Aena has put figures and dates on the biggest upgrade in Alicante-Elche airport's history: €1.154 billion in total, with €453 million scheduled for 2027–2031 and the remainder through 2036. The terminal grows by almost 30%, a new pier will handle non-Schengen flights, the VIP lounge is being rebuilt, and a direct rail link is finally on the drawing board. For anyone who owns — or is buying — on the Costa Blanca, this is infrastructure catching up with demand.
How much is the Alicante airport expansion — and what exactly is planned?
The investment programme detailed by the airport's management in July 2026 puts the total at €1.154 billion, first announced by the Spanish government in late 2025 and now built into Aena's regulatory roadmap: €453 million falls within the DORA 2027–2031 period, with around €701 million earmarked for the following cycle to complete the works (Alicante Today).
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total investment | €1.154 billion |
| First phase (DORA 2027–2031) | €453 million |
| Terminal | Expansion northwards, floor area up by almost 30% |
| New pier | Dedicated departures pier for non-Schengen flights, more airbridges |
| Security | New-generation checkpoint — liquids and laptops stay in your bag |
| Landside | Bigger parking, new taxi and bus drop-off zones, redesigned access roads |
Source: Aena / airport management briefing, July 2026.
The context is simple: the airport handled a record 19.95 million passengers in 2025 and is expected to pass 20 million in 2026 — roughly double the traffic of a decade ago and the fifth-busiest in Spain. We covered that record — and what it already does for property demand — in our June analysis. The expansion is the answer to it.
A better arrival: the VIP lounge is being rebuilt too
Comfort is getting attention ahead of the big construction phases. In April 2026 Aena awarded Acciona the contract to refurbish, modernise and extend the airport's Ifach VIP lounge — the space most frequent flyers and Priority Pass holders know from the first-floor boarding area. Together with the new security lanes, the day-to-day experience of flying in and out of Alicante is set to improve well before the terminal extension opens.
Will there be a train to Alicante airport?
Yes — and this is arguably the piece with the biggest long-term effect on the property map. Adif and Aena have agreed the key specifications for the rail link: an underground station just east of the airport's parking building, reached by a new branch off the Alicante–Elche C-1 commuter line. Reports place the construction window at 2026–2030 (Murcia Today).
Today the airport lives on a single road corridor. A rail connection changes the equation for everyone who owns property along the commuter line — and removes the one weak point in an otherwise excellent transport story.
What this means if you own — or are buying — on the Costa Blanca
Accessibility is the quiet engine of coastal property values. Alicante-Elche's traffic is 88% international, which translates directly into two things: a deep pool of holiday-rental demand, and second-home owners who can reach their property door-to-door in an afternoon from most of Europe.
- Rental owners get a growing, year-round audience: more routes and more capacity mean longer seasons, not just busier Augusts.
- Second-home buyers get certainty: a €1.15 billion commitment is a two-decade vote of confidence in the region's connectivity.
- The 10–30 minute belt benefits most. Areas within easy reach of the airport — Playa de San Juan, El Campello, the golf communities around Bonalba and Mutxamel, and the resort corridor towards Benidorm and Finestrat — combine beach living with an airport run short enough for a Friday-night arrival. It is no coincidence that new resort projects keep landing in this belt — Lady Bonalba beside Bonalba Golf is the latest example. Active new-build projects in the same belt include NJoy Shore in El Campello and Bonalba Green in Mutxamel.
For a town-by-town view of where connectivity, beaches and value meet, see our guide to the best areas of the Costa Blanca.
FAQ
How much will the Alicante airport expansion cost?
€1.154 billion in total: €453 million is scheduled within Aena's DORA 2027–2031 investment period, with around €701 million in the following cycle to complete the programme.
When will the works be finished?
The first phase runs to 2031; the full programme extends into the mid-2030s. Some improvements arrive much earlier — the VIP lounge refurbishment was contracted in April 2026 and the new security checkpoint is part of the near-term works.
When will the train to Alicante airport run?
Adif and Aena have agreed on an underground station connected to the Alicante–Elche C-1 commuter line, with reports placing the construction window at 2026–2030. Until then, access remains by road — about 20–35 minutes from most central Costa Blanca towns.
Is there a VIP lounge at Alicante airport?
Yes — the Sala Ifach VIP lounge in the first-floor boarding area, accessible with Priority Pass and similar programmes or with pay-at-the-door entry. And it is getting better: in April 2026 Aena awarded Acciona the contract to refurbish, modernise and extend the lounge, so this part of the upgrade arrives well ahead of the main terminal expansion.
