Madrid–Rome route has seen a 40 pc increase in capacity since 2019: OAG
During the summer of 2025, Spain is set to record its highest-ever airline capacity, overtaking the United Kingdom to become the largest aviation market in Western Europe. This growth is supported by increased domestic and international demand, the expansion of low-cost carriers (LCCs) and strong connectivity to island destinations.
In a press statement, OAG says that between now and the end of October 2025, approximately 118 million departing seats will be available from the country, marking a 39 pc increase in capacity over the last six years.
The consultancy company notes that Spain’s domestic market is the largest in Europe, with 35.4 million seats scheduled, which is driven by essential connectivity to the Balearic and Canary Islands, as these routes alone account for one-third of all domestic capacity. Additionally, Turkiye and Italy follow as the second and third largest domestic aviation markets in Western Europe, respectively.
Meanwhile, OAG says that France and Germany have seen sharp declines in domestic capacity, with Germany down by 55 pc and France by 24 pc compared to 2019. Despite challenges, Spain has managed to sustain and grow its domestic aviation services, with Madrid-Tenerife North being one of the few routes to show notable growth of 18 pc over six years.
According to OAG, Spain’s international capacity has grown by 15 pc since summer 2019, with an additional 5 pc growth compared to summer 2024. Intra-Western Europe routes account for 80 pc of total international capacity, totalling 66 million seats. Capacity to North Africa has increased by 50 pc since 2019, while Upper South America has seen a 40 pc rise.
OAG says that low-cost carriers dominate Spain’s aviation market, as they operate nearly 60 pc of all scheduled capacity. Within Western Europe, 68 pc of total seats are operated by LCCs. It highlights that Ryanair with 19.4 million seats is the the largest carrier in Spain, representing 40 pc growth since 2019. While Vueling and Iberia, both under the IAG Group, collectively contribute 33 million seats. Out of the two, Vueling accounts for 18.2 million seats, while Iberia operates 14.8 million. EasyJet ranks second in the international market but has only one-third of Ryanair’s seat capacity.
OAG says that seven of the 10 busiest airport pairs from Spain involve island routes. Among them, Barcelona-Palma with over 1.8 million seats scheduled is busiest of the lot. However, domestic island route growth has remained modest due to high existing capacity levels. Among mainland domestic services, Madrid–Barcelona remains the largest, with one million planned seats, though this figure is nearly half of summer 2019 levels. Iberia operates 80 pc of the capacity on this route, despite reducing its frequency by one-third. Vueling has exited the route entirely.
OAG also reports that the Madrid–Rome route has seen a 40 pc increase in capacity since 2019, with both LCCs and full-service carriers competing. This could result in competitive fares and more options for travellers.
According to the statement, Spain’s aviation growth has been supported by a mix of business, leisure, and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic. It adds that while economic conditions may affect future demand, the Spanish market remains well-positioned for continued development.
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