Ibiza Airport · 1936–2036 | ChronotopiaIbiza Airport: from an earth field by the salt pans to nine million passengers. Explore in 3D how it grew from 1936 to 2036, year by year: runways, terminals, aircraft and planned works.2026 · DORA III: the biggest remodelOn 15 September 2026 the government approves DORA III: €229.7 M for Ibiza in 2027-2031, the largest investment in its history. The terminal will grow 60 m to the south-west and gain a non-Schengen pier to the north-east; gates will go from 17 to 32 and jet bridges from 4 to 12. On 20 September thousands march in Vila against the expansion.Stages

1936 · The Codolar field: During the Civil War a makeshift airfield is laid out at the west end of today’s runway, by Codolar beach, between the Sant Jordi road and the salt pans. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, IDEIB: ortofotos históricas

1949 · Opened to civil traffic: A ministerial order of 13 August 1949 opens "Es Codolá" to domestic and international tourist traffic and technical stops. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Periódico de Ibiza: una historia de altos vuelos (2000)

1958 · First scheduled flights: On 1 April 1958 Aviaco starts flying to Palma and Barcelona with Bristol 170s, and on 10 July Iberia arrives with DC-3s to Barcelona and Valencia. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Wikipedia: Ibiza Airport

1961 · The first asphalt runway: Between summer 1960 and early 1961 a 1,180 m runway is paved (6 million pesetas) and a second-hand control tower brought from Mallorca is put up. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Periódico de Ibiza: una historia de altos vuelos (2000)

1963 · 2,000 metres: The runway excursions hasten the extension: in 1962-63 the runway reaches 2,000 × 45 m and a transmitter centre is built. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza

1964 · Lights and a "temporary" terminal: Runway edge lights and apron floodlighting arrive, allowing night flights, plus a VHF direction finder and a radio beacon near Sant Jordi. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar

1965 · The 2,800-metre runway: With new expropriations and 219 million pesetas, the runway reaches 2,800 m in summer 1965, practically its length today. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza

1966 · International airport: On 15 July 1966 the airport opens to international traffic, with customs and round-the-clock service, and in 1967 it becomes first category. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Cirer Costa (2010), Cuadernos de Turismo 26

1970 · The hotel under the approach: In 1967-68 the 10-storey, 600-room Insula Augusta hotel goes up at Platja d’en Bossa, right under the approach. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, elDiario.es: los Matutes y el Insula Augusta

1971 · The charter terminal: On 22 July 1971 a modular terminal opens for "non-scheduled" traffic, like those of Alicante, Girona, Málaga and Palma, and the Second Development Plan (147 million pesetas) enlarges the apron and taxiway. Sources: Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza

1972 · Iberia Flight 602: On 7 January 1972 Caravelle EC-ATV "Maestro Victoria", arriving from Valencia, crashes on the sa Talaiassa ridge, about 27 m below the summit, during a visual approach to runway 07. Sources: Wikipedia: Iberia Flight 602, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Periódico de Ibiza: una historia de altos vuelos (2000)

1973 · The 1973 terminal and the first 747: The new terminal is finished in 1973, first for international flights; from 1974 it takes all traffic and the 1964 building becomes the technical centre. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar

1988 · More apron: After the terminal’s full remodelling in 1984-85 (in May 1985 a fire destroys the old 1964 building), the apron is extended west in 1988. Sources: Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Cirer Costa (2010), Cuadernos de Turismo 26, IDEIB: ortofotos históricas

1990 · A much larger terminal: The 1989 and 1997-98 orthophotos show a large new building wrapping round the 1973 terminal and, to the north-east, a concrete apron for general aviation. Sources: IDEIB: ortofotos históricas, IGN: PNOA histórico, Periódico de Ibiza: una historia de altos vuelos (2000)

2001 · The first Master Plan: Approved on 31 July 2001: a 272.8 ha service area and a runway handling only 22 movements an hour. Sources: BOE: Plan Director 2001, BOE: Plan Director 2010, BOE: declaración de impacto ambiental (2009), Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza

2011 · The big terminal expansion: The 2008-2013 works (over €72 M) bring the centre of the façade forward and open a new arrivals area with VIP and non-Schengen lounges on 30 April 2011; the terminal grows to about 53,500 m². Sources: Aena: ampliación de la zona de llegadas (2011), Aena: pasarelas telescópicas (2012)

2015 · Runway resurfaced: The whole runway gets 6 cm of new asphalt (28 cm where damaged), 219 new lights and new markings: €10.15 M. Sources: Conelsan: regeneración del pavimento de la pista (2015), ENAIRE: AIP España, LEIB AD 2 (2026)

2020 · The pandemic: COVID-19 sinks traffic to 2.1 million passengers, a quarter of 2019’s. Sources: Wikipedia: Ibiza Airport, Aena: obra del edificio de aparcamiento (2020)

2021 · Rapid exits and general aviation: A €30 M package (2019-2021) adds two rapid exits, a link from the apron to the parallel taxiway, the south-west triangle with 9 stands and a large general aviation apron. Sources: Periódico de Ibiza: 30 M€ en obras del campo de vuelo (2019), BOE: informe ambiental de las salidas rápidas (2019), Aena: obra del edificio de aparcamiento (2020)

2024 · Nine million: In 2024 the airport passes 9 million passengers for the first time (9,069,410), with 1.46 million in August alone; 2025 reaches 9,138,224 and 85,086 flights. Sources: Periódico de Ibiza: mejor año de la historia (2025), Aena: más de 9 millones de pasajeros en 2025

2026 · DORA III: the biggest remodel: On 15 September 2026 the government approves DORA III: €229.7 M for Ibiza in 2027-2031, the largest investment in its history. Sources: Última Hora: aprobado el DORA III (2026), La Voz de Ibiza: el DORA III partida por partida, Noudiari: así es la ampliación que proyecta Aena, Ara Balears: manifestación contra la ampliación (2026)

2035 · The remodelled terminal: If the schedule holds, works will start around 2030 and finish in 2034-2035: a three-storey south-west extension with 16 more check-in desks, a 170 × 24 m pier for non-Schengen flights and ground handling moved towards es Codolar. Sources: Noudiari: así es la ampliación que proyecta Aena, Periódico de Ibiza: de cuatro a doce pasarelas, La Voz de Ibiza: el DORA III partida por partida

SourcesOpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), IGN, MDT25 digital terrain model (CC BY 4.0), IDEIB, Govern de les Illes Balears: ortofotos 1956-2023 (CC BY-SA), IGN / CNIG: PNOA histórico 1997-98 y 2018 (CC BY 4.0 scne.es), Enciclopèdia d’Eivissa i Formentera: aeroport des Codolar, Aena: historia del aeropuerto de Ibiza, Aena: notas de prensa (llegadas 2011, pasarelas 2012, aparcamiento 2020, tráfico 2025), ENAIRE: AIP España, LEIB AD 2, BOE: Planes Directores 2001 y 2010, DIA 2009, informe ambiental 2019, Periódico de Ibiza: historia (2000), obras (2019), récords y ampliación (2025-2026), Noudiari y La Voz de Ibiza: la reforma y el DORA III (2026), Última Hora: DORA III aprobado (2026), Cirer Costa (2010): tráfico aéreo y turismo en Ibiza, Cuadernos de Turismo 26, Wikidata Q1431549 y Wikipedia (datos de pasajeros de Aena), Wikimedia Commons (créditos en cada foto)Chronotopia needs JavaScript and WebGL.

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