If you've flown into Málaga or Alicante on a hot July afternoon recently, you already know the story. Passport control queues stretch out into the corridors. Security lines crawl. Gate areas feel packed to capacity before flights even begin boarding.
Spain's airport authority, Aena, has finally formally acknowledged what millions of holidaymakers experience every summer. The current infrastructure is running out of breathing room. Don't forget to check out our recent article on this related article.
To fix this, a headline investment of €1.5 billion (roughly £1.3 billion) is heading straight into Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, accompanied by another €1.15 billion earmarked for Alicante-Elche. Across the entire Spanish aviation network, Aena plans to spend €12.888 billion between 2027 and 2031 under its regulatory masterplan known as DORA III.
This isn't just about adding shiny new glass walls or cosmetic touch-ups. It's a massive, multi-stage structural rebuild designed to handle booming passenger numbers and strict new European border controls. To read more about the history of this, National Geographic Travel offers an excellent breakdown.
Here is what is actually happening on the ground, why it matters for your future trips, and how the construction timeline will unfold over the next decade.
The Real Reason Málaga and Costa Blanca Airports Need a £1.3bn Overhaul
Numbers don't lie. Málaga Airport was originally designed to comfortably handle about 30 million passengers per year. In 2024, it welcomed nearly 25 million travellers. By the end of 2025, that number rocketed toward 27 million. During peak summer months, the facility operates dangerously close to its absolute structural ceiling.
It is a similar story up the coast in Alicante. The terminal handled 19.95 million passengers in 2025, setting an all-time record and solidifying its spot as Spain's fifth-busiest airport.
Why the sudden crunch? A few big shifts collided all at once:
- Year-Round Travel Boom: Coastal Spain isn't just a July-and-August game anymore. Digital nomads, golf tourists, and retirees keep passenger volumes high from October through April.
- Non-Schengen Queue Bottlenecks: Post-Brexit rules mean British travellers—who make up the single largest foreign market for both airports—must clear manual border checks and passport stamping.
- EU Entry-Exit System Implementation: The rollout of automated biometric collection (EES) requires physical space for self-service kiosks and processing zones that simply didn't exist when these terminals were built years ago.
When you squeeze millions of extra UK and international arrivals into terminal spaces designed decades ago, bottlenecks are guaranteed. Aena had two choices: cap flight slots or expand the physical infrastructure. They chose to expand.
Inside the Málaga Airport Expansion Plan
Málaga is the primary gateway for the Costa del Sol, so it gets the largest single piece of regional funding. The €1.5 billion package aims to almost double the surface area of the main passenger terminal facilities.
Today, Málaga's terminal space covers around 80,000 square metres. Once the full construction program finishes, that footprint will stretch across 140,000 square metres.
Málaga Airport Upgrade Breakdown
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Current Terminal Footprint : 80,000 m²
Future Terminal Footprint : 140,000 m²
Current Boarding Gates : 26
Future Boarding Gates : 48
Security Space Increase : +112%
Departure Passport Control : +515%
Target Passenger Capacity : 36 Million+ / year
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Doubling Boarding Gates and Airbridges
The airport currently relies on 26 boarding gates. That limits how many aircraft can park alongside the terminal building simultaneously, forcing airlines to rely on bus transfers to remote apron stands. The expansion will push the total gate count to 48. That means far fewer bus rides across the tarmac on boiling August afternoons.
Massive Expansion for Non-Schengen Flights
Because British, American, and Middle Eastern routes account for a massive chunk of high-volume traffic, Aena is building a dedicated non-Schengen boarding pier. The non-Schengen waiting and departure zones will expand by 381%. Passport control infrastructure at departures is set to increase by a staggering 515% in overall spatial capacity.
Modern Security Scanners
Security checkpoints are doubling in floor space (+112%). More importantly, the security lines will be refitted with 3D Explosive Detection Systems (CT scanners). This technology lets travellers leave liquids and large electronic devices inside their carry-on bags, drastically accelerating throughput during peak morning hours.
