• Urban Development of Barcelona’s Airport

    February, 2023

Aena, the main operator of airports in Spain, announced in its strategic plan, the urban development of Barcelona’s Airport (Josep Tarradellas Barcelona – El Prat), which will start next year, 2024.

The development which has been proposed to the government since 2018, after a series of changes, will finally be realised. The plan will cover 151 hectares (ha) and is divided into three categories according to its use: logistics (highly demanded in Barcelona due to the lack of supply), offices and hotels.

The first stage of the plan will be the developing of the surrounding area of Terminal 2, in which the first 2 ha a hotel will be build, followed by a logistics hub, with an extension of 36 ha. The rest of the development, expected further down the line, will include a hotel, an office area, several hangars for airlines, and 19 ha more for logistics use.

The urban development of the area is supposed to be a complementary investment to the main expansion of the airport, with the construction of a new terminal and the extension of the main airstrip. However, such expansion has been rejected by the local government for the moment, although Aena insists on not putting on hold the investment.

Barcelona’s development is one of the multiple plans the operator has designed for Spanish airports. For instance, last September, Aena awarded to the Singapore’s sovereign fund the development of 32 ha to transform into a logistics use in Madrid’s airport. Moreover, plans will be announced in the nearby future for Malaga, Valencia and Sevilla’s airports.