is also a popular tourist destination because of the Canary Islands, Costa del Sol, and Balearic islands
Next to this, the Pyrenees form the shared border between Spain and France. Skiers and cyclists will enjoy exploring the mountain range.
Top Spanish Airports
With its big size, Spain has many international airports. Below we discuss the top Spain airports in more detail from largest airports to smallest.
1) Madrid Airport
Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) is one of the most used international airports in Europe located in the northeast of Madrid near the capital city centre. The airport changed its name in 2014 to Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport.
It is the first airport in Spain for passengers, goods transport, and operations. It ranks fifth in Europe according to Eurostat agency data and fifteenth in the world by passenger traffic according to ACI agency statistics.
2 Barcelona Airport
Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) is located about 13 kilometers southwest of Barcelona. It ranks second in Spain after Madrid Airport. There are flights to more than 200 destinations, making it one of the most important airports in the world.
3) Palma de Mallorca Airport
Palma de Mallorca Airport (Son Sant Joan Airport) (PMI) is located 4 km south of Palma, the main island of Mallorca, Spain. It is about 8 kilometers from the city center. Due to its location in one of the most touristic hotspots in Spain, it is one of the busiest airports in the summertime.
4) Málaga Airport
Málaga Airport (AGP) is located in the southwest of Málaga, with the best approach to the runway being made over the sea. This airport is the main Airport of Andalucia and the Costa del Sol. This airport in Spain has a capacity of 15 million passengers per year. The airport is close to the center, only 15 minutes away. It is connected to over 60 countries within Europe and the rest of the world.
5) Alicante Airport
Alicante Airport (ALC) is located in the southeast of Alicante, close to Alicante and Murcia. It has a capacity of 10 million passengers per year. The airport is also known by the name of El Altet. It is mostly used by Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling, Norwegian air shuttle, and other low-cost airlines.
6) Gran Canaria Airport
Las Palmas / Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is an international airport, located about 19 km from Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria. It is also known as Gando Airport. The airport has recently been updated and expanded to be able to handle more passengers, airlines, and aircrafts every year.
7) Tenerife South Airport
Tenerife Airport (TFS) is the second major airport in the Canary Islands. It is located in the south of Tenerife, near Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna. It has a capacity for 10 million passengers per year with services to more than 60 destinations within Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and
8) Ibiza Airport
The Ibiza Airport (IBZ) is located on the island of Ibiza, close to Santa Eulária des Riu. Most visitors that want to go to Ibiza or Formentera take a plane to Ibiza Airport. The airport has improved its facilities and services recently. It is an international airport and is connected to many European countries, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands.
9) Lanzarote Airport
Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is located southwest of Arrecife and around an 8min drive. It is one of the airports on the canary islands. Many international flights arrive at Lanzarote Airport. It includes a museum that has a collection of historical aircraft.
10) Valencia Airport
Valencia Airport (VLC) is located 8 km from the center of Valencia and has a metro connection. It has a single terminal, but is an international airport and connects to over 20 countries within Europe and the rest of the world. After Alicante, it is the busiest airport in the region.
International Spanish airports
Most Spanish airports have flight connections to major cities all over the world. The airports with the most international flight connections include Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Alicante, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife. The airports are linked to a large transportation network that allows you to travel to your final destination by train, taxi, bus, or subway.
Domestic flights
Spain’s domestic flights include routes from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, and Malaga. Most flights go to major cities. However, some smaller cities also have their own airport with scheduled flight connections to other parts of the country.
Moving from the airports
Taxies are affordable and can be used to get to the city. Bus transport is also good and very cheap, especially if you take advantage of certain discount passes such as tourist or student cards. The subway system is relatively new and well connected to other forms of public transport.
Frequently asked questions
Which airports are on the canary islands?
From big to small: Tenerife South Airport, Gran Canaria Airport, Fuerteventura Airport, Lanzarote Airport, Tenerife North–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, El Hierro Airport, La Gomera Airport.
What is the largest Spanish airport?
The largest airport is Madrid Airport, after this comes Barcelona airport, Palma de Mallorca Aiport, and Málaga Airport.
How long before take-off do I need to check-in?
It is best to be at the airport three hours before international flights.
Which airlines are from Spain?
The main ones are Iberia, Vueling Airlines, Air Europa, Iberia Express, Air Nostrum. The others include Albastar, Binter Canarias, Canaryfly, LEVEL, Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, Volota, Wamos Air, and World2fly.