The month of August maintained the positive trend of the first half of the year, and the number of international air passengers arriving in Spain approached 11.1 million (9.6% more than in the same month last year), according to data published today by Turespaña. 

Of these 11.1 million, 56.6% came from within the European Union, experiencing a rise of 9.3%, while the flow from the rest of the world, which accounted for the remaining 43.4%, saw an increase of 9.9%. In the accumulated total of the first 8 months of the year, Spain has received 71.2 million international passengers, 11.9% more than in the same period in 2023.

As has been the case throughout the months of 2024, the upward trend continued in August in all markets, with an increase in passengers from the main source countries compared to the same month in 2023. Special mention goes to the growth—once again—of Poland, at 39.6%, the United States, with a 16.2% increase, and the ‘rest of the countries’, with a rise of 12.1%. In market diversification, the good performance of most Latin American countries, Canada, China, and the Gulf countries stands out.

The United Kingdom, with 2.6 million international passengers, accounted for 23.6% of the total arrivals to Spain in August, recording an 8.1% year-on-year increase. The Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands were the main recipients, capturing 49% of all passengers from the UK. Additionally, interannual increases stood out in the Valencian Community, Catalonia, and the Basque Country, with rates exceeding 10% in August. Of the British passengers, 80.3% traveled with a low-cost airline, with the United Kingdom leading in arrivals via these companies, contributing 30.9% of the total. 

Meanwhile, the arrival of passengers from Germany in August reached 1.5 million (13.8% of the total), up 7% compared to August 2023. German travelers primarily headed to the Balearic Islands (47.2%). Notably, as is typically the case in this market, 46.9% of German passengers flew with traditional airlines, making it the leading market for arrivals via these companies (16.8% of the total).

Italy accounted for 10.2% of the total passengers received in August (a little over one million travelers), registering a year-on-year growth of 13.1%, which especially benefited Catalonia and the Community of Madrid (together receiving 51.5% of the travelers). The rest of the main regions received more Italian passengers than a year ago, except for Cantabria. Among Italian travelers, low-cost airlines were the preferred choice (80%) over traditional ones. 

France, on the other hand, contributed 7.5% of the total passengers in August (834,810 travelers), showing an 8.2% expansion, which especially benefited Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, together capturing over 46.2% of arrivals from the neighboring country. A total of 73.8% of French passengers opted for a low-cost carrier, experiencing a year-on-year increase of 8.5%.

Lastly, passengers from the Netherlands accounted for 4.3% of the total travelers. This market experienced a 4.2% growth in August, with Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Balearic Islands being the main destinations, collectively accounting for almost 58% of arrivals. The rest of the regions, except for the Basque Country, saw an increase in passengers, with Galicia, Asturias, and Madrid standing out with year-on-year rates exceeding 15%. The vast majority of travelers from the Netherlands (70.4%) also opted for low-cost airlines for their flights, reflecting a 2.7% expansion. 

Autonomous Communities of Destination

The six main recipient regions accounted for 96.9% of all arrivals, and all experienced increases in the eighth month of the year. The largest rise was recorded in the Valencian Community with a year-on-year increase of 13.1%, while the lowest were in the Canary Islands with 9.8%, and the Balearic Islands with 6%. These figures, as in July, show a sustained trend toward greater diversification of travelers' destinations. 

The Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport received the most arrivals in August, with 2.25 million, followed by Barcelona with 2.01 million, and Palma with 1.79 million. The largest year-on-year increase, as was the case in July, was at Alicante airport, with a 16.2% increase compared to August 2023.

For more information, you can consult the report at this link.