Spanish airports are bracing for a record-breaking wave of travelers this bank holiday weekend, with more than 29,500 flights scheduled to operate across the AENA network from Saturday, August 29, to Monday, August 31. This represents a 2.6% increase in flights compared to the same period last year.
The surge in air traffic is attributed to the final weekend of the summer holidays and a bank holiday in the UK, prompting many to take one last trip or return from their vacations.
Sunday is projected to be the busiest day, with 7,492 flights anticipated. Saturday follows closely with 7,434 flights, while Friday has 7,433. Monday is expected to have the lowest number of flights, totaling 7,233.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is anticipated to handle the highest volume of traffic, with 4,972 flights scheduled over the four days. The airport expects its busiest day to be Friday, with 1,266 flights.
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is scheduled for 4,421 flights. However, this hub is currently experiencing an indefinite ground-handling strike, which began on August 4. The strike affects essential services like boarding, check-in, and baggage handling, and has already led to flight cancellations, airport queues, and baggage issues.
Palma Airport is expected to see 4,053 flights. Other busy airports include Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport with 2,507 scheduled flights and Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport with 1,779.
These travel numbers come as new research by Deloitte and Google projects Spain to become the world's most-visited country by 2040, with an estimated 110 million inbound visitors, surpassing France. In 2023, Spain welcomed 97 million visitors. The country has long been a popular destination for British tourists, with 19.1 million UK residents visiting in 2025 and spending nearly €24 billion. However, concerns about over-tourism have led to protests in some areas, including Majorca earlier this month.