Three business groupings are competing for the contract that will turn Aena's planned functional design for Ibiza Airport into detailed construction projects, marking another stage in the development of the island's major terminal redevelopment.

The current procurement process involves eight engineering, architecture and technical-inspection companies grouped into three candidates. The contract has a net tender budget of €10.066 million, with an estimated net contract value of €10.096 million and a planned duration of 60 months.

Three Candidates Remain in the Process

Aena's contracting portal currently lists three groupings in the active phase of the restricted procedure.

The first brings together AIRIA Ingeniería y Servicios, Apave Inspection Spain, Francisco Benítez Arquitectos and Intecsa Engineering Group.

The second consists of Artelia Spain and Conurma Ingenieros Consultores.

The third is made up of Gesnaer Consulting and IDOM.

At this stage, no winning bidder has been announced.

What the €10 Million Contract Is For

The contract is not the tender to build the planned terminal works.

Instead, its purpose is to provide the engineering and architectural services needed to prepare the construction projects for the airport's new functional design.

The successful grouping will be responsible for developing the technical documentation and providing architectural assistance during the subsequent implementation of the works.

The major construction contracts will be put out to tender separately once the relevant projects have been completed and approved.

A Restricted Procurement Process

The tender is being processed through a restricted procedure.

This means there is an initial stage in which companies request participation and demonstrate that they meet the required conditions. Aena then selects the candidates that can proceed to the next stage and submit their proposals.

Aena's contracting portal records three groupings in the current phase, following the earlier selection process.

The First Grouping

The largest of the three current candidates combines four companies.

AIRIA Ingeniería y Servicios specialises in engineering and consultancy related to airports and air transport.

Apave Inspection Spain provides inspection, control and technical-assistance services across infrastructure projects.

Francisco Benítez Arquitectos brings specific experience in airport architecture, while Intecsa Engineering Group provides engineering expertise in infrastructure projects.

The four companies are competing together for the Ibiza Airport contract.

Artelia and Conurma

The second candidate consists of Artelia Spain and Conurma Ingenieros Consultores.

Artelia is part of an international consultancy and engineering group working across areas including mobility, construction, water, energy and industry.

Conurma, founded in 1994, works on infrastructure and equipment projects in Spain and internationally.

Gesnaer and IDOM

The third grouping brings together Gesnaer Consulting and IDOM, both of which have previous experience connected with Ibiza Airport.

Gesnaer specialises in areas including airport planning, design, operational safety and certification.

IDOM has worked on airport engineering and architecture, including terminal facilities, baggage systems and construction supervision.

Previous Work at Ibiza Airport

Several of the companies involved have previously worked at Es Codolar.

Aena awarded Gesnaer a service in 2019 related to change-management procedures and maintenance of the airport's certification. More recently, the company received the IBZ-61/2025 contract for obstacle control, operational safety matters and the airport's integrated self-protection plan.

IDOM previously worked on the automated baggage-handling system at Ibiza Airport as part of a wider project covering 14 Spanish airports.

The company was also involved in adapting baggage-inspection systems to European EDS Standard 3 requirements.

AIRIA also lists Ibiza Airport among its professional references for airport-environment simulation work, although the publicly available information does not specify the exact scope, value or date of that work.

What Is Planned for the Terminal

Aena's current functional design envisages a substantial reorganisation of the terminal.

The project includes a new centralised passport-control system and the separation of Schengen and non-Schengen passenger flows.

A new pier is planned for passengers travelling outside the Schengen area, while the boarding area is to be reorganised to provide a total of 32 boarding gates.

Aena also plans to install eight new boarding bridges, potentially allowing a much larger proportion of high-season flights to use direct boarding access between the terminal and aircraft.

Security and Passenger Facilities

The project also includes new security-screening equipment designed to allow passengers to keep liquids and electronic devices inside their hand luggage during the applicable screening process.

The boarding area is planned to receive improvements to toilets, rest areas, children's facilities and services for passengers with reduced mobility.

Aena also plans additional commercial and support areas, a second floor for offices, a passenger terrace and a larger VIP lounge.

Inter-Island Flights Included

Specific changes are also planned for flights between the Balearic Islands.

Aena says a differentiated area will be created within the boarding zone for inter-island services, with improved access to the relevant gates through ramps and lifts.

The objective is to make the process more suitable for the operational needs of these flights.

DORA III Adds a Regulatory Dimension

The procurement process comes as Ibiza Airport's terminal adaptation has also been incorporated into Spain's new DORA III airport regulatory framework.

DORA III was approved by the Council of Ministers on September 15 and applies from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2031.

The official document identifies the Ibiza terminal adaptation to new regulations as a strategic investment and establishes a completion milestone extending to December 2035.

Traffic Forecasts Through 2031

DORA III forecasts 9,173,500 passengers at Ibiza Airport in 2027, increasing to 9,718,800 by 2031.

It also forecasts aircraft operations rising from 87,901 in 2027 to 92,964 in 2031.

These are regulatory forecasts rather than guaranteed passenger or flight totals.

Construction Has Not Yet Been Tendered

The current competition therefore represents an important technical stage rather than the start of the main construction programme.

Once the winning team is selected, its work will be used to prepare the detailed construction projects required for the planned terminal intervention.

Those construction works will subsequently have to go through their own procurement and approval processes.

The project is consequently still moving through design and technical preparation rather than being under construction.

What Happens Next

The three current candidates will be assessed within Aena's restricted procurement procedure before a contract is awarded.

The successful grouping will then take on the engineering and architectural work needed to convert Aena's functional design into executable projects.

Only after those technical documents are prepared and approved can the principal construction works be tendered.

For Ibiza, the next stage will therefore be the selection of the team responsible for defining in detail how the planned airport transformation will be delivered.