Thousands of people took to the streets in Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma on Sunday, September 20, protesting against airport expansion and investment plans they say could increase tourism pressure, housing demand and environmental impacts.

The three demonstrations took place just days after Spain's Council of Ministers approved DORA III, the airport regulatory framework for 2027 to 2031, which includes billions of euros in planned investment across the Aena network.

Although the protests shared concerns about continued airport growth, the projects being debated in the three locations are different in scope.

Demonstration in Ibiza

In Ibiza, the protest was organised by the Associació de Joves d'Eivissa and supported by environmental, neighbourhood, cultural and other organisations.

The march began at Vara de Rey at 18:00 and continued through the centre of Ibiza Town before ending at Parque Reina Sofía, where a manifesto was read.

The Government Delegation put attendance at around 5,000 people, while organisers estimated that as many as 10,000 had taken part.

What Protesters in Ibiza Are Opposing

The principal focus of the Ibiza demonstration was Aena's planned remodelling of the terminal at Es Codolar.

Protesters object particularly to the planned increase in boarding gates from 17 to 32, the creation of a new area for non-Schengen flights and the expansion of passenger facilities.

The organisers argue that these changes could facilitate greater visitor numbers and increase pressure on the island's infrastructure and public services.

Those are the organisers' arguments and do not represent an independently established forecast of the project's eventual tourism impact.

Aena's Position on Ibiza

Aena describes the Ibiza project differently.

The airport operator says the terminal is being modernised to comply with new European requirements governing border controls and security.

The plans include a new centralised passport-control system, a dedicated pier for passengers travelling outside the Schengen area, a complete renovation of the boarding area and an increase in boarding gates from 17 to 32.

Aena also plans eight additional boarding bridges.

The company says that the enlarged boarding area is designed to allow Schengen and non-Schengen passengers to be handled appropriately without increasing the airport's maximum operating capacity.

Ibiza's Investment Programme

DORA III includes Ibiza within the Balearic Islands' wider airport investment programme.

The broader investment figure associated with Ibiza is €229.7 million for the 2027-2031 period.

The final DORA also contains €159.620 million of regulated investment that is itemised in its airport-level tables, covering areas such as terminal adaptation, security, maintenance, airfield infrastructure, information systems and sustainability.

These figures represent different parts of the wider investment framework and should not be treated as two competing totals for exactly the same category of spending.

Demonstration in Barcelona

Barcelona also saw thousands of people demonstrate against the planned expansion of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

The protest was organised by the Zeroport platform and supported by more than 200 environmental, neighbourhood, social and trade-union organisations.

Guardia Urbana estimated that around 5,500 people took part.

The march began on Passeig de Gràcia and ended at Plaça de Sant Jaume under the slogan “No a la ampliación. Ni ahora ni nunca”.

What Is Planned at El Prat

Barcelona-El Prat is involved in a larger airport development project than the Ibiza terminal intervention.

Aena's plan, previously approved by the Spanish and Catalan administrations, includes the proposed extension of the sea-side runway and the construction of a satellite terminal.

The broader project has been estimated at around €3.2 billion.

However, the DORA III investment package for 2027-2031 does not include the physical construction of the runway extension or the satellite terminal.

It includes €191 million for preparatory measures connected with the possible future runway expansion, including environmental compensation and preparation work.

Protesters' Concerns in Barcelona

Campaigners say an expansion of El Prat would increase tourism pressure on Barcelona and the surrounding metropolitan area.

They also argue that greater aviation activity could increase environmental impacts and place additional pressure on the housing market.

The organisers have proposed alternatives including greater use of existing railway connections and measures to reduce aviation demand.

Their estimates regarding additional tourist numbers and emissions are campaign claims rather than official forecasts.

Demonstration in Palma

Palma was the third major location involved in Sunday's coordinated protests.

The Platform Against the Expansion of Palma Airport organised the demonstration under the slogan “Ni más ampliación, ni más promoción”.

Initial estimates from security forces put attendance in the hundreds, while organisers said around 3,000 people participated.

The protesters' demands included limits on airport traffic, restrictions on private aviation, an end to night flights and greater Balearic participation in decisions affecting airport infrastructure.

