Barcelona Airport €3bn expansion to be mainly funded post-2031

The expansion of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport will be a "long process," with the bulk of investment coming beyond 2031, according to Spanish airport management company Aena.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Thursday that Aena will invest around €13 billion in Spanish airports between 2027 and 2031, as part of the DORA III plan.

The exact amount to be allocated to Barcelona over the five-year period is still to be revealed.

In fact, Aena has confirmed that part of the funding needed for the airport expansion – which is expected to reach around €3.2 billion – will have to be included in DORA IV, covering 2032–2036.

In the 2027-2031 period, the master plan must be approved and land acquired to carry out compensatory measures for the expansion and to resolve pending cases in Brussels."

90 flights per hour

The upcoming five-year period will also see targeted actions aimed at enabling Catalonia's largest airport to reach a runway capacity of 90 operations per hour.

Capacity and sustainability upgrades will also be carried out to make Barcelona Airport a global benchmark, according to Aena.

"This long-term vision is not only a technical necessity, but also a strategic national decision – one designed for the decades ahead, allowing Catalonia to realise its full potential in an increasingly interconnected world," Aena stated.

In June, the Catalan president, Salvador Illa, said that Barcelona could have a bigger airport by 2033 if all expansion plans remain on schedule.

The master plan would be due for approval in 2028 with works planned to start in 2030.

President welcomes investment

Catalan president, Salvador Illa, praised the €3bn investment as "a major step forward for our country."

"On June 10, we announced the agreement to upgrade Barcelona-El Prat Airport, reached between the Catalan government, the Spanish government, and Aena," he said.

"Today we celebrate the approval of the investments that make that agreement a reality. It's a major step forward for Catalonia, a country focused on generating prosperity and becoming more connected to the world," he added.

According to Illa, the expansion will turn the airport into not just "an intercontinental hub," but also "an international reference in terms of sustainability."

"This is an essential step toward generating prosperity not only in Catalonia, but also in Spain and across Europe. We need a 21st-century airport," he said.

Illa welcomed the improvement of the Catalan airport network, with planned upgrades also benefiting the airports in Girona-Costa Brava, Reus, and Sabadell.

Reus and Girona

At Reus, a new passport control area will be created for arriving passengers, access roads will be remodelled, and the boarding area and security facilities will be improved.

In Girona, planned upgrades include enhancements to the boarding area, a new airside outdoor terrace, adjustments to the non-Schengen arrivals zone, and a redesign of the coach parking area. Aena also plans to support the construction of a walkway connecting the future high-speed rail station with the airport terminal.