Business · Companies · 15 hrs ago
Vueling and Wizz Air drive passenger growth at Barcelona airport
El Prat airport in Barcelona handled 51 million passengers through October 2026, a 3.8% increase on the same period.
The airport is nearing its stated annual technical limit of 55 million passengers.
Vueling and Wizz Air were the only two of the five largest airlines to grow their traffic at the airport.
Vueling carried nearly 20 million passengers, up 2.3%, and accounted for about 39% of the airport’s total.
Wizz Air’s traffic rose 25% to 3.2 million passengers, making it the airport’s third-largest airline by passenger numbers.
Ryanair carried about eight million passengers, while traffic for easyJet and Lufthansa fell by 4% each.
The figures point to limited room before the airport reaches its annual capacity, though the information available gives no next steps for the airport.
Barcelona’s El Prat airport recorded 51 million passengers through October 2026, up 3.8% from the same period a year earlier.
Vueling and Wizz Air were the only airlines among the airport’s five largest by market share to increase passenger traffic.
Vueling carried nearly 20 million passengers, while Wizz Air carried 3.2 million, up 25%.
The airport was nearing its stated annual technical limit of 55 million passengers, according to Aena data.
Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa each recorded lower traffic through October.
- Who
- Vueling and Wizz Air drove passenger growth at Barcelona’s El Prat airport.
- What
- The airport recorded 51 million passengers through October 2026, up 3.8%.
- When
- Through October 2026. The report was published on November 14, 2026.
- Where
- Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, Spain.
- Why
- Vueling and Wizz Air increased their traffic. The sources do not state a broader cause for the airport’s growth.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Vueling launched a new strategic plan that placed Barcelona airport at the centre of its expansion.
El Prat handled 51 million passengers, while Vueling carried nearly 20 million and Wizz Air carried 3.2 million.
Expansión reported that the airport was nearing its annual technical limit of 55 million passengers.
- El Prat passengers through October
- 51 million, up 3.8%
- Airport annual technical limit
- 55 million passengers
- Vueling passengers through October
- Nearly 20 million, up 2.3%
- Wizz Air passengers through October
- 3.2 million, up 25%; 6% of the total
- Ryanair passengers through October
- 8 million, down 1%