# Spain freezes airport fees through 2031, plans €13bn investment

> Spain's government approved a mere 0.33% annual rise in Aena's regulated airport fees for 2027-2031 under the DORA III framework.

- **Section:** Aviation
- **Published:** 2026-09-16
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** our own summary of someone else’s reporting
- **Source:** Tourism Today — https://www.tourismtoday.gr/%ce%b7-%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%80%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%af%ce%b1-%cf%80%ce%b1%ce%b3%cf%8e%ce%bd%ce%b5%ce%b9-%cf%84%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%ad%ce%bb%ce%b7-%ce%b1%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%b4%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%bc%ce%af%cf%89%ce%bd/
- **Keywords:** Ισπανία, Aena, αεροπορικά τέλη, επενδύσεις, αεροδρόμια

Spain's government approved a mere 0.33% average annual increase in Aena's regulated airport fees network-wide for 2027-2031, rejecting the larger hike requested by the airport operator. The decision is part of DORA III, the five-year regulatory framework for Spanish airports approved by the Council of Ministers on September 15.

According to El País, the increase translates to roughly three cents per passenger annually, or about 1.65% overall across the five years. The final decision is closer to the airlines' position than Aena's initial proposal, though it does not fully meet their demand for fee reductions. ALA welcomed the restraint shown compared to Aena's original proposal, asking authorities to maintain the approved path throughout the period.

Despite the fee freeze, DORA III envisions an investment program of nearly €13 billion, of which €9.991 billion concerns regulated aviation activity. Madrid's Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport will receive €4.477 billion, Catalonia's airports €1.962 billion (including €1.76 billion for Barcelona's El Prat), the Canary Islands €1.807 billion, and Valencia €1.27 billion.

About €2.851 billion is earmarked for terminals, €1.65 billion for security projects, and €1.859 billion (19% of regulated investments) for passenger service improvements such as boarding procedures and security checks. Passenger traffic forecasts for 2031 fall between Aena's estimate of 346.7 million and CNMC's alternative of 366.7 million.

DORA III takes effect in 2027 and will set the framework for fees and investments at Spain's major airports for the following five years, with the state controlling 51% of Aena.

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This summary was written by Voyage based on reporting by Tourism Today. The full article is at https://www.tourismtoday.gr/%ce%b7-%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%80%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%af%ce%b1-%cf%80%ce%b1%ce%b3%cf%8e%ce%bd%ce%b5%ce%b9-%cf%84%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%ad%ce%bb%ce%b7-%ce%b1%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%b4%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%bc%ce%af%cf%89%ce%bd/. Canonical URL of this page: https://thevoyage.gr/en/a/spain-freezes-airport-fees-through-2031-plans-13bn-investment