Dylan Wagemans
SPAIN’S airport operator, Aena, is maintaining a forecast of traffic growth for 2025 despite uncertainties in the travel sector.
The Spanish air travel sector is projected to grow 3.4% in 2025, despite the many challenges it’s currently facing, such as the growing anti-tourism sentiment in Spain and the impact of tariffs on many airlines.
The predicted growth would push passenger numbers towards 320 million for 2025.
Aena’s CEO, Maurici Lucena, explained his confidence in the sector is due to ‘the number of slots reserved by airlines for the summer season ending in October’.
A record 246 million seats are expected for the summer season – 6% more than the previous year.
However, Lucena also emphasised that he will ‘keep a close eye’ on the evolution of slot reservations among airlines.
Many big US airlines have downgraded their revenue and traffic forecasts due to reduced passenger demand, possibly linked to US President Trump’s recent flurry of tariffs.
There’s more uncertainty caused by delays from aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.
It’s worth remembering that in 2024, Aena broke its passenger record in Spain with 309.3 million travellers, an increase of 9.25%.
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The company operates 46 airports and two heliports in Spain.
Including its 17 airports in Brazil and London Luton, the total number of passengers managed by Aena reached 369.44 million.
The company also achieved a historic net profit of €1.93 billion in 2024 – an 18.6% increase compared to the €1.63 billion earned in 2023 – while its revenue soared to €5,8278 billion, up 13.3% from the previous year.