What Is Happening at Alicante Elche Airport
Further north along the Mediterranean, Alicante Airport is getting its own €1.15 billion transformation.
The main terminal building will grow northward by almost 30%. Like Málaga, Alicante is getting a brand-new pier designed specifically for non-Schengen flights to handle heavy UK traffic and support EES border controls.
The project also tackles landside transport problems that have annoyed local residents and visitors for decades:
- Direct Train Link: Spain's rail operator Adif and Aena have formally agreed on plans for an underground airport station connected to the Alicante-Elche C-1 commuter rail line.
- Upgraded VIP Facilities: Refurbishment works on the Ifach VIP lounge are already under contract to expand premium waiting space.
- Expanded Parking and Road Access: New taxi drop-off zones, expanded bus bays, and redesigned road access points will handle heavy summer traffic flows.
The Construction Timeline and What to Expect
Don't expect brand-new terminals to pop up overnight. Infrastructure megaprojects inside active European airports require careful phasing so daily operations don't collapse.
Design contracts for Málaga were put out to tender, with four major engineering and architectural joint ventures bidding for the master design. The formal design stage takes time.
Here is how the timeline breaks down:
- Design and Approvals (2025 to 2026): Engineering teams finalize technical blueprints and environmental impact assessments.
- DORA III Framework Begins (2027): The main capital expenditure funding cycle officially opens across Spain.
- Heavy Construction Starts (Late 2028): Groundbreaking on terminal extensions, foundation work, and new pier structures begins.
- Phased Terminal Openings (2031 to 2035): New piers, security areas, and baggage systems open sequentially.
Will construction cause travel delays? In short, yes. You cannot rebuild 60,000 square metres of terminal space while managing 25 million passengers a year without temporary hoarding walls, modified walkway routes, and minor noise disruption.
Aena's phased construction plan keeps existing piers operational while new structures go up alongside them. Old boarding gates B and C at Málaga will only be demolished after the new non-Schengen pier is fully online.
How This Expansion Affects British and European Air Fares
An investment of nearly €13 billion across Spanish airports has to be paid for. Airlines pay airport usage charges (known as IMAP fees), which are regulated by the Spanish government under the DORA framework.
Aena's proposal for the 2027–2031 period outlines a slight increase in average regulated revenue per passenger, moving from roughly €10.92 in 2027 to €12.69 by 2031.
What does this mean for ticket prices?
Low-cost carriers like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Jet2 frequently challenge Aena over airport fee adjustments, claiming higher charges hurt consumer demand. However, a fee increase of roughly €1.77 per passenger over five years is modest compared to fuel price swings or carbon offset costs.
More importantly, expanding airport capacity allows airlines to add new flight slots. Basic supply and demand suggests that adding more seats on popular routes helps keep overall airfares competitive over time.
Practical Tips for Flying Through Spanish Airports Right Now
Since major physical expansions won't be fully operational until the late 2020s, summer travel through Málaga, Alicante, and Palma will remain busy in the near term.
If you are traveling through southern Spanish airports over the next few seasons, keep these practical steps in mind:
- Budget Extra Time for Non-Schengen Departure: If you are flying back to the UK or another non-EU country, give yourself at least 45 minutes just for passport control during peak hours (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM).
- Prepare for EES Biometric Registration: Have your documents organized and follow signage for automated biometric kiosks as the system finishes rolling out across Spanish gateways.
- Use Fast Track Options: If you travel with kids or during peak weekends, paying €5 to €8 for security Fast Track passes can save you significant time in long queues.
- Check Transport Links in Advance: At Alicante, until the new direct rail line opens around 2030, stick to pre-booked transfers or the regular C6 airport express bus to avoid taxis shortages.
The £1.3bn expansion of Málaga and the wider upgrades across Spain's coastal airports are overdue responses to years of record-breaking visitor numbers. Construction will bring temporary operational hurdles, but the end result will deliver faster processing, shorter lines, and a much smoother start to your Mediterranean holiday.
