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A major Spanish airport is set to undergo a £985 million expansion, including a new terminal to help control entry-exit system (EES) queues at border control.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport will be upgraded over five years from 2027 to 2031.
Part of the airport expansion includes the construction of a new terminal for non-Schengen area traffic with centralised border control for EES.
Earlier this month, Ryanair named Alicante airport as one of several European aviation hubs that are “not ready” to manage the high passenger volumes during the peak summer season because of “insufficient staff, kiosks and system readiness”.
The new terminal aims to ease biometric border control queues for travellers, including British holidaymakers.
Alicante airport welcomed more than 1.6 million travellers in March 2026 – 536,966 of them British.
EES, a digital register of non-EU nationals each time they enter or exit the Schengen area, was fully rolled out on 10 April.
The number of boarding gates for aircraft will also be increased, allowing passengers to board and disembark via walkways, with new retail areas, a new VIP lounge and the expansion of car park buildings among proposed upgrades.
The expansion will form part of Dora 3, a document governing airport regulation and supervision from Spanish airport operator Aena.
A total of €453 million (£387m) is scheduled to be spent during the 2027–2031 period out of a total investment of €1,154 million (£985m) allocated for the expansion project.
Aena said: “The DORA 3 proposal is currently under review, pending approval by the Council of Ministers of the Spanish Government, by 30 September of this year at the latest.”
Read more: Transport minister raises EU entry-exit system fears over border check delays
