Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport has once again broken its own records, closing February with 3,895,934 passengers, a 3.8% increase compared to the same month last year. This figure marks the busiest February in the airport’s history, continuing a strong start to 2026.

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Spanish airport operator Aena reported that total travellers through the Catalan capital’s main airport reached 7,702,829 in the first two months of the year. This 3.4% rise compared to 2025 solidifies the airport’s post-pandemic recovery and growth.

Barcelona’s performance outpaces the more moderate growth seen across Aena’s wider Spanish network, which handled 20.5 million passengers in February, an increase of 2.8% year-on-year.

International Surge Offsets Domestic Dip

El Prat’s record-breaking month saw a significant uptick in international travel. Of the nearly 3.9 million passengers on commercial flights, 2,910,190 travelled on international routes, a robust 5.8% increase from February 2025. This trend has remained consistent throughout the start of the year, with year-to-date international passenger numbers rising by 5.3% to over 5.7 million.

In contrast, the domestic market contracted slightly. National route passengers fell by 2% in February to 977,172. Overall, January and February data shows a similar 1.9% decline in domestic travellers.

This growing reliance on international connectivity fuels the ongoing debate over the airport’s future. Proponents of expansion argue that increasing capacity is essential to accommodate more long-haul international flights. This argument gains traction as international figures rise and domestic travel wanes. Consequently, the issue remains a point of contention between local and national government bodies. The mayor of El de Llobregat recently criticised the handling of expansion plans.

Cargo Operations Soar to New Heights

While passenger numbers grew healthily, air freight saw the most dramatic increase. The airport’s cargo division moved an astonishing 17,746 tonnes of goods in February, a 24% surge compared to the previous year and an all-time record for the month, as reported by El Periódico.

This momentum continued through the first two months of the year, with total cargo traffic reaching 33,357 tonnes, up 20.4% from 2025 and setting a new record for the start of a year. Meanwhile, the number of takeoffs and landings remained relatively stable, with 24,474 movements managed in February, a marginal 0.2% increase.

Growth Across Catalonia’s Airports

The positive trend in air travel extended beyond Barcelona. Other Aena-managed airports across Catalonia also reported a rise in February activity. This data was also cited by Tot Barcelona.

  • Girona-Costa Brava Airport saw 41,011 passengers, a 5.6% increase, with a notable 14.4% rise in operations.
  • Reus Airport handled 681 passengers, marking a 34.1% jump, and managed 1,298 operations, up 9.4%.
  • Sabadell Airport, which focuses on general and training aviation, recorded 4,704 operations (up 4.6%) and 438 passengers, a significant 53.1% rise.

As Barcelona heads into the busier spring and summer seasons, all indicators point towards continued growth, keeping the spotlight firmly on the capacity and future of its primary international gateway.