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Latest passenger numbers at Corvera Airport show increase on last year, but still half what they were in the San Javier heyday of 2007
Murcia International handled 862,835 passengers in first 10 months of 2025, less than half what old San Javier airport managed in same period back in 2007
The Region of Murcia International Airport (AIRM) at Corvera registered 862,835 passengers between January and October 2025, representing a modest growth of 2.2% compared to the same period last year. While the figures show steady improvement, they pale in comparison to what the region's old airport used to handle.
In October alone, 95,720 travellers passed through the AIRM facilities, an increase of 1.4% on the same month in 2024. Of these, 95,255 were on commercial flights, with the majority grouped in international traffic which accounted for 86,466 passengers, up 0.7%.
National traffic showed more encouraging growth, with 8,789 passengers representing an 11.5% increase compared to October last year.
The airport managed 742 flight operations in October, a 4.7% rise compared to October 2024. For the year to date, with two months still left to close out 2025, the terminal has handled 6,652 movements, 5.3% more than the same period in 2024.
And while these numbers might look good on paper, they tell quite a different story when you compare them to the old San Javier airport. Back in October 2007, San Javier handled 202,402 passengers, almost double what Corvera managed last month. In the first 10 months of 2007 alone, San Javier welcomed 1.8 million passengers. That's more than double what Corvera has achieved in the same timeframe this year.
The airport continues to struggle despite constant updates and improvements, including a new book swap area in departures and a swanky duty free upgrade with new restaurants and shops. These additions are all well and good, but they don't change the fundamental issue that Corvera simply isn't attracting the passenger numbers it needs.
It's worth remembering the disastrous history behind this airport. Back in October, the regional government in Murcia was ordered to pay €160 million to construction giant Sacyr over the spectacularly failed airport project. Madrid Commercial Court ruled in favour of Sacyr in its lawsuit against the regional government, stemming from a mess that began more than a decade ago.
So while the 2.2% passenger growth might look positive, it's barely scratching the surface of what this airport was meant to achieve.
For context, airports across the Aena Group, which operates 46 airports and two heliports in Spain, London Luton Airport and 17 airports in Brazil, closed October 2025 with 35,099,396 passengers, 4.5% more than the same month in 2024.
They managed 295,929 aircraft movements, 4.3% more than in 2024, and transported 150,175 tonnes of merchandise, 9.3% more than last year. Corvera's modest 2.2% growth looks even less impressive when you see how the rest of the Spanish airport network is performing.
Image: Archive
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