Airport in Spain to get incredible £350m expansion | World | News
One of Spain’s busiest airports is set for a huge £350million transformation as officials prepare for record numbers of passengers in the years ahead. Valencia Airport will undergo its biggest redevelopment in decades under ambitious plans that will almost double the size of its terminal while upgrading runways, roads and passenger facilities.
The €402.1million (£350million) project is being led by Spain’s state-owned airport operator Aena and forms part of a wider investment programme aimed at preparing the airport for future growth. The expansion comes after Valencia Airport welcomed more than 11.8 million passengers in 2025, nearly one million more than the previous year.
The growing demand has placed increasing pressure on the airport’s existing facilities, with passenger numbers topping one million even during quieter winter months.
Rather than building an entirely new terminal, the redevelopment will bring together the airport’s three existing terminal sections into one larger, more modern building.
Airport bosses say this will make it easier for passengers to move through the airport while reducing congestion in some of its busiest areas.
The terminal’s overall floor space will almost double, creating room for larger check-in areas, expanded baggage handling facilities and more security screening lanes. There will also be additional boarding gates, a bigger VIP lounge, more shops and restaurants, an expanded duty-free area and a new outdoor terrace overlooking the airfield.
The changes will not stop inside the terminal.
Plans also include building a second parallel taxiway to help aircraft move around the airport more quickly and reduce delays on the ground.
The airport’s main runway will also be resurfaced, while drainage systems across the airfield will be upgraded to better cope with heavy rainfall, which can cause disruption during Mediterranean storms.
Outside the airport, motorists are also set to benefit from a new multi-storey car park, expanded car hire facilities, a larger taxi rank and redesigned access roads aimed at easing traffic around the terminal.
Sustainability also forms a big part of the redevelopment. Aena plans to build a large solar power plant at the airport, which, once completed, will become Spain’s third-largest airport solar installation behind Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat.
The investment marks a huge increase in spending compared with previous plans for the airport.
The €402.1million budget is around 12 times larger than the funding allocated under Valencia Airport’s previous five-year investment programme.
Preparatory work is already underway, with technical planning and digital security upgrades having begun ahead of the main construction phase.
The project has also been approved by Aena’s Board of Directors before being submitted to Spain’s aviation and competition authorities.
Construction is scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2031 under Spain’s DORA III airport investment framework, although Valencia Airport is expected to remain open throughout the works.
