Spain: Almost 11 Million International Air Passengers in September

International

Turespaña reports steady growth and expanding market diversification

Spain welcomed nearly 11 million international air passengers in September 2025, representing a 3.8% increase compared to the same month last year, according to the latest data published by Turespaña. Between January and September, a total of 86.3 million international passengers arrived in the country — a 5.6% rise over the same period in 2024.

Strong performance across key markets

Most of Spain’s main source markets recorded growth in arrivals, with the exception of Germany and France, which saw slight declines. Among the emerging markets, notable increases were observed from Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, while from Asia, China showed significant growth. In the Gulf region, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar stood out for their rising visitor numbers.

The United Kingdom remained Spain’s leading source market in September, with around 2.4 million passengers, representing 22.2% of all international arrivals — an increase of 2.2% year-on-year. The Balearic Islands received the largest share of British visitors (26.1%), followed by the Canary Islands (21%).

Germany, Italy and France show mixed results

Germany accounted for 1.5 million passengers (13.9% of the total), marking a 1% year-on-year decline. While the Balearic Islands continued to capture nearly half (45.7%) of all German arrivals, they experienced a drop of around 17,000 passengers. Conversely, the Valencian Community and the Basque Country registered modest increases.

Passenger numbers from Italy grew by 4.3%, reaching just over 1 million travelers and representing 9.4% of total international arrivals. Catalonia was the leading destination for Italian visitors (30.7%), posting an impressive 11.1% increase. Other regions also saw growth, except Andalusia, Cantabria, and Galicia, which recorded slight declines.

France accounted for 6.9% of total arrivals, a marginal 0.3% decrease compared to 2024. Catalonia and the Madrid region together attracted almost half (48.1%) of all French travelers, both showing minor increases. The Balearic Islands posted the strongest growth, with 4,754 more passengers than in September 2024, while Andalusia and the Basque Country saw drops exceeding 7%.

Arrivals from the Netherlands represented 4.8% of the total and grew by 6.5%, with most travelers heading to Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and Andalusia.

Destinations and airports: Valencia leads the growth

The six main destination regions accounted for 97.1% of all international arrivals. All recorded positive growth, led by the Valencian Community with a 6.6% increase, followed by Madrid (+3.8%) and the Balearic Islands (+1%).

Among airports, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas handled the highest number of international arrivals in September, with 1.8 million passengers (+5.2%), followed by Barcelona-El Prat (+3.9%) and Palma de Mallorca, which saw a 3.8% decrease. The strongest year-on-year growth was recorded at Valencia Airport, up 10% compared to September 2024.

Further details can be found in the full Turespaña report.