Málaga Airport Expansion & Drone Taxis
Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport is soaring into the future with groundbreaking developments underway—fusing traditional infrastructure expansion with cutting-edge aerial mobility in a move set to redefine regional transportation.
A Major Terminal Expansion — On the Ground
Spanish authorities have greenlit a €1.5 billion expansion project, scheduled to kick off in September 2026. The current terminal space—now around 80,000 m²—will nearly double to 140,000 m², thanks to a brand-new “U-shaped” building that will bridge over existing airport roads and link directly to the second runway. The project also includes renovation of older sections, such as Terminal 2. Once completed, the airport will have the capacity to handle up to 36 million passengers per year, reinforcing Málaga’s pivotal role in Spanish and Andalusian tourism.
Once planning phases wrap up, construction is expected to proceed with environmental approvals by 2028, and ground-breaking slated for 2029.
Drone Taxis Take Flight — When the Sky Joins the Network
While the airport readies for expansion below, the sky above Costa del Sol is gearing up for a revolution in air mobility.
Pilotled Test Flights Begin
Under EU-led projects like Ensure, OperA, and EUREKA (part of the SESAR and Sesar frameworks), Aena and Spain’s air navigation authority Enaire will conduct demonstration flights between Málaga and Granada starting in late 2025 or early 2026. The goal: to validate operational procedures for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft (eVTOLs) and pave the way for integrating them with traditional air traffic.
Timeline of Passenger Drone Services
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Mid–2025: Pilot-led tests begin using conventional helicopters as placeholders while establishing “virtual vertiports” at Málaga Airport’s runway 13/31.
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If all goes to plan, manned eVTOL flights could begin by the end of 2026.
Lilium and Crisalion: Dual Drivers of Drone Mobility
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Lilium, the German eVTOL manufacturer, is working with Enaire and local operators to deliver its electric, VTOL-capable Lilium Jet in 2026. With a capacity for 4–6 passengers, cruising at 250 km/h and with a practical range of 175 km, the flight from Málaga to Marbella is expected to take just 15–20 minutes, while Malaga to Granada could be 35–40 minutes. Cost estimates hover around €2 per km, making the Málaga–Marbella route approximately €100.
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Crisalion Mobility, based in the Basque region, has unveiled its Integrity eVTOL prototype—capable of carrying one pilot and five passengers, covering 130 km, at 180 km/h, with a payload capacity over 400 kg. The company aims to roll out operations by 2030, offering routes from the airport to luxe destinations, including Marbella, Puerto Banús, Sotogrande, and Ronda, at under €100 per trip. An agreement with Málaga’s iJet consolidates plans for ten Integrity units in service.
Some reports even suggest Crisalion anticipates a 12-minute route to Marbella at that price point.
The Horizon Ahead
Málaga Airport is charting a clear trajectory—expanding robustly on the ground while pioneering the skies with next-gen transport. If the timeline stays on track:
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Ground expansion begins in 2026, transforming capacity by the end of the decade.
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Drone taxi routes offer a possible reality by 2026 (Lilium) and 2030 (Crisalion).
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Urban air mobility standards and corridors will be developed, positioning Costa del Sol as a global leader in aerial urban transit.
Efficient, sustainable, and revolutionary—Málaga is preparing to redefine how we think about regional travel.