Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) is located approximately 9 kilometers southwest of Alicante and about 10 kilometers east of Elche. It is the biggest airport in southeast Spain and serves as a key gateway to Spain's Costa Blanca region.
The airport first opened for commercial flights in 1967. The latest improvements to the airport in 2011 created a new terminal to replace the old one, five airbridges, and new parking lots. In 2024, the airport handled over 18 million passengers, making it the fifth busiest in Spain.
Major Airlines - EasyJet, Ryanair, Volotea, Iberia
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport serves as a base for several low-cost carriers, including Ryanair, Vueling, and EasyJet, all 3 flying to many destinations across Europe and Marocco. Norwegian Air Shuttle also uses the airport as a base and flies to cities in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
Iberia, Spain’s flagship carrier, offers many domestic flights within Spain and the outlying islands.
See which other airlines operate at ALC airport.

Check-in Process
Arrive at the airport at least 1.5 hours before domestic flights and 2 hours before international flights.
Check-in desks are located on floor P2 of the terminal. Alternatively, you can check in online up to 24-48 hours before the flight, depending on the airline and your destination.
The airport accepts both paper and electronic boarding passes. Once you have a boarding pass and have dropped off your check-in bags, you can proceed to security and immigration (if flying out of the Schengen zone).
Note that some low-budget airlines may charge a fee for manual check-in.
Terminal Layout and Gates
The airport has a single terminal, known as Terminal N (Nueva Área Terminal, aka the New Terminal), housing all passenger services under one roof. This is a very modern terminal with clear signage and guidance through the check-in areas, security checkpoints, and boarding gates.
The terminal is split into two areas, the processor where the C Gates are held, and the dock where the majority of B Gates are located. Flights within the Schengen Area use both areas of the terminal while flights to non-Schengen destinations only use the dock.
Dining Options
Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport offers a variety of dining establishments to cater to different tastes:
La Tagliatella: Located on Floor 2 of Departures (passenger-only zone), this Italian restaurant offers delicious pizzas, salads, risottos, and gratins.
The Food Market: A gourmet market with fresh produce on display and small establishments preparing food before your eyes in the exhibition cooking style. You can find it on Floor 2 of Departures (passenger-only zone).
Burger King: The American burger chain has 3 outlets at ALC: 2 on Floor 2 of Departures and 1 at P3 of Departures (public zone).
Lounges
Alicante–Elche Airport offers the Costa Blanca VIP Lounge located on the 1st floor, in the boarding area.
Access is available to business class passengers and certain frequent flyer members between 7:00 and 21:00. 4-hour passes can be purchased by anyone traveling both in and out of Schengen. The lounge offers work areas, various food options (including special diets, kosher and halal), free Wi-Fi, a TV, and digital press.
Transportation to and from the Airport
Travelers have several options for reaching and departing from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport:
Tram-train: Lines 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Alicante (Luceros) tram stop at ALC airport and run along the Costa Blanca. To get to Luceros station from the arrival hall, take Bus number C6. Tram fares depend on the number of zones crossed - 1-zone single ticket costs 1.45 EUR.
Bus: Bus service #C6 runs between the Terminal and the city center of Alicante every day of the year, stopping at the railway station and other key points in the city. The regular fare costs 4.50 EUR. The R11 line connects the airport with the city of Elche. The single fare is around 1.55 EUR.
Taxi: Two companies, Radio Taxi Elche and Servitaxi Elche provide taxi services at the airport. All the vehicles can be identified by a green stripe running the length of the vehicle and the coat of arms of the city of Elche on the front doors. Taxi ranks are situated in front of the terminal. A ride to Alicante typically takes about 15 minutes and costs around 25-35 including an airport supplement of 4.25 EUR.
Ridesharing: Uber provides rideshare taxi services from floor 0 of the passenger terminal to destinations along the Costa Blanca.

Parking at ALC
Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport provides various parking options, including express parking, short-term and long-term parking lots:
Express parking is possible in front of the arrivals and departures areas for a few minutes to pick up or drop off passengers.
The General Parking Lot P1 is suitable for those parking for a few hours whereas the Long-stay Parking PL, situated a bit further from the terminal, is a cost-effective option if you need to park for a few days.
Both parking areas are equipped with security measures, including surveillance cameras and regular patrols. For precise prices and up-to-date information, check the official website.
Hotels at Alicante-Elche Airport
There are no hotels directly at the airport. The closest town with accommodation options is Torrelano, about 4 km away from the Terminal building. There, Hotel Areca makes for a pleasant stay with modern amenities, including a spa and a restaurant.
A different option is El Plantío Golf Resort, located around 8 kilometers from the airport - a golf resort with multiple swimming pools, restaurants, and an on-site golf course.