Aviation in the Basque Country

A Closer Look at Vitoria, San Sebastian, and Bilbao Airports 

13 May 2025

Recently, I took a road trip through the Basque Country and was truly impressed by the stunning landscapes. Along the way, I happened to pass by two regional airports: San Sebastian (EAS) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (VIT). The last time I explored Basque and Spanish airports in detail was when I published my book All You Need to Know About European Airports two years ago. So, I took this journey as a great opportunity to take another look at the region, again from an updated aviation perspective. 

The Basque Country, officially known as the Basque Autonomous Community or Euskadi, is located in northern Spain and has a population of around 2.2 million people spread over an area of 7,234 square kilometers. While Vitoria-Gasteiz serves as the administrative capital, the largest city in the region is Bilbao. The Basque Country is served by three commercial airports, which I’ll examine in more detail below. 

Vitoria-Gasteiz Airport (VIT): A Freight Powerhouse 

Located in the capital city of Vitoria-Gasteiz (population approx. 250,000), VIT has a single runway measuring 3.5 km in length and situated at an elevation of 513 meters. The airport sees limited passenger activity but plays a significant role in freight. Unlike the other two airports in the region, Vitoria-Gasteiz has no air connection to Madrid. 

In 2024, the airport handled only 263,000 passengers, with Ryanair being the sole airline offering regular services to destinations in Spain (Alicante - ALC, Malaga - AGP, Seville SVQ, Palma - PMI), Belgium (Brussels Charleroi - CRL), and Italy (Milan Bergamo - BGO). In stark contrast, the airport moved approximately 70,000 tons of cargo, an impressive volume for a regional airport. This equates to 268 kg of cargo per passenger, placing VIT among the top European airports in this regard. It was the fourth-largest cargo airport in Spain in 2023. 

The strong cargo performance is largely due to the presence of major manufacturers and logistics centers nearby, including Mercedes-Benz, Michelin, Gamesa, and Heraclio Fournier. Key cargo operators include DHL (BCS), Swiftair (WT), European Air Transport Leipzig (QY), and ASL Airlines (3V). 

San Sebastian Airport (EAS): Close to France, Focused on Spain 

San Sebastian Airport is served by Iberia, Vueling (VY), Volotea (V7), Binter Canarias (NT), and British Airways (BA). The Madrid route dominates the schedule with three daily flights. EAS is located right near the French border and just 31 km by road from Biarritz Airport (BIA) in France. Despite the proximity, the two airports do not overlap in terms of destinations served. 

San Sebastian has about 187,000 residents, and except for London City (LCY), all flights are domestic. The airport has a single 1.8 km runway located right on the coast, which imposes operational limitations. Plans for a runway extension have been discussed but not yet realized. Currently, the Airbus A319 is the largest aircraft that can operate there. 

Besides Madrid, other Spanish destinations served include Barcelona (BCN), Menorca (MAH), Palma (PMI), Seville (SVQ), Malaga (AGP), Las Palmas (LPA), and Tenerife North (TFN). In 2024, EAS handled 474,000 passengers, making it the second-busiest airport in the Basque Country. 

Bilbao Airport (BIO): The Region’s Aviation Gateway 

Bilbao Airport is by far the largest airport in the Basque Country. It is a base for Volotea (V7) and Vueling (VY) and handled 6.3 million passengers in 2024. With a population of 345,000, Bilbao serves as the aviation gateway to the region. The airport has two runways, measuring 2,000 and 2,600 meters respectively. 

The passenger network covers around 60 destinations, with a strong focus on Spanish cities. Madrid (MAD) is the busiest route, with up to nine daily flights. International legacy carriers operating at BIO include KLM, Lufthansa (LH), TAP Air Portugal (TP), Air France (AF), Turkish Airlines (TK), and Brussels Airlines (SN). 

In a major milestone, Bilbao Airport secured its first-ever long-haul connection in 2025: United Airlines will begin seasonal service to New York Newark (EWR), starting June 1. Unlike Vitoria-Gasteiz, cargo traffic plays only a minor role at Bilbao. 

Final Thoughts: AENA-Operated and Regionally Complementary 

All three airports are operated by AENA, Spain’s national airport operator (managing 48 airports in Spain and 63 worldwide). In terms of air travel frequency, the Basque Country has a relatively low flight rate, 3.20 flights per year per resident, in contrast to appr. 6.40 for Spain. This is largely due to the absence of a true hub airport with connecting passengers in the region and a smaller amount of incoming passenger flows. 

Bilbao does face some competition from Santander Airport (SDR) in the neighboring region of Cantabria, which is just 105 km away and handled 1.1 million passengers in 2024. Additionally, Biarritz Airport (BIA) in France served 917,000 passengers the same year. 

Taken together, the Basque Country’s three commercial airports are well-positioned to serve various segments of the aviation market, be it regional passenger service or international freight. 

Photo Credit: Flightradar24.com (13 May 2025)