{
  "id": 14201834,
  "title": "Alicante-Elche Airport Closes in on Passenger Record After Passing 16.8 Million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/alicante-elche-airport-closes-in-on-passenger-record-after-passing-16",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-13T12:57:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Leader",
    "slug": "the-leader",
    "url": "https://theleader.info/2026/10/13/alicante-elche-airport-closes-in-on-passenger-record-after-passing-16-8-million/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Alicante-Elche Airport is on track to break its annual passenger record, with over 16.8 million travelers passing through its terminals in the first nine months of the year. September saw a 11.5% increase in passengers compared to the same month last year, with 2,127,532 individuals using the facility. Aircraft movements also rose by 12.4% to 13,146, according to operator Aena.\n\nInternational traffic was the primary catalyst for growth, with 1.88 million passengers traveling on international routes during September, a 12% increase from the same period in 2023. Domestic traffic still showed growth, with an 7% rise to over 235,900 passengers. The United Kingdom accounted for more than a third of September's passengers, followed by Germany with around 141,000 passengers, and the Netherlands and Poland with 119,000 and 117,000 passengers respectively.\n\nTo surpass its 2025 target of nearly 20 million passengers, the airport would need to handle about 3.2 million more travelers in the remaining three months of the year. This would require an average of slightly over one million passengers per month, a number that is below the monthly totals recorded since May. Over 105,500 flights operated at the airport between January and September, marking a 10.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023.\n\nAlicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, located in Elche, about nine kilometers southwest of Alicante, has been open to national and international traffic since May 1967. Tourism plays a significant role in the airport's route mix, with international passengers making up around 85% of the traffic.",
  "summary": "Alicante-Elche Airport handled more than 16.8 million passengers in the first nine months of the year, putting it on course to surpass its annual record. September continued the airport’s strong run, with 2,127,532 passengers — 11.5% more than in the same month last year. Aircraft movements also rose, increasing by 12.4% to 13,146, according to […] The post Alicante-Elche Airport Closes in on…",
  "key_points": [
    "Alicante-Elche Airport nears 16.8 million passengers in first nine months.",
    "September saw 11.5% increase in travelers, 2,127,532 individuals.",
    "International traffic drove growth, 12% rise in September."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}