Passenger traffic at Spain's Aena airports exceeded pre-pandemic levels for a seventh consecutive month in July, outperforming other European terminals where traffic still lags 2019.

The number of passengers travelling through Spanish airports in July rose 10% year-over-year to 29.7 million, state-controlled airport operator Aena said in a statement on Monday.

In the first seven months of the year, Aena airports handled 159.2 million passengers, 21% more than in 2022, and 1.2% more than in 2019.

This year's rebound in leisure travel was led by pandemic-weary travellers from cooler climates visiting Southern Europe despite rising temperatures and soaring hotel and flight prices.

International travel reached around 90% of pre-pandemic levels this year, according to the International Air Transport Association.

 

 

(Reporting by Jakub Olesiuk, editing by Inti Landauro and Devika Syamnath)