Historical high for Barcelona-El Prat airport in 2017 in spite of the political tension between the Spanish and Catalan governments. The annual total of passengers passing through the airport reached the mark of 47.2 million in 2017, which is 7.1% more than the previous year, with growth superior to that experienced by Madrid's major airport, Madrid-Barajas, which was once again the airport with most passengers, 53.4 million.
Barcelona-El Prat has thus consolidated its upward trend in 2017. As well as the new record number of passengers, operations at the main Catalan airport also increased to a figure of 323,539 for the year, 5.1% above that reached at the end of 2016. The good statistics for the airport coincide with a year in which Catalonia has once again been top of the list for spending by foreign tourists in Spain.
A good December
The good passenger levels achieved in the last month of 2017, in which the airport received almost 3.2 million users, contributed to the excellent annual total. Number of domestic fliers grew most (10.9%), while those on international flights increased by 4.5%.
The growth in air traffic and airport users was also noted at the rest of the airports in Spanish airport operator Aena's Catalan network. Girona airport reached almost 2 million passengers (+16.9%), while Reus experienced the greatest rise (+25.1%), topping the one-million-user mark.
Low-cost hub
Barcelona continues to be a key European hub for low-cost airlines, which have once again moved upwards in the airline rankings among Catalan users. Vueling, with 17,170,000 passengers (+ 7.94%), was the company that transported most passengers in 2017. Ryanair followed, with 6,960,000 passengers (2.61%); then came Easyjet, with 3,430,000 (7.24%), Norwegian with 1,990,000 (28.63%), and Lufthansa with 1,430,000 (1.29%).
Rise in airfreight
Barcelona-El Prat has held onto its place as second largest Spanish airport for airfreight, with 156 million freight packages and an interannual rise of 14.9%, greater growth than that of Madrid's Barajas (+13.1%). Among the Catalan airports, especially notable was the rapid rise of Girona airport - 144.3% above its freight level of December 2016 - reaching 125,501 freight items.