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Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport is set for an €830 million investment over the next five years as plans for a major expansion of the busy Costa del Sol airport move another step forward.

 

The Council of Ministers approved Aena's third Airport Regulation Document (DORA III) on Tuesday, which includes the €830 million investment for Málaga Airport between 2027 and 2031.

It's only part of the story, though, as the full expansion project is expected to cost around €1.5 billion, with the remaining investment to be included in Aena's next five-year spending programme.

 

Once the work is complete, Málaga Airport will be able to handle up to 36 million passengers a year, compared with its current capacity of around 30 million.

 

The need for additional capacity is becoming increasingly clear as passenger numbers continue to climb. Málaga Airport handled 3,050,841 passengers in August, an increase of 6.6% compared with the same month last year. Across Andalusia, airports handled more than 4.2 million passengers during August, marking a 7.36% increase year-on-year.

 

The €830 million investment in Málaga forms part of a much wider €1.267 billion investment in Andalusia's airports under DORA III. Seville Airport will receive €235 million, with the remaining investment going to Málaga and other airports in the region.

 

In Málaga, the terminal area will increase from around 80,000 square metres to 140,000 square metres, while the old Terminal 1 and the existing Piers B and C will eventually be demolished.

 

The plans include a new pier for non-Schengen passengers with centralised border control, more contact positions for aircraft, an expanded security screening area and an improved baggage handling system.

 

The security screening area is set to increase by 112%, while departure passport control will increase by 515%. The non-Schengen and flexible waiting and boarding area will grow by 381%, with the Schengen flight area increasing by 126%.

 

There will also be more room for shops and other commercial facilities, with the space dedicated to commercial activity increasing by 41%. VIP lounge space will increase by 43%.

 

New taxiways will also be built to improve the movement of aircraft around the airfield. The existing runways are not expected to require expansion, with Aena stating that they have sufficient capacity as procedures continue to evolve.

 

The work will have to be carried out while Málaga Airport remains fully operational, meaning passengers will see the transformation take place around them as the Costa del Sol airport prepares for millions more travellers in the years ahead.

 

 

Image: Pop9000 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0