Malaga-Costa del Sol airport is due for a £1.3 billion expansion in a win for British tourists holidaying in Spain. While planning and design are underway now, construction is anticipated to begin in 2029, following environmental approvals in 2028. The significant expansion is to accommodate growing passenger numbers and improve the overall travel experience.
At the end of last year, the airport was the fourth busiest in Spain. Part of the DORA III plan, the renovations include a new pier for non-Schengen flights, increased security checkpoints, a redesigned baggage system, and more contact positions. The project is primarily focused on Terminal 3, which will be modernised and expanded, while Terminal 2, also known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso Terminal, is undergoing some renovations.
The current terminal will be expanded into a U shape from 80,000 to 140,000 square metres, effectively doubling its capacity. Its expansion aims to increase the airport’s capacity to 36 million passengers per year.
Maurici Lucena, CEO of Spain’s airport service company Aena, said the project would benefit with wider region of Andalusia as well as merely the airport itself.
He said: “This major project clearly demonstrates Aena’s commitment to the connectivity and growth of Malaga province and Andalusia.”
Javier Salas, the central government’s deputy representative, said it will make Malaga-Costa del Sol “a functional airport, a more modern and much more attractive airport for tourists”.
He also slammed the previous government for a “lack of seriousness” when it came to the expansion and urban planning in Malaga.
He said: “This government is working rigorously and responsibly to move forward with the projects Malaga needs.
“Unfortunately, we also have to fix the lack of seriousness shown by the previous government, which presented a failed project that could have already become a reality had it considered the city’s urban planning.”
