The massive €1.5billion expansion of Malaga Airport has moved another step closer.
It comes after Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the Council of Ministers is expected to approve the DORA III investment plan before the end of September.
The nationwide programme involves around €13billion of investment, with Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport among its biggest beneficiaries as passenger numbers continue to soar.
Aena president Maurici Lucena has previously warned that Malaga is the Andalucian airport which ‘clearly needs the most investment in terms of capacity’, as it approaches its existing limits.
The full Malaga expansion is expected to cost around €1.5billion, although the spending will extend beyond the 2027-31 DORA III period.
Around €1billion is expected to be invested in Malaga during that five-year programme, with the remainder falling into the following investment cycle.
Across Andalucia, Aena plans to invest around €1.267billion between 2027 and 2031, a dramatic increase from €188million under the current programme. Sevilla Airport is set to receive around €235million.
Terminal to almost double in size
Malaga’s terminal area is expected to increase from approximately 80,000 square metres to 140,000 square metres, while the old Terminal 1 and the existing B and C piers will be demolished as part of the redesign.
A new pier dedicated to non-Schengen traffic will also be constructed, featuring centralised border controls.
The plans will also dramatically increase space for some of the airport’s most congested passenger processes.
Security screening facilities are set to grow by 112%, while space for departure passport controls will increase by a remarkable 515%.
Waiting and boarding areas for non-Schengen and flexible flights will expand by 381%, while Schengen areas will increase by 126%.
Commercial space inside the terminal will grow by 41%, with 43% more space for VIP lounges.
New taxiways will also be constructed to improve aircraft movements, although Aena believes Malaga’s existing runways have sufficient capacity to cope with future demand.
Road access and the areas surrounding the terminal will be improved, while parking capacity is also expected to increase.
Crucially, the enormous construction project will have to be carried out while the airport remains operational.
Capacity to rise to 36 million passengers
Malaga Airport currently has capacity for around 30 million passengers per year.
Following the expansion, that figure is expected to rise to approximately 36 million, considered the maximum achievable within the airport’s existing footprint.
The investment comes as Malaga continues to break passenger records.
More than 13.2 million travellers passed through the airport during the first six months of 2026, compared with around 12.4 million during the same period last year.
Aena recorded 13,226,525 passengers and 91,388 flights between January and June, representing increases of 6.7% and 4.5% respectively.
The airport has already experienced individual days with more than 100,000 passengers, highlighting the pressure created during peak summer periods.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
