Attention Travellers: Nighttime Runway Closures at Alicante Airport This March
Thursday, March 5th, 2026
If you’re heading to the Costa Blanca this month, you might find your flight arrival or departure times look a little different from usual. Aena, the Spanish airport authority, is investing over €15.7 million in a major infrastructure upgrade at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.
To get the job done, the airport is taking the unusual step of closing the runway every night from the 2nd to the 29th of March, between 00:00 and 05:59.
Why the night-time shutdown?
While many airports do maintenance in small gaps, Alicante is tackling three massive projects at once:
- A New Taxiway: A huge €13.8 million project to speed up aircraft movement on the ground.
- Full Resurfacing: Updating the existing taxiway that runs parallel to the runway.
- Runway Repairs: Enhancing the “Header 10” section of the runway for long-term safety.
How does this differ from the normal flight schedule?
While Alicante is busiest during the day, it normally handles a steady stream of nighttime traffic. Usually, you’d see around 10 to 15 flights a night landing after midnight or taking off before 6 am.
In a normal month like February or April, passengers are often landing as late as 01:30 or taking off for early-morning business trips at 05:30. This March, those flights have been completely cleared from the schedule to allow the construction crews to take over the tarmac.
How will it affect my travel?
The good news is that the airport and airlines have planned this months in advance.
- Rescheduled flights: If you were originally booked on a very late or very early flight, your airline should have already moved your slot to just before midnight or just after 6 am.
- Terminal access: The airport terminal itself stays open! If you have one of those “first wave” 6 am flights, you can still arrive at 4 am to check in and clear security while the work is finishing up outside.
- A smoother summer: These works are being done now to ensure the airport can handle the record-breaking 20 million passengers expected later this year without delays.
Top tip for March flyers
Even though the runway reopens at 06:00 sharp, the first few flights of the day will be departing in a tighter-than-usual window. Give yourself plenty of time at the airport, as the check-in desks and security may be very busy the moment they open!
Featured image courtesy of Jerry Wang – Pexels