How do you get to Alicante-Elche airport from the Costa Blanca?

To reach Alicante-Elche airport from the Costa Blanca, the simplest option is the C6 bus from central Alicante (30 to 35 minutes, around 3.85 euros) or a direct ALSA coach from Benidorm, Torrevieja or Denia; the airport itself set a new all-time record in 2025, driven overwhelmingly by international traffic, with the UK remaining the top nationality of travellers. Here is the full how-to, with the real transport options and the traffic figures behind them.

Just how busy is Alicante-Elche airport?

Very: the airport, also known as El Altet or Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez, broke its all-time record in 2025 with 19,950,394 passengers, up 8.5 percent on 2024 (source: TodoAlicante, 13 January 2026, Aena data). Every month of the year beat the same month in 2024, and December 2025 itself set a record with 1,318,828 passengers (up 8.4 percent year on year). International traffic accounts for 88 percent of the total, with the United Kingdom remaining the top nationality of travellers. In practice, that means a very busy airport all year round, with marked summer peaks worth planning around (book your bus, parking or flight in advance).

How do you reach the airport from central Alicante?

By the C6 bus, the express service linking Puerta del Mar, right in the city centre, to the terminal in 30 to 35 minutes, running almost continuously from 00.00 to 23.55 all year round (source: alibus.es). A single ticket costs 3.85 euros, payable in cash or contactless on board, and a rechargeable airport travel card starts at 16 euros. The C6 buses have generous luggage space, built with travellers in mind. Alicante's TRAM tram network, for its part, does not yet serve the airport: space was reserved during construction of the new NAT terminal, but the line itself was never built. To reach the TRAM network from the airport, you first need to take the C6 to the Luceros stop, then change. For an overview of the province's bus, TRAM and train networks, our guide to getting around the Costa Blanca covers the routes useful for everyday life. By taxi, budget around 19 to 21 euros for an airport-to-central-Alicante ride (regulated ordinary or special fare depending on the time, source: taxisalicante.com), for a journey of roughly 15 to 20 minutes outside peak hours.

How do you get to the airport from Benidorm, Torrevieja, Denia or Javea?

With ALSA intercity coaches, direct for most of these towns, though not all of them. Here are the verified options.

• Benidorm: direct ALSA route, more than 36 services a day, roughly hourly between 7am and 10pm, journey of about 45 minutes, indicative fare 8 to 12 euros (source: alsa.com). Arrival at Benidorm bus station, avenida del Mediterraneo.
• Torrevieja: 5 direct buses a day, with no intermediate stop, journey of about 50 minutes, from 5 to 7 euros depending on the operator and time of purchase (source: torrevieja.com, omio.es). Departure and arrival at Torrevieja bus station, calle del Mar 50.
• Denia: 5 direct ALSA buses a day, journey of about 1.5 to 2 hours to cover the 85 km, from 15 euros (source: busbud.com, omio.es).
• Javea: no direct route: you need to change buses in Benidorm (around a 20-minute wait), for a total journey costing from 14 euros (source: movelia.es).

If you are just settling in the region and still deciding between these towns, weighing the real distance to the airport is worth doing before choosing where to live.

Should you book parking in advance?

Yes, especially in high season, given the airport's record traffic in 2025. The general P1 car park, under a minute's walk from the terminal, runs around 15 to 19 euros a day depending on length of stay, with tapering rates from the 4th or 5th day (source: comparison sites Park-King and Parkmundo, to be cross-checked against the official parking.aena.es site since Aena's rates change by the minute without notice). Low-cost off-site car parks with a shuttle around the airport offer lower rates, often between 5 and 15 euros a day depending on how far in advance you book. If you plan to drive regularly once you have settled in Spain, our guide to driving a car on the Costa Blanca covers the licence, registration and everyday parking, beyond the airport alone.

In brief

• 19.95 million passengers in 2025 (up 8.5 percent year on year), an all-time record for Alicante-Elche.
• International traffic makes up 88 percent of the total, with the UK the top nationality of travellers.
• The C6 bus from central Alicante (3.85 euros, 30 to 35 minutes); direct ALSA coaches from Benidorm and Torrevieja, with a change needed for Javea.
• The TRAM does not yet serve the airport, despite space reserved during recent construction work.
• Book ahead in summer: buses and nearby parking fill up fast in July and August given the airport's record traffic.

Frequently asked questions about Alicante-Elche airport

Does the TRAM go all the way to Alicante airport?
No, not yet. Space was reserved for a future station when the new terminal was built, but the line does not exist to date. You need to take the C6 bus to the Luceros stop to reach the TRAM network.

How busy was Alicante-Elche airport in 2025?
A record 19,950,394 passengers, up 8.5 percent on 2024, with every single month beating the same month the year before. International traffic accounted for 88 percent of the total, and the UK remained the top nationality of travellers.

How long should you allow to reach the airport from Torrevieja?
Around 50 minutes on a direct ALSA bus, a little less by car or taxi outside peak hours. There are 5 direct buses a day in each direction.

Should you book your bus or parking in advance in summer?
It is recommended. With air traffic having broken its record in 2025, ALSA routes and car parks near the terminal fill up quickly in July and August.

Sources: TodoAlicante, 13 January 2026, and Elche7TV, 14 January 2026 (Aena 2025 passenger traffic); alibus.es (C6 route, timetable and fares); tramalicante.info and aeropuertoalicante-elche.com (TRAM status); alsa.com, torrevieja.com, omio.es, busbud.com and movelia.es (ALSA routes to Benidorm, Torrevieja, Denia and Javea); taxisalicante.com (regulated taxi fares); Park-King and Parkmundo (parking rates, to be cross-checked against parking.aena.es).

Information verified in August 2026. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human review.