Vueling Targets 2035: 60 Million Passengers, Boeing Fleet, and a €5 Billion Investment
Vueling has set figures, deadlines, and priorities for its long-term vision. The IAG group airline aims to transport 60 million passengers in 2035, approximately 20 million more than at present. This goal will be supported by a profound fleet transformation and a cumulative investment of €5 billion by 2030, focused primarily on aircraft renewal.
The strategy was presented at an event held at the Llotja de Mar in Barcelona, where Vueling’s CEO, Carolina Martinoli, detailed a roadmap aimed at consolidating the company’s leadership both at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport and in the Spanish domestic market.
Fleet: The Strategic Shift Towards Boeing
One of the pillars of the plan is the comprehensive fleet renewal. In August, IAG assigned Vueling a total of 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, a key decision for the airline’s operational future. As Martinoli confirmed, the first three aircraft will be incorporated in the last quarter of the year.
The objective goes beyond simple modernization: Vueling aspires for its entire fleet, currently composed of 140 aircraft, to be integrated exclusively with Boeing planes, leaving behind the Airbus models that currently operate its entire network.
The company bases much of its growth on the greater capacity of the two planned Boeing models, which will allow it to absorb the increase in passengers while simultaneously achieving a 20% reduction in emissions.
€5 Billion Investment and Barcelona as the Primary Destination
Although the airline has not detailed the exact breakdown of the investment, it has made its priority destination clear. The €5 billion euros until 2030 will be directed towards:
- Acquisition of new aircraft
- Fleet transition projects
- Improvement of the customer experience
- Investments in technology and sustainability
Regarding the geographical distribution, Barcelona will concentrate at least half of that investment, that is, approximately €2.5 billion. Vueling maintains about 60 aircraft based at El Prat and considers the city “one of its reasons for existing.”
El Prat, a Key Infrastructure for Growth
Vueling’s strategy is closely linked to the development of Barcelona’s airport. Although the airline has 11 bases in Spain, Martinoli was explicit about the importance of the Catalan hub and expressed confidence in its future evolution.
“We are absolutely confident that the airport will develop,” she stated, emphasizing that Barcelona needs infrastructure in line with its growth and its role as a European connectivity node.
Network Model and Passenger Profile
The airline’s strategic focus remains stable. According to its CEO, Vueling will continue to prioritize:
- Barcelona as its nerve center
- Domestic flights in Spain
- Connectivity with the Balearic and Canary Islands
- Links between Spain and Europe
Currently, 80% of passengers travel for leisure, compared to 20% for business reasons, a distribution consistent with its hybrid low-cost model.
Founded in Barcelona in 2004 and integrated into IAG since 2013, Vueling is today the leading airline at El Prat, with 22 million of the 57 million passengers who passed through the airport last year. The company has about 5,000 employees, operates close to 100 destinations, and also plays a key role by feeding and distributing long-haul traffic to Level, another airline in the group.
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