As we plan our move to Jávea, we need to figure out where the best airport is for us to travel in to and out of whenever we go on trips. Luckily, there are two each about 75 minutes away. One is Alicante Airport (ALC) and the other is Valencia Airport (VLC). We want to travel through both of them to decide which might be best for us. During this last house hunting trip, we flew in and out of Alicante.
About Alicante Airport
Known officially as Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) and locally as El Altet. It’s located about 9 km (5 mi) southwest of Alicante city. It’s the largest airport in the Valencian Community and is the 5th busiest airport in Spain and the 31st busiest in Europe. In 2024, the airport set a record serving 18.3 million passengers.
Destinations Served from Alicante Airport
Around 80% of all passenger flights at Alicante are international. The largest passenger groups arrive from the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Norway, and Sweden. Direct routes cover over 100 destinations including major hubs like London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Frankfurt and Dublin.
Airlines serving Alicante include:
Alicante Airport Terminal & Layout
The airport operates out of a single modern terminal which opened in 2011. It’s an L-shaped complex with six times the combined floor space of the terminals it replaced and was designed to handle up to 20 million passengers annually. The terminal spans six floors and includes restaurants, bars, a VIP lounge (Priority Pass), duty-free shopping, ATMs and free WiFi. All major car rental companies are either on-site near the parking garage or a 10 minute shuttle ride away.
Major Airport Expansion Project Ahead
Alicante Airport is preparing for a major expansion as passenger numbers continue to grow. Airport operator Aena has approved a long-term investment plan of roughly €1.1 billion that will significantly expand the airport over the next decade. Most of the major construction is expected to take place between 2027 and the early 2030s and will include a roughly 30% expansion of the existing terminal, additional boarding gates, and upgrades to security screening and passenger processing areas.
In addition, the project will also improve taxiways, aircraft parking areas, road access and airport parking facilities to handle the higher passenger volume. A new non-Schengen boarding area is also planned, which will help manage flights to and from countries outside the EU, including the UK. Long term, regional planners are studying a rail connection to the airport, which would link the terminal more directly with the light rail network serving Alicante
The goal is to increase airport capacity to around 26 million passengers per year. Traffic has been growing quickly thanks to tourism and the increasing number of international residents living along the Costa Blanca.
Alicante Airport Vs Valencia Airport
Alicante is the clear winner on volume and international connectivity, particularly if you’re flying in from the UK or Northern Europe. It also has more frequent low-cost carrier options and better ground transport links toward the Costa Blanca.
Valencia Airport (VLC), however is a solid alternative. It’s quieter, less chaotic during peak season and well-connected to hubs like Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, and Madrid. It’s a good option when pricing or scheduling works better or when you want to combine a trip with time in Valencia.
Once we fly into Valencia Airport, we’ll have a post on that as well.
Find out more about life in Jávea in this section of our site.
