Vueling has reinforced its position as the dominant carrier at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, widening the gap to Ryanair as the second-largest operator by passenger volume. According to data from Aena and industry analyses, Vueling accounted for roughly 41–42% of all passengers using El Prat in 2022, carrying 17.39 million travelers out of a total 41.63 million. Ryanair, in second place, transported 7.43 million passengers, equivalent to about 17.8% of the airport’s traffic.
The trend continued in 2023, when El Prat handled more than 49 million passengers. Vueling reached a new annual record with 20.54 million travelers, around 40% of total traffic and slightly above its pre-pandemic 2019 figures. Ryanair maintained its runner-up position with 8.53 million passengers, or 17% of the total, keeping a clear distance but still well behind Vueling’s share.
The dominance of both airlines is set against a broader backdrop of strong low-cost presence at El Prat. In 2023, about three out of four passengers flew with low-cost carriers, with Vueling and Ryanair at the forefront. EasyJet, Wizz Air and Iberia followed at a considerable distance, confirming that Vueling’s lead at Barcelona has become structurally entrenched while Ryanair consolidates its long-standing second place.