Valencia Airport

Valencia is not an airport that spotters write books about – and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. A single runway, a compact site in Manises, plus a traffic mix of low-cost, regional jets, domestic flights, North Africa and a bit of cargo. If you want to combine a city trip to Spain’s third-largest city with a few hours at the fence, you get surprisingly close to the aircraft here. The prerequisite: You know which side of the runway is being landed on right now.

From Manises to the present

The roots of the airport go back to the late 1920s. A commission was founded then to find a commercial airport for Valencia. The site first considered turned out to be unsuitable, so the choice fell on an area near Manises, west of the city. On March 19, 1933, the airport officially opened, and in September 1934 the state company LAPE started the first scheduled connection to Madrid.

The Spanish Civil War interrupted civil operations. In that time, Manises served as a base for LAPE aircraft and as the seat of military staffs. In summer 1939, Iberia resumed the Madrid–Valencia route. From 1946, the first paved runway was built – today’s 12/30 – and in the same year the airport was cleared for national and international traffic.

Militarily, Manises remained important for a long time. In 1955, the fighter wing Ala n.º 1 was stationed here with the F-86 Sabre, the first jet fighters of a Spanish unit. The military base was not dissolved until 1999, and its areas went to the airport operator; since then the field has been used jointly by civil and military aviation.

Several expansion steps followed for civil traffic: a new terminal in 1983, a dedicated regional terminal in 2007 and an instrument landing system for Runway 12. In the same year, Valencia reached about 5.9 million passengers – a figure that stayed out of reach for years after the economic crisis. In 2008, the old crosswind runway 04/22 was shut down. Since the mid-2010s, traffic has been growing clearly again, and in 2024 the airport set a new record with about 10.8 million passengers.

One runway for everything

The layout is quickly explained. Runway 12/30 runs from northwest to southeast, measures 3,215 meters in length and 45 meters in width and has an ILS at both ends. The terminal lies north of the runway on the Manises side; the cargo apron adjoins to the west, and general aviation has its own aprons with a small GA terminal. South and east of the grounds runs the A-3, which connects Valencia with Madrid.

Because there is only one runway, the question of the runway direction in use is even more important here than at airports with several runways. How the numbers 12 and 30 come from the compass direction is explained in the post on runway designations.

Runway direction in use: 30 as the norm, 12 in summer

Over the year, aircraft in Valencia mostly land on Runway 30. They then come in from the southeast, cross the suburbs around Aldaia and the A-3 motorway and touch down near the east end. Takeoffs are also toward the northwest.

In summer it often looks different. Operations then frequently run on Runway 12 – a typical reason is the breeze that blows in from the Mediterranean during the day. The approaches now come from the northwest over the hill country and the industrial area behind the threshold, and the takeoffs head toward the city and the sea. According to spotter guides, Runway 12 is very rare in winter but almost the rule in summer.

For your day, this means: In winter you plan around the spots in the east, in summer around those in the west – and have a plan B for the other case. The fastest way to see the current direction is in a flight tracker, with the METAR or on a wind map. How this works in principle is explained in the posts Understanding the runway direction in use at an airport and Windy and other weather maps for spotters.

Air Nostrum, Vueling, Ryanair – who flies in Valencia

Three companies with a base at the airport set the pace. The most important one for local flavor is Air Nostrum: The regional airline is headquartered in the Valencia region and flies feeder and domestic routes as Iberia Regional. On the apron you therefore meet regional jets like the CRJ1000 and turboprops like the ATR 72-600 – mostly in Iberia Regional colors. If you collect the fleet, the registration is the most reliable way to tell them apart here.

The second base is operated by Vueling, the low-cost subsidiary of International Airlines Group, with jets of the A320 family. Then there is Ryanair, which already had a base in Valencia in the 2000s, closed it in 2008 after a dispute over subsidies and returned a few years later. Its Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 are among the most common types at the airport today. Wizz Air is a newcomer, having announced a base with two aircraft for the 2026/27 winter schedule – one more reason to watch for an A321neo in Wizz livery.

Besides the base airlines, numerous European carriers fly to Valencia, including easyJet, Lufthansa, KLM and Turkish Airlines. The busiest connections in 2025 went to Amsterdam, Rome Fiumicino and Paris Orly; domestically, Palma de Mallorca was clearly ahead, and intercontinentally Marrakech was the most used route. That shows well how Valencia works: a lot of Europe, a lot of city traffic, a strong axis to the Balearics and to North Africa.

Long-haul and cargo: the exceptions

Widebody aircraft are rare in Valencia, and that is exactly why it pays to wait for them on purpose. The first nonstop connection across the Atlantic started in 2009, when Delta Air Lines flew to New York-JFK; the route was later reduced to seasonal and then discontinued altogether. Since June 2025, Air Transat has connected Valencia with Montreal, initially as a seasonal route. In addition, United Airlines has announced a connection to Newark for summer 2027. Which long-haul flight actually operates on your day and with what type, you’re best off checking shortly beforehand in a flight tracker.

