Aena Group’s international airport network handled over 41.3 million passengers in August 2026, consolidating an upward trend across its core operational hubs in Spain, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.
Aena Group Global Consolidated Figures
Aena Group’s infrastructure network—encompassing 46 airports and two heliports in Spain, London Luton Airport, Leeds Bradford Airport, and 17 airports in Brazil—posted robust performance figures during August 2026:
- Passenger Traffic: 41,381,404 passengers, up 4.7% year-over-year compared to August 2025.
- Flight Operations: 330,526 aircraft movements, representing a 4.5% increase.
- Air Freight: 116,723 metric tons of cargo, marking a 5.7% contraction compared to August 2025.
Year-to-Date Performance: January to August 2026
During the first eight months of 2026, Aena’s global network accommodated 272,247,393 passengers, reflecting a 4.1% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Aircraft operations totaled 2,308,307 movements (+3.7%), while cargo throughput reached 979,844 metric tons, down 1.2% year-over-year.
Spanish Network Performance
In Spain, Aena-managed airports registered 34,890,784 passengers in August (+4.7%), handled 273,292 aircraft movements (+4.3%), and processed 104,356 metric tons of cargo (-5.2%).
Year-to-date (January–August 2026), Spanish facilities processed 225,543,599 travelers (+4.1%), 1,890,414 aircraft operations (+4.4%), and 878,168 metric tons of cargo, showing a 1.8% gain over 2025 levels.
Spanish Airport Traffic Breakdown (August 2026)
- Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport: Led the network with 6,544,815 passengers (+4.8%) and 39,606 aircraft movements (+6.5%). It also topped cargo operations with 59,695 metric tons, despite a 12% drop.
- Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport: Ranked second with 5,933,007 passengers (+4.6%), 34,772 flight operations (+4.4%), and 17,588 metric tons of cargo (+8.5%).
- Palma de Mallorca Airport: Handled 4,808,295 passengers (+2.3%) and 32,324 movements (+2.8%).
- Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport: Recorded 3,050,841 passengers (+6.6%) and 20,312 operations (+5.3%).
- Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport: Stood out with strong double-digit growth, posting 2,337,378 passengers (+11.4%) and 14,069 movements (+11.7%).
- Ibiza Airport: Logged 1,519,201 passengers (+2.5%) and 13,643 flights (+5.2%).
- Gran Canaria Airport: Registered 1,334,497 travelers (+3.1%) and 12,038 takeoffs and landings (+5.8%).
- Valencia Airport: Handled 1,298,710 passengers, posting double-digit growth (+10.1%).
- Tenerife South Airport: Handled 1,064,586 passengers, down 4.2%.
On the logistics front in Spain, following Madrid and Barcelona, Zaragoza Airport ranked third with 15,895 metric tons (+4.8%), followed by Vitoria Airport with 5,138 metric tons (+8.7%).
Operational Results in the Brazilian Market
The 17 airports operated by Aena Brasil handled 3,981,410 passengers in August 2026, representing a 3.2% year-over-year increase. Aircraft movements rose 6.5% to 39,983 operations, while air cargo reached 10,285 metric tons (-7.3%).
- Northeast Cluster: The six airports in the Northeast region (Recife, Maceio, Aracaju, Joao Pessoa, Juazeiro do Norte, and Campina Grande) handled 1,433,928 passengers (+2.2%), 12,843 flights (+4.7%), and 5,905 metric tons of cargo (+2.5%). Recife Airport led this group with 811,536 passengers (-2.7%), 6,643 flights (-2.1%), and 4,095 metric tons of freight (-4.8%).
- Eleven-Airport Portfolio: The other eleven airports managed by Aena in Brazil (Sao Paulo-Congonhas, Campo Grande, Corumba, Ponta Pora, Santarem, Maraba, Carajas, Altamira, Uberlandia, Montes Claros, and Uberaba) moved a combined 2,547,482 passengers (+3.7%), 27,140 flight movements (+7.4%), and 4,380 metric tons of cargo (-17.9%). Within this segment, Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport led with 2,151,361 passengers (+3.5%), 18,280 movements (+0.9%), and 3,428 metric tons processed (-26.8%).
Year-to-date (January–August 2026), the Brazilian subsidiary recorded 30,943,958 passengers (+3.8%), 298,589 flights (+0.2%), and 87,300 metric tons of cargo (+2.6%).
UK Operations: London Luton and Leeds Bradford
London Luton Airport
During August, London Luton Airport handled 1,947,898 passengers, up 7.8% year-over-year. The airport also managed 12,867 aircraft movements (+2%) and processed 2,082 metric tons of cargo (-18.2%).
Year-to-date (January–August 2026), Luton reported:
- Passengers: 12,574,846 (+6.1%)
- Flight Operations: 92,902 movements (+2.4%)
- Air Freight: 14,375 metric tons (-27.8%)
The dip in air cargo volumes was driven by nighttime runway closures implemented for resurfacing works.
Leeds Bradford Airport
Leeds Bradford Airport, integrated into Aena Group’s portfolio on May 7, served 561,312 passengers (+3.2%) and handled 4,384 aircraft movements (+4.2%) in August. Between January and August 2026, the British facility handled a total of 3,184,990 travelers (+3.2%) and 26,402 aircraft movements (+3.1%).
Overall, August 2026 results confirm continued growth in commercial passenger traffic and flight operations across Aena Group’s international network, while cargo performance saw sector-specific fluctuations driven by broader market shifts and scheduled airside runway works.
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