The popularity of Spain’s Malaga airport is growing. The authorities there have taken stock of the past year, during which as many as 22 million passengers used the Andalusian airport. This is further confirmation of the growing interest in the sunshine coast, the Costa del Sol.
Spain’s popularity is growing
Málaga Airport ended 2023 as the third busiest airport in mainland Spain in terms of passenger numbers. It also recorded the highest growth of all airports in the country. In addition, the airport authorities highlight that the past twelve months were also a record period in terms of checked baggage handling.
A total of 161,684 flights were operated at Malaga Airport between January and December 2023. It recorded a 12.5% increase in passenger numbers compared to 2019, which was the airport’s best year to date. As a testament to the growing popularity of Spain’s Mediterranean coast, there is no longer a trace of the drop in tourist numbers recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spain is now one of the world’s most popular destinations, with the latest estimates predicting an 11% increase in tourist traffic in Q1 2024. Last year, in turn, the Iberian Peninsula recorded as many as 84 million visitors, 17% more than in 2022 and slightly (by 1%) but exceeding the pre-COVID-19 pandemic result.
As an indication of the improvement in the tourism industry, the highest traffic at Malaga Airport was recorded in July – when 2,432,411 passengers were handled. Most people arrived from the British Isles (5,343,869 passengers), followed by Germany (1,646,777), the Netherlands (1,311,933), France (1,274,737) and Italy (1,027,799).
However, Malaga is also popular with Polish tourists. According to Irish airline Ryanair, Spain was the most popular destination among Polish passengers last summer. Between 1 July and 30 September, 27% of those who used Ryanair’s services travelled to Spain.
Polish tourists planning a holiday – for example, a May day – in Spain can also go directly to the Costa del Sol, using Malaga Airport. It is possible to get to the local airport from many Polish cities, choosing popular airports: Katowice-Pyrzowice, Warszawa-Modlin, Warszawa-Chopin, Wrocław-Strachowice, Kraków-Balice, Gdańsk-Rembiechowo or Łódź-Lublinek. Flights to this destination are offered by the largest airlines operating in Poland.
Window on the Costa del Sol
Malaga Airport is located approximately 10 km from the city centre. It is also one of Spain’s largest airports. It is currently made up of three main terminals, serving passengers from all over the world. The airport is close to popular destinations such as Marbella (50 km from the airport), Fuengirola (approx. 24 km), Benalmadena (approx. 10 km) and Torremolinos (approx. 8 km).
For tourists choosing Malaga Airport, the short distance to many of the region’s tourist attractions is also decisive: the Cueva de Nerja cave complex or Antequera, the city known as the heart of Andalusia. Lovers of active sightseeing are attracted by the proximity of historic cities such as Granada (136 km) and Córdoba (168 km).
The airport is connected to other cities by a network of expressways: MA-21 and MA-20. It can be accessed directly to the centre of Málaga using the C1 suburban line (Malaga Centro Alameda – Fuengirola), which also connects the airport to several key points on the Costa del Sol such as: Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and with the centre of Málaga.
With good and steadily developing air links to Poland, the Costa del Sol is becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination for our compatriots. This applies to people looking for a break and sunny weather, but also to property buyers. The region is very attractive as a tourist destination, so after buying a holiday home, we can count on a growing interest in renting it out. More and more Poles are also deciding to move to Spain permanently.
