Major Expansion at Alicante Airport

Exciting News for British Residents & Buyers: Major Expansion at Alicante Airport

Posted by SGM Abogados – Your specialist real-estate and immigration law firm on the Costa Blanca

Dear clients and friends,
We are pleased to inform you of a significant development in the region which may affect many of you who travel, invest or live here: the airport serving the Costa Blanca is undergoing a major expansion. Given that many of our British clients regularly use the airport, we felt it important to bring you up to date and explain what this means for you.

The airport operator Aena has announced an investment of approximately €1.15 billion for the expansion of Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, covering the period 2027 to 2031.

Key elements of the project include:

A brand-new terminal “dock” (or annex) dedicated to non-Schengen arrivals – an important point given that UK passengers now fall into this category.
Expansion of the terminal area overall, including increased boarding gates, more check-in capacity, modern security control systems (allowing liquids and electronics to remain in hand-luggage in some cases) and upgraded shopping/leisure amenities.
Enhancement of runway/taxiing/aircraft-movement infrastructure to reduce delays, improve turnaround times and thus increase capacity and efficiency.
Aiming for the airport to handle up to 26 million passengers annually (up from around 18-20 million).

Why is this relevant for British residents and buyers?

The British market is the single largest international segment for the airport. In 2024 over 6 million British passengers used the airport.
Since the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), UK travellers are processed as non-EU/non-Schengen arrivals. The dedicated new terminal area is explicitly designed to streamline that process and avoid long queues for UK arrivals.
The improved airport infrastructure and services could enhance the appeal of the Costa Blanca region for travel, second-home buying and investment. Better connectivity, smoother arrivals = better experience.
For clients purchasing or selling property, or relocating, improved transport links are a positive contextual factor (though as always the property-law specifics still require close attention).

Timeline & what to expect

Preliminary works have already begun (for example commissioning of technical studies and tendering of planning projects). For example, in late 2025 Aena launched a €38 million tender for the technical supervision of the terminal expansion.
The first phase of physical construction (boarding-gate expansion) started in or around October 2025.
The initial deadline for this phase is summer 2027, subject to the next phases which extend to 2031.
Importantly: ongoing operations will continue during the works – so you should expect construction and improvement works to be visible, but the airport remains fully operational.

Practical advice for British clients

If you travel via Alicante airport, allow a little extra time for arrival/processing until the new terminals are fully operational (especially during peak holiday periods).
Monitor whether your airline offers enhanced boarding gates or lounge access as part of the upgrades.
For those buying property in the region: improved airport infrastructure is a positive signal, but should not substitute for your legal due diligence — title checks, carga/registral burdens, community issues remain vital.
If you are a non-resident buyer or living part-time in Spain, improved arrival experience may reduce some of the “friction” of travel — meaning that your stay or management of property may feel more seamless.
If you’re selling or renting your property, you may wish to highlight this airport expansion as a selling point: better travel connectivity, smoother process for UK visitors, region investing in its infrastructure.

A note from SGM Abogados

At SGM Abogados, we specialise in advising foreign (including British) clients in property purchase, immigration/residence matters and ongoing legal/fiscal obligations in Spain. If you are buying, selling or relocating around the Costa Blanca, this airport expansion is one of several infrastructure factors worth bearing in mind. As always, we recommend focusing on the core legal, fiscal and residency elements and we remain at your disposal to discuss how changes in infrastructure, tax/fiscal rules or residence/regulation may affect you.

If you would like a meeting or a short consultation to review your plans in light of the new airport developments—or how your property strategy might benefit—please contact us and we’d be happy to assist.

Best wishes,
Silvia Galve Martí – Founder & Director, SGM Abogados