Madrid (MAD) Airport & Passenger Statistics 2024

Page Last Updated: 29 September 2025

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is Spain’s main aviation hub and one of Europe’s major intercontinental airports. It handles more than 60 million passengers annually and is the continent’s main bridge to Latin America.

Overview

How many passengers pass through Madrid Airport each year?

Madrid Airport handles over 60 million passengers each year and is ranked among Europe’s fastest-growing major airline hubs.

The airport processed 66.2 million passengers in 2024. This was a 9.9% increase YoY and a new all-time record. Traffic surpassed the pre-pandemic level of 61.7 million passengers in 2019 by 7.3%.
Passenger traffic had dropped to 17.1 million in 2020, a 72.3% decline YoY caused by the pandemic and recovered gradually to 24.1 million in 2021.
Growth continued in 2022 with 50.6 million passengers, followed by 60.2 million in 2023.

Domestic vs International Passengers

Madrid Airport has a strong international profile; nearly three-quarters of all travelers fly internationally.

In 2024, 48.8 million international passengers passed through the airport, about 74% of total traffic.
Domestic travelers totaled 17.4 million, making up the remaining 26%.

Passenger Demographics

In 2024, travelers aged 30 to 49 accounted for 42% of all passengers.
15 to 29 year-olds made up 28%, while the 50 to 64 group represented 18%.
Children under 15 comprised 7% and travelers over 64 made up 5%.
In terms of gender, 51% were male and 49% were female.

Aircraft Operations at Madrid Airport Each Year

Madrid Airport handles over 400,000 aircraft operations annually, including both takeoffs and landings.

In 2024, there were 420,182 operations, an 8% YoY increase from 389,179 in 2023.
The pre-pandemic high in 2019 was 426,376 operations, indicating 2024 figures nearly returned to previous highs.
Operations dropped to 165,740 in 2020 during the pandemic. Recovery followed with 217,539 in 2021 and 351,906 in 2022.

Which airlines operate the most flights out of Madrid Airport?

Iberia was the top airline in 2024, serving 18,507,094 passengers and holding a 28% market share.
Air Europa followed with 10,883,506 passengers (16%), and Iberia Express carried 7,843,955 passengers (12%).
Ryanair ranked fourth with 7,195,774 passengers (11%), and Air Nostrum was fifth with 3,666,187 passengers (6%).

Monthly Trends in Passenger Traffic at Madrid Airport

Madrid Airport shows seasonal patterns and peak traffic is in summer months.

July and August were the busiest months in 2024, each with 6.1 million passengers.
September followed (5.9 million) and June (5.8 million).
The slowest months were January (3.32 million) and February (3.39 million).

Passenger Traffic by Purpose

54% of passengers flying from Madrid Airport traveled for holidays.
Visiting friends and relatives made up 22%, while business travel represented 17%.
The remaining 7% of passengers flew for other purposes.

How many routes are there at Madrid Airport?

Madrid Airport served 418 routes in 2024, a notable YoY increase of 22 routes from the 396 offered in 2023.
The airport served 349 international routes and 69 domestic routes.
Among the international routes, 194 were to Europe, 94 to the Americas, 39 to Africa, and 22 to the Middle East and Asia.

Which destinations are the most popular from Madrid Airport?

Palma de Mallorca recorded the highest passenger volume in 2024 with 2.2 million travelers.
Barcelona, Rome, and Gran Canaria each saw 2 million passengers.
Lisbon followed closely, handling 1.9 million passengers.

Car Rental in Spain

How much cargo does Madrid Airport handle annually?

Madrid Airport handles over 500,000 tonnes of cargo annually.

The airport processed 766,907 metric tonnes, up 19.2% from 643,535 tonnes in 2023.
Before the pandemic, 558,567 tonnes were handled in 2019.
Cargo volume dropped to 401,133 tonnes in 2020, then recovered to 523,480 in 2021 and 566,373 in 2022.

Notable Incidents at Madrid Airport

Avianca Flight 011 (Nov 27, 1983): A Boeing 747-200 crashed during approach, killing 181 people. The incident led to the advancement of Ground Proximity Warning Systems.
Madrid Runway Collision (Dec 7, 1983): An Iberia 727 collided with an Aviaco DC-9 in fog, resulting in 93 deaths and prompting safety improvements in ground operations.
ETA Bombing (Dec 30, 2006): A car bomb at Terminal 4 caused a structural collapse and killed 2 people, leading to enhanced airport security.
Spanair Flight 5022 (Aug 20, 2008): A McDonnell Douglas MD-82 crashed on takeoff due to a flap configuration error, killing 154 passengers, raising concerns over system warnings.

Madrid Airport Fast Facts

Madrid airport was the largest gateway to Latin America in Europe in 2024 with 31% of market share.
Madrid airport is ranked 4th among the EU+UK airports according to ACI Europe Statistics in 2023.
Total Area: 4,000 ha
Terminal buildings area: 940,000 m2
Terminals: T1, T2, T3, T4, T4S and BA&GA terminal
Apron: 3,000,000 m²
Aircraft parking stands: 340
Boarding jetways: 121
Runways: 4
- Runway 18L/36R: 3,500 x 60 m
- Runway 18R/36L: 4,179 x 60 m
- Runway 14L/32R: 3,500 x 60 m
- Runway 14R/32L: 3,988 x 60 m
Boarding gates: 228
Check-in counters: 396
Self-service kiosk: 92

Other Airport Statistics

Spain Travel Statistics Resources

References

AENA: Adolfo Suárez Madrid Airport data
ASN: Notable Incidents at Madrid Airport