Spain’s airport operator Aena launched a €41.7 million tender on 21 October 2026 to completely refurbish runway 12-30 at Valencia Airport, a project that will involve nightly closures from 22:00 to 06:00 between May 2027 and July 2029. The works include new pavement, drainage, LED lighting, taxi-way reconfiguration and perimeter-road upgrades designed to boost resilience as passenger volumes approach 10 million a year. Although the refurbishment is two years away, Aena has already begun consultations with airlines, cargo operators and ground-transport providers so that schedules can be re-timed or diverted to Alicante, Castellón or Madrid during the curfew. Business-aviation stakeholders welcomed the early notice, saying it allows charter clients to plan late-evening arrivals via alternate airports and secure coach transfers in advance. Valencia is a fast-growing hub for automotive, ceramic and biopharma exports, and multinational firms rely on late-night red-eye services to connect production sites with head offices in Germany and the UK. Programme managers should therefore map critical cargo and executive routes well ahead of the 2027 works, build buffer stocks or shift some traffic to rail where feasible. The project also signals Spain’s continued investment in secondary-city infrastructure following the publication last month of the national Airport Regulation Document (DORA) 2027-2031, which earmarks €2.3 billion for capacity and sustainability upgrades. Once complete, the modernised runway will support CAT III operations, reducing weather-related diversions that have historically plagued the autumn trade-fair season. HR and relocation teams should flag the forthcoming works to expatriates assigned to Valencia’s technology parks, as occasional noise and rerouted evening flights could affect commuting patterns and serviced-apartment availability near alternate airports. Aena will publish the definitive closure calendar in Q1 2027; travel suppliers expect GDS timetable updates roughly six months before the first shutdown night.
Source: Aena press release
