New record for Barcelona El Prat airport: Almost 4 million passengers in September

3,974,609 passengers used Barcelona El Prat airport in September, which represents a 4.6% growth in comparison to the same month last year. Moreover, this figure sets a new record for a month of September, according to Spanish public airport operator and air navigation service provider AENA, and pushes the total number of passengers using Barcelona El Prat airport to30,695,805 since the beginning of the year. However, El Prat was not the busiest airport in Spain; in September Madrid Barajas registered the highest number of passengers, 4,331,642, which is 11.7% higher than for the same month last year. The situation in Girona and Reus airports in Catalonia contrast with El Prat, as both continue to lose nearly 20% of their total number of passengers. 

New route between Barcelona and Sao Paulo, launched in October (by ACN)
New route between Barcelona and Sao Paulo, launched in October (by ACN) / ACN / Sara Prim

ACN / Sara Prim

October 13, 2015 04:13 PM

Barcelona (CNA).- Barcelona El Prat airport registered a new record in September. 3,974,609 passengers used the airport in the Catalan capital,4.6% more than in September 2014, according to Spanish public airport operator and air navigation service provider AENA. During the first nine months of the year, El Prat registered 30,695,805 passengers, which is 4.7% higher than last year. Although these are record figures, El Prat is not the top airport in Spain. In September, Madrid Barajas registered the highest number of passengers, 4,331,642, which is 11.7% higher than the same month last year. The situation in Girona and Reus airports in Catalonia contrast with El Prat, as both continue to lose nearly 20% of their total number of passengers.


The highest increase was in passengers with an intercontinental origin or destination, with 12.3% growth, followed by EU passengers, which experienced an 8.2% increase. The number of passengers from Spain grew by 3.5%.

In September, 27,271 take-off and landing operations took place in El Prat, which is 0.6% more than September 2014. From January to September, there were 223,009 operations in El Prat.

Regarding goods transportations, September registered a 19% growth in comparison to the same month last year and reached 9,856 tons. Goods transportation to destinations outside of the EU increased by 34.2% compared to September 2014. In cumulative terms, up to September, the airport registered 84,902 tons of goods transported, 13.2% higher than last year.

Girona and Reus continue to decline

Different to Barcelona airport, Girona in the north of Catalonia and Reus in the south, continue to lose passengers. Girona registered 19% less passengers this September, compared to last year, which is the lowest figure since 2004. Girona's airport completed one of its worst summer season, with a 20% decrease in July and 25% in August. Since the beginning of the year, the airport has registered 1,481,507 passengers. The decline in Girona's airport activity is due to the reduction in Ryanair's route since 2012.

The case of Reus airport is even more severe. This past September, 21.5% less passengers used the facility in the south of Catalonia and during the first nine months of the year 629,894 passengers were registered. Different from Girona, where goods transportation has increased, in Reus this is almost non-existent.