en.Wedoany.com Reported - Spanish airport operator AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea) has announced that, starting from the summer of 2027, it will manage passenger capacity by terminal at Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona-El Prat Airport to address sustained traffic growth and optimize the use of existing terminal space.
Under the new policy, capacity will be announced by terminal and traffic type, rather than being managed at the overall airport level solely based on runway capacity. AENA stated that this move aims to alleviate terminal capacity constraints during peak hours and maintain airport operational efficiency until the large-scale investment plans outlined in the 2027-2031 Airport Regulatory Document (DORA 3) come into service.
AENA emphasized that the goal is to avoid reducing current terminal capacity while ensuring passenger service quality is not compromised, instead meeting demand by fully utilizing existing space throughout the day. The company is not lowering overall airport capacity but encouraging airlines to grow during off-peak hours and balancing usage loads across terminals and throughout the day. The reallocation of terminal space will only affect airlines at the two airports seeking growth during specific times or months, while their historical slot rights will remain unchanged.
This announcement comes amid continued strong traffic growth at both airports. AENA data shows that Madrid Airport handled 6 million passengers in May, a year-on-year increase of 4.8%; Barcelona Airport served 5.5 million passengers, up 6.4%. In the first five months of 2026, the Spanish airport network operated by AENA processed a total of 124.6 million passengers, a 3.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
Data from the OAG Flight Schedules Analyzer also indicates ongoing capacity expansion. Madrid plans to offer approximately 24.2 million departing seats in the summer of 2026, a nearly 7% increase from about 22.6 million a year earlier; Barcelona is expected to provide around 22 million departing seats during the same period, up about 5.5% from 20.8 million in the summer of 2025.
The terminal capacity management plan is part of AENA's broader infrastructure strategy under the DORA 3 framework. This strategy covers nearly €10 billion (US$11.4 billion) in regulated investments across the Spanish airport network between 2027 and 2031. Of this, approximately €4.5 billion is earmarked for Madrid Airport, including the expansion of Terminal 4 and Satellite Terminal 4, the construction of a new passenger processing building, the renovation of Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as improvements to roads and public transport accessibility.
