Aena Commits €867M to Tenerife Airport Overhaul
Spanish airport operator Aena will invest 867 million euros in Tenerife's airports between 2027 and 2031, including a major rebuild of Tenerife South's terminal and expansion of Tenerife North, to modernize infrastructure crucial for the island's tourism economy.
Tenerife's airports are set to receive a massive boost in funding. New figures show that between 2027 and 2031, the island will get 867 million euros from Aena, the Spanish airport operator. This represents 48.1% of the total 1.8 billion euros Aena plans to spend across the Canary Islands. This money, part of the DORA III airport plan, highlights how crucial air travel is for Tenerife's economy, which relies heavily on tourism.
Rosa Dávila, president of the Tenerife Island Council (Cabildo), stressed the importance of these investments matching the island's needs. She noted that local ideas, like connecting the future Southern Train and the tram, have been included in the plans.
Tenerife South Airport, the island's main gateway for tourists, will get the biggest share: 553.6 million euros. Most of this money will go towards a complete rebuild of its terminal building. The goal is to make operations more modern and efficient, and improve the experience for passengers. The final design should be ready next month, after which it will undergo an environmental review. At the same time, plans for a new car park will be put out to tender. This car park will include a station for the future Southern Train, with its stop located in an underground tunnel or cavern linked to the terminal. The main construction contract is expected to be tendered by summer. Work is set to begin in 2027 and could take seven to eight years to complete.
Meanwhile, Tenerife North-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport will receive 313.4 million euros. This investment will go towards expanding and modernizing its terminal building. This includes updating important areas like check-in, boarding gates, and baggage claim. The plans also involve strengthening security, improving how passengers move through the airport, and increasing the number of flights it can handle. These projects for Tenerife North are expected to be finished this year. The Tenerife Island Council also plans to improve road links to this airport. This will complement the changes to access roads and parking already part of the renovation.
Javier Marín, Aena's Executive Vice President, and the island president have both confirmed that both airports will stay open and operational during the construction work. Marín described the work at Tenerife South as building "practically a new terminal." He explained it will be a complex process involving both tearing down old structures and building new ones. The proposals need approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and then the Council of Ministers, likely before the end of the year. It's worth noting that the 867 million euros planned for 2027-2031 is more than double the 335 million euros Aena invested in Tenerife between 2017 and 2025. This shows a significant increase in the scale of airport development for the island.