Son Sant Joan Investment

Palma Airport is also included in DORA III.

The document provides €621.6 million for Son Sant Joan and the Son Bonet area during the 2027-2031 period.

DORA III forecasts passenger traffic at Palma Airport increasing from 34.27 million in 2027 to 35.67 million in 2031.

The forecast represents around 1.4 million additional passengers a year between the two endpoints.

Protesters Question Continued Growth

In Palma, campaigners argued that airport traffic is already placing pressure on Mallorca's infrastructure.

Pere Joan Femenia, a spokesperson for the platform, criticised the continued growth in flights and tourism despite political commitments to greater restraint.

The platform also highlighted concerns over night flights and private aviation.

These are positions expressed by the organisers of the demonstration.

Three Airports, Different Projects

Although the demonstrations in Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma took place on the same day, the projects are not identical.

Barcelona is linked to a proposed runway extension and satellite terminal.

Ibiza is undergoing planning for a major terminal reconfiguration focused partly on European border and security requirements.

Palma's DORA programme includes substantial investment alongside a forecast increase in annual passenger traffic.

The different technical details are important when comparing the three cases.

The Role of DORA III

DORA III establishes the regulatory and investment framework for Aena's airports from 2027 through 2031.

The Spanish Government says the investment programme is designed to maintain and modernise airport infrastructure, improve safety and security and prepare facilities for future demand.

The framework covers almost €13 billion of investment across the Aena network.

The Government also says the investment is financed through the airport system itself rather than directly through the national budget.

Airport Growth and Tourism

The demonstrations reflect a wider debate in Spain about the relationship between airport infrastructure and tourism.

Campaigners in all three locations argue that additional aviation infrastructure can contribute to higher visitor numbers and place pressure on housing, transport and environmental resources.

Authorities and Aena have emphasised different objectives, including regulatory compliance, passenger services, safety, infrastructure renewal and preparation for future demand.

The extent to which individual projects increase effective capacity depends on their final design, operating conditions and future decisions.

Ibiza's Particular Debate

The issue is especially sensitive in Ibiza because passenger numbers have already increased substantially over the past two decades.

Aena recorded more than 9 million passengers at Ibiza Airport in 2025.

DORA III's regulatory forecast places the airport at 9,173,500 passengers in 2027 and 9,718,800 in 2031.

Those numbers are forecasts rather than a legal passenger limit.

Institutional Response in Ibiza

The demonstration has already produced an institutional response.

Consell de Ibiza President Vicent Marí met representatives of the groups involved on September 21 and said the island institution supports necessary airport investment but opposes an intervention that increases capacity.

Aena has continued to describe its project as a modernisation and regulatory-adaptation programme.

The disagreement therefore remains focused not only on investment levels but also on how the terminal's future configuration should be understood.

What Happens Next in Ibiza

The airport project is still progressing through technical and procurement stages.

Aena has already tendered project-management services covering the preparation, tendering, construction and commissioning of the planned intervention.

The main construction works have not yet been awarded as a single completed project.

The debate in Ibiza is therefore likely to continue as the technical design develops and more details become available.

A Wider Spanish Debate

The simultaneous demonstrations in Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma show how airport development has become a wider issue across several of Spain's most visited destinations.

For campaigners, the central question is whether additional airport investment should be accompanied by limits on tourism growth.

For Aena and the Spanish Government, the investment programmes are presented as a combination of modernisation, safety, regulatory adaptation and preparation for future demand.

The September 20 protests have placed those competing perspectives firmly back in the public debate.

The Road Ahead

The next stages will involve decisions about the detailed implementation of the projects covered by DORA III.

In Barcelona, preparatory work for a possible runway expansion is included in the five-year framework.

In Ibiza, the terminal design and procurement process will continue, with Aena maintaining that the project is focused on modernisation without increasing maximum operating capacity.

In Palma, investment will continue under DORA III while the airport operates within the traffic and capacity framework established for the coming years.

For all three destinations, the balance between airport infrastructure, tourism, residents and environmental pressures is likely to remain a major issue through the next investment period.