The Tenerife North City of La Laguna has, for the first time, become an overburdened airport. Its facilities have proven inadequate due to the substantial rise in passenger numbers in recent years. This is not merely a perception; it is a confirmed reality based on the figures released yesterday by Aena, the public-private body responsible for managing Spain’s airport infrastructure. Known also as Los Rodeos, it catered to nearly 6.8 million passengers (6,762,702 according to the latest official figures) in 2024, a record that surpasses Aena’s own established maximum annual capacity by 262,702.
This marks the inaugural instance of a Canarian airport exceeding its maximum capacity limit, underscoring the urgent need for enhancements at the Tenerife North City of La Laguna. Unfortunately, the investment plans proposed by Aena have not arrived in time to alleviate this congestion. According to Aena’s Port Regulation Document 2022-2026 (DORA), published in September 2021, the La Laguna site is intended to accommodate 6.5 million passengers annually. It has now been officially confirmed that it exceeds its capacity.
Aena’s Shortcomings
Aena has significantly underestimated the increase in passenger numbers for the Tenerife North City of La Laguna. As stated in the DORA 2022-2026, the company had predicted that the number of travellers would reach 5.9 million (5,936,186) by 2026. As we have just entered 2025, the figure is already approaching 7 million, creating a considerable discrepancy that diminishes the operational efficiency of the airport, which was the first to open in Tenerife on May 3, 1946, following a ministerial order permitting air traffic.
Los Rodeos is at capacity: the number of passengers has already surpassed its limits | A.J.
The surge in passenger numbers over recent years has been remarkable. A decade ago, during the entirety of 2015, Los Rodeos handled 3.8 million travellers. By 2022, following the cessation of the Covid pandemic, the number had risen to 5.5 million. In 2024, this figure escalated to 6,762,702, also setting a record for the number of operations at 82,063. If the annual growth rate of 10% continues, with an additional 672,000 passengers each year, 2026 could see 7.4 million passengers, nearly one million above the maximum capacity that can be accommodated.
Plans Arriving Late
Aena’s expansion proposals for the Tenerife North City of La Laguna are late and have already become outdated. In October 2023, the airport authority announced the initiation of the process to enhance Los Rodeos, which includes the procurement of technical assistance for project drafting (ATRP) focused on adapting the terminal area, with an investment of 4.54 million euros and a timeline of 36 months.
This step involves drafting a construction project that will accurately outline the necessary actions. The plan includes expanding the terminal building in both the eastern and western areas, as well as improvements to the parking facilities and surrounding infrastructure, along with the required equipment and furnishings. The company clarified that this project and other developments on the island of Tenerife have been “in progress for months” and are expected to be completed within the validity period of DORA II (2022-2026). Further actions corresponding to these already initiated projects are anticipated to feature in the DORA III proposal (2027-2031). However, the unanticipated rise in passenger traffic has made these initiatives urgent.
The congestion at the Tenerife North City of La Laguna coincides with renewed calls for improvements not only for Tenerife’s airports but for those across the Canary Islands. Leading business organisations are pressing for prompt action. Measures must be implemented swiftly to avoid the congestion experienced generally in Canarian airports escalating into saturation, as seen with Los Rodeos. This is the collective appeal from both major employers in the Archipelago and tourism entrepreneurs in Tenerife directed at Aena and, consequently, at the Ministry of Sustainable Mobility.
Statistics indicate that Los Rodeos faces the most significant challenges, being the only airport currently serving more passengers than it can accommodate. However, the situation is becoming increasingly untenable at other airports within the Archipelago. This is particularly true at César Manrique in Lanzarote, which is only 285,715 passengers away from reaching saturation after accommodating 8,714,285 travellers in 2024, well below its maximum limit of 9 million. Meanwhile, Tenerife South is 2.2 million passengers from capacity – having welcomed 13.7 million in 2024 with a limit of 16 million – and Gando de Gran Canaria is even further from saturation, being 4.7 million passengers over its total of 15.2 million last year against a capacity of 20 million.
A Nationwide Concern
This situation is not isolated, as it also impacts other airport facilities throughout the country. Aena continues to break records amidst a tourism surge, with forecasts consistently falling short despite several revisions in recent months. The Spanish airport network achieved a staggering 309.3 million passengers last year, establishing a new historical high with a 9.2% increase. Passenger traffic in 2024 continues to exceed previously upgraded forecasts of 306 million travellers and is closing in on the anticipated 310 million for 2025.
The airport operator, which is 51% owned by the Spanish government through Enaire, has not only surpassed passenger records across its national network, but has also set new highs at nearly half of its airports. Last year witnessed records at 21 out of the 46 facilities in the Spanish network, including the country’s main hubs: Madrid-Barajas, which approached 66.2 million passengers (up 9.9%); Barcelona-El Prat, surpassing 55 million (10.3% more); Palma de Mallorca, nearing 33.3 million travellers (7% increase); and Málaga, just shy of 25 million (with an 11.5% rise).
Tourist demand in Spain has yet to hit its peak, with forecasts suggesting that traffic will continue to grow in the coming years. Aena has already indicated that it will be necessary to ramp up investments in its infrastructure to both expand capacity where needed and to ensure quality of service, which will enhance the group’s revenue and profitability in both scenarios. The company, led by Maurici Lucena, is currently preparing a proposal for substantial investment to submit to the Government for approval.
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