The airports in the Balearic Islands will handle a total of 5,165 flights during the Pilar holiday weekend, through this Monday, which is a public holiday, according to data from Aena. The figure confirms the high volume of air traffic at a time of year that extends the tourist season beyond the peak summer months, although it is slightly lower than the figure recorded last year.
This Sunday, one of the busiest days of the operation, 1,324 flights have been scheduled across the archipelago. This figure reflects the importance of air connectivity for the mobility of residents and visitors in a region where links to the mainland and international markets remain a key factor in economic activity.
As for the airport, Son Sant Joan once again handles the majority of operations. Between October 9 and 12, Palma Airport has 3,574 scheduled flights, compared to 1,136 scheduled movements in Ibiza and 455 in Menorca. Palma, therefore, accounts for nearly seven out of every ten flights.
The distribution highlights the central role of Palma in the airport network of the Balearic Islands, both in its ability to channel tourist flows and as a hub for travel between the islands and to international destinations. Ibiza also maintains a significant volume of operations, while Menorca registers more moderate activity, in line with the size of its air market.
This Sunday’s figures reflect this same hierarchy. Mallorca will have 935 flights, compared to 281 for Ibiza and 108 for Menorca. In general, the three airports are prepared for a day of intense activity at a time of year when the long weekend encourages short trips and fall getaways.
Fewer flights than during the 2025 holiday weekend
The year-over-year comparison reveals a significant difference. Between Thursday, October 9 and Sunday, October 12, 2025, the airports in the Balearic Islands recorded 5,287 flights, 122 more than the 5,165 scheduled for the same period this year. The difference represents a decrease of approximately 2.3 percent.
However, the comparison should be interpreted in light of the calendar: National Day fell on a Sunday in 2025, whereas this year the holiday was moved to Monday. This circumstance can alter the distribution of trips across different days and makes it difficult to draw direct conclusions about demand trends based on a single four-day period.
Instead of being a conclusive indicator of a slowdown, the difference provides a benchmark for flight schedule intensity over two long weekends with different configurations. To determine whether this is due to a supply adjustment, changes in demand, or a redistribution of travel, traffic trends would need to be monitored over a longer period.
In any case, the 5,165 scheduled flights ensure that the Balearic airports continue to be an essential part of the archipelago’s tourist and economic infrastructure. In a region where connectivity structurally depends on air travel, the air traffic pattern during long weekends is a key indicator, although a proper analysis requires going beyond the number of flights and also taking into account aircraft occupancy rates, passenger origin, and trends in flight routes.
