Launching your trip from Alicante means easy access to Europe with a relaxed, beach-city vibe before you even board. Sitting at the heart of the Costa Blanca, it balances holiday energy with solid air connectivity year round.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport serves both the city of Alicante and nearby Elche, so it pulls travelers from the whole coastline and inland towns, keeping routes frequent in summer and steady in winter. Peak season demand is strong, and the airport hit a record 2,098,522 passengers in August 2025, up 6.9 percent year on year, which speaks to the breadth of destinations on offer and the resilience of schedules in busy months, subject to change. For weekend flights from Alicante or cheap one way flights from Alicante, you’ll find plenty of short and mid haul options alongside a growing mix of seasonal services.
The airport’s single terminal keeps things simple, with straightforward wayfinding and a clean, efficient feel that regulars appreciate. Domestic routes connect quickly into major Spanish hubs, while a wide spread of European cities makes it a smart starting point for onward connections.
If you like to build flexible journeys, use Kiwi.com’s Travel Hacks to discover self transfer itineraries that combine separate tickets into one plan, then add the Kiwi.com Guarantee for peace of mind if carrier changes disrupt your trip. It’s a practical way to reach places that aren’t offered as a single ticket by one airline.
Alicante shines for short breaks to the UK and Northern Europe, year round links to Spanish hubs, and seasonal sunshine swaps in the Mediterranean. Flight durations below are examples and subject to change.
The United Kingdom is the strongest market, with frequent nonstop flights to London airports, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. Nonstop times run about 2 hours 30 minutes to London, roughly 2 hours 50 minutes to Manchester, and around 3 hours to Edinburgh, subject to change. Leisure heavy carriers and full service brands share these routes, including operators such as Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2.com, British Airways, and Vueling.
Germany is well covered too, with direct links to Cologne Bonn, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt. Typical gate to gate times are about 2 hours 40 to 2 hours 50 minutes depending on the city, subject to change. Travelers choose these routes for business ties, city breaks, and easy onward train connections across Germany.
Scandinavian favorites include Helsinki, Oslo, and Stockholm. Expect around 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes depending on the city, subject to change. These routes are popular for winter sun escapes and summer holidays around Costa Blanca resorts. France is reliably served with Paris among the main draws for culture focused weekends at roughly 2 hours nonstop, subject to change.
For domestic Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, and Palma de Mallorca are staples. Madrid takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, Barcelona around 1 hour 5 minutes, and Palma roughly 50 minutes nonstop, subject to change. These are chosen for quick business trips, event weekends, and connections across Spain. Beyond Europe, routes to Algiers and Oran open convenient access to Algeria, while Chișinău links Alicante to Moldova on select schedules, subject to seasonal adjustments.
Prices swing with seasons, school holidays, and big events. Aim for shoulder periods and watch fares closely to grab value.
Summer drives the highest demand on the Costa Blanca, as seen by August 2025’s record traffic. For lower average fares, look at spring and autumn shoulder weeks, and consider midweek departures when schedules allow. A common sweet spot is to book 4 to 6 weeks before departure for short haul, and earlier for peak summer or holiday dates, but availability and pricing vary by route and carrier.
Turn on Set a Price Alert to track fare drops without constant checking. You’ll get notifications when prices move so you can book when a fare fits your budget. If you’re flexible on where to go, use the anywhere style search and the Nomad Search Tool to stitch together multi city trips across several destinations and dates in one go, finding efficient combinations fast.
If you don’t see the direct itinerary you want, Kiwi.com’s Travel Hacks can surface self transfer options made from separate tickets that other tools might miss. It’s a useful way to uncover cheap flights from Alicante on busy weekends or during last minute rushes, subject to connection times and schedule changes.
Alicante is primarily served by one airport, with clear ground transport and a single terminal setup that keeps transfers and processes straightforward.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, IATA ALC and ICAO LEAL, sits about 9 kilometers southwest of Alicante and around 10 kilometers east of Elche. The C6 city bus runs 24 hours a day between the airport and central Alicante, stopping by the main bus station, the train station, and the port; during peak periods it typically runs about every 15 minutes and during off peak about every 60 minutes, subject to change. Taxis queue at both arrivals and departures level ranks, and major car hire desks are inside with vehicles in the adjacent parking garage.
The terminal has VIP lounge access, family areas, and services for passengers with reduced mobility. Check in and security flows are generally smooth, but plan on arriving about 2 hours before domestic and 3 hours before international flights, especially in summer or early morning banks, subject to change.
You’ll find a mix of budget and full service airlines flying from Alicante. Low cost carriers cover many leisure routes, while national and network airlines add domestic links and selected European capitals. If you need to combine carriers on one journey, Kiwi.com’s Travel Hacks can create a self transfer itinerary, and the Kiwi.com Guarantee provides an extra layer of support if carrier changes stop your trip in its tracks. The Guarantee includes Disruption Protection with instant compensation in Kiwi.com Credit to rebook a replacement flight online or help applying for refunds from carriers, plus automatic check in and 24 by 7 instant chat support.