€3.2 billion to relaunch Barcelona airport as an intercontinental hub
2 July, 2025Finally, Barcelona-El Prat airport expansion project has received the joint backing of the central government, the Generalitat de Catalunya and Aena, after four years of disagreements. The total investment will amount to €3.2 billion and, according to the airport manager, the expansion will allow intercontinental routes to be operated without restrictions and with less noise impact on neighbouring municipalities.
The work includes the extension of 500m of runway 24L-06R (the runway closest to the sea), the construction of a satellite terminal, the remodelling of the current terminals and work on car parks.
The technical proposal also considers the remodelling of terminals 1 and 2, new infrastructures in the car parks and the implementation of an operational design that reinforces international air connectivity from Catalonia, without losing sight of the environmental protection of the surroundings. It is estimated that the airport will grow from the current 55 million passengers per year to around 80 million by 2033.
The plan, which still has to be approved by the EU, has tried to minimise the environmental impact with measures such as the preservation of the La Ricarda lagoon, the non-affection of El Remolar and compensatory actions in the Llobregat Delta. Among them, 270 hectares of natural areas are to be gained and an environmental fund is to be set up. Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat, described the agreement as a “solid and definitive” proposal.