Madrid boosts aviation with direct Barranquilla flight and proposal for second airport

Air Europa announced that it will launch a nonstop service linking Madrid with Barranquilla, Colombia, beginning on 18 December 2026. The route will operate three times a week (Monday, Friday and Sunday) using Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner aircraft with a 296‑passenger capacity. Mayor Alejandro Char said, “With this new connection, Barranquilla will be closer to Madrid, Europe and the rest of the world, reinforcing our city as a strategic destination for tourism, business and investment.”

At the same time, promoters of the Air City Madrid Sur project are seeking to convert the Casarrubios aerodrome into a commercial airport to relieve congestion at Madrid‑Barajas. The plan, initially aimed at handling ten million passengers a year, has been scaled back to target up to one million passengers annually and could involve low‑cost carrier Ryanair. Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson expressed support for competition with Aena to lower airport fees.