PALMA/MADRID, 18 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Balearic Islands welcomed 12.1 million international air passengers between January and August, representing a 2.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
According to data released this Friday by Turespaña, this figure represents 15.3% of the more than 79.3 million passengers who arrived in Spain during the first eight months of 2026.
In August alone, the archipelago welcomed 2.6 million international air passengers, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.9%—the highest figure in the country and 21.1% of the national total.
In the first eight months of the year, Palma Airport welcomed 9.2 million international passengers, up 2.5%; and Ibiza Airport welcomed 2 million, up 1.7%.
As for passengers arriving on low-cost airlines, the Balearic Islands have recorded 8.5 million international passengers so far this year, a year-over-year increase of 3.7% that accounts for 17.8% of the national total. In August, the figure was 1.7 million, a 3.9% increase representing 23.7% of the national total.
Traditional airlines, meanwhile, carried 3.5 million passengers (up 0.2% and accounting for 11.4% of the total) in the first eight months of the year and 821,326 (-2.1% compared to last year and 17.2% of the total) last month.
NATIONAL DATA
Overall, international air passenger arrivals in Spain reached 12.3 million in August, representing a 5.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
The European market consolidated its position as the main source of travelers, accounting for 85.7% of total traffic after posting a year-over-year increase of 5.7%, while arrivals from the Americas rose 3.9% to account for 5.8% of total traffic.
With these figures, the cumulative total for the first eight months of the year stands at 79.3 million international passengers, representing a 5.2% increase compared to 2025 and an additional 3.9 million visitors.
The trend in August was marked by strong performance from traditional source markets such as the United Kingdom and Italy, in contrast to declines recorded in Germany and France, as well as notable increases in secondary European markets such as Poland and Belgium, and long-haul markets such as China, Japan, Canada, and Brazil.
By source market, the United Kingdom remained in the lead with 2.9 million passengers—23.7% of the total—after growing 7.5% year-over-year, with the Balearic Islands as its top regional destination, accounting for a 26% share.
Germany ranked second, with 1.5 million travelers and a 1.4% decline that particularly affected the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Italy, for its part, sent 1.3 million visitors after growing by 7.7%, with particularly strong growth in the Valencian Community, Andalusia, and the Basque Country, while France recorded 820,748 arrivals, 1% fewer than in August 2025.
In terms of regional distribution, the six main receiving autonomous communities accounted for 96.8% of international demand, with increases in all of them, notably the Valencian Community with a 12.5% rise and the Canary Islands with the most moderate increase of 0.9%.
By airport, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas led the network with 2.4 million passengers (+4.6%), followed by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat with 2.2 million (+5.9%), while Valencia’s airport recorded the largest percentage increase, rising 13.4% year-over-year.
