This Spanish airport will close for a month and cancel all flights
Published on 20/04/2026 - 13:41 GMT+2 A busy Spanish airport will this week close for more than a month as it carries out critical runway maintenance operations....
Published on 20/04/2026 - 13:41 GMT+2
A busy Spanish airport will this week close for more than a month as it carries out critical runway maintenance operations.
Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, the second busiest in northern Spain, will close from Thursday 23 April to Wednesday 27 May. Located in Galicia, the airport managed by Spanish operator AENA served 3.1 million passengers in 2025, with this closure estimated to affect thousands of international travellers.
“During this period, the airport will be closed to all air traffic, and no takeoffs or landings will take place,” the airport said on its website.
Major airlines such as Ryanair, Vueling and Iberia all fly to Santiago-Rosalía, which could impact a number of holiday plans ahead of the busy summer season.
Travellers who are worried about schedule changes, flight status and rebooking are being asked by the airport to contact their respective airlines.
What other nearby airports could you fly to?
The region of Galicia is a popular tourist destination, offering dramatic coastlines, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and an abundance of outdoor summer activities like hiking, canoeing and swimming.
As such, there are a number of alternative airports, apart from Santiago-Rosalía, for both domestic and international tourists to fly into.
A Coruña, or Alvedro airport, as it is also known, is a prime regional airport only a 50-minute drive away from Santiago-Rosalía. While it mostly sees domestic tourists, there are some international flights from London Heathrow, Geneva, Paris and Milan as well.
The airport is also expected to add new routes from Rome, Frankfurt and Warsaw in 2026.
Another airport is Vigo, which offers flights from London Luton, Milan, Geneva and Marrakech. However, these usually have one stopover, typically in Madrid or Barcelona, although airlines like Ryanair sometimes offer direct seasonal flights.
Travellers flying to Vigo will also have to take a car ride to Galicia, usually around one and a half hours long.
Spanish airports continue to see turmoil
News of the Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport closure comes as 14 Spanish airports are already facing considerable disruption due to widespread strikes and walk-outs by air traffic controller unions like CCOO and USCA.
This includes mainland Spain airports like Jerez de la Frontera, Madrid-Cuatro Vientos, Seville and La Coruña, as well as Canary Islands airports like Lanzarote, La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro.
