Spain airport charges rise 0.33% a year

Spain’s airport charges will rise by 0.33% a year after the Government approved the final plan in Madrid on 15 September. The Airlines Association (ALA) says the increase is lower than Aena had sought, but still far from the 4.9% cut airlines wanted.

Europa Press

The decision covers the third regulatory period, DORA III. ALA president Javier Gándara said the agreed pricing path should remain in place throughout that period, warning against what the association called disproportionate and unjustified requests to revise prices through the available regulatory mechanisms.

ALA argues that surging passenger traffic should have allowed charges to fall. Spain’s airports handled 225 million passengers from January to August 2026, up 3.8% on the same period before.

The association says that growth, together with adjusted capital and operating-cost assumptions, left room for lower charges. It also wants traffic forecasts to reflect reality more closely, saying repeated regulatory surpluses have benefited Aena at the expense of airlines and passengers.

ALA added that the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) has repeatedly raised Aena’s traffic forecasts year by year. It says the legal framework needs a mechanism to adjust traffic estimates after the fact.

Transport and Sustainable Mobility Minister Óscar Puente called the investment package historically significant after the Council of Ministers meeting. He said some airports were already close to their limits and that the plan was needed to handle record passenger numbers and keep Spain’s airport network running smoothly in the years ahead.

Spain airport charges rise 0.33% despite airline anger