Cargo also plays a smaller but, for spotters, rewarding role. UPS connects Valencia with its hub at Cologne Bonn Airport, on weekdays according to a spotter guide. Swiftair flies cargo to Madrid and Ibiza, among others. Both stand on the cargo apron west of the terminal, which you can see from several places.

The terminal

Valencia has a single, connected terminal that has grown in three construction phases. The check-in areas are numbered consecutively: The newest section with desks 1 to 12 lies above the metro station, the oldest main building with desks 13 to 42 in the middle, and the largest extension with desks 43 to 56, where most airlines check in passengers, on the other side. A shared security checkpoint leads to gates 1 to 22.

The regional terminal is a small stroke of luck if you are departing from Valencia anyway: Because boarding here is on foot across the apron, Air Nostrum and low-cost jets stand very close to the glass. For photographing through glass, the tips from the post Photographing through fences and glass help.

In the long term, a significant expansion is planned: Under the state airport investment plan DORA III for 2027 to 2031, an enlargement of the terminal area from about 66,000 to about 140,000 square meters is envisaged. When and in what form the project is carried out depends on further approvals.

Where you spot in Valencia

There is no observation deck. Instead, a whole series of fence spots has become established around the runway, described in spotter guides for years. Most lie on farm tracks without any infrastructure and are only sensibly reachable by car. The most important ones at a glance, sorted by runway direction in use:

Around the terminal (both directions)

• Footpath at the terminal: A footpath at the west corner of the terminal offers a view of the apron through the fence; at night it is also suitable for long exposures. You only have good light in the morning, in summer until about midday. Reachable on foot from the terminal, so also by metro.
• At the cargo area: West of the roundabout at the terminal you see the cargo apron and – in the morning with Runway 12 – taxiing aircraft. Parking is only allowed briefly there; the terminal is about 900 meters away.

With Runway 12 (mostly in summer)

• Mound of earth at the industrial area: A small hill near an industrial area and a golf course. In summer you shoot takeoffs and landings on 12 from here in the morning, in the evening also aircraft taxiing out.
• Collado: The best-known approach spot for 12. The aircraft come in very low here. Light from midday to sunset, no infrastructure.
• Threshold 12 (Cabecera): Right at the threshold you see landings and takeoffs. Light from midday to sunset.
• Fence west of the hill: A few hundred meters further west there is a fence section for landings in the morning and the rollout in the afternoon – according to spotter guides, you need a ladder here.

With Runway 30 (the normal case)

• Pedestrian bridge over the A-3: Elevated view of the landings on 30, with enough focal length also of the rollout. Good light only in the morning and only from about April to September; the rest of the year you are shooting into the light.
• At the gas station: Via the pedestrian bridge, or by car over the A-3, you reach a place at a gas station from which you photograph the approaches to 30 from midday into the evening. Drinks and snacks are right next door.
• Farm track near Aldaia: Further out on the approach is a farm track between fields. Light from midday; park so that you don’t block any paths.
• Another fence section: At another fence spot you see takeoffs from 30 and GA takeoffs from 12 from midday – a place to work through the fence.

General aviation

• GA apron: The place at the general aviation apron can only be reached by car. According to spotter guides, the light is right in the morning for the parked business jets, in the afternoon for the rest of the GA apron. Security doesn’t like longer stays – keep the visit short.

For the pedestrian bridge and the positions on the approach to 12, a look at the posts Photographing through the fence and Ladder, step and tripod at the airport fence is worthwhile.

Light, heat and focal length

Because the runway runs from northwest to southeast and the sun is in the south at midday, the rough rule is: Places south of the runway have the light at your back for large parts of the day, places in the north tend to fight backlight. The concrete windows differ by spot, though – the bridge over the A-3 only works in the morning in the summer half-year, Collado and Threshold 12 more from midday. With the post Planning the sun position at your photo spot you can work this out exactly for your travel date.

Valencia is hot in summer, and at most fence spots there is neither shade nor water. The air shimmers over the asphalt as early as the morning, which becomes especially visible with long focal lengths. Approach spots like Collado or the bridge are close to the aircraft, where you often get by with 100 to 300 millimeters. For takeoffs, the cargo apron or movements at the other end of the runway, 400 millimeters or more are helpful. Tips against the shimmer are in the post Avoiding heat haze, for summer equipment in the post Plane spotting in summer. Which optics fit is explained in the post on the right focal length.

Getting there and infrastructure

The airport is well connected to the city. Metrovalencia lines 3 and 5 stop at a station directly under the terminal; it takes about a quarter of an hour to the center, about 20 minutes to Estació del Nord station and about half an hour to the port. In addition, a bus runs via Mislata, Quart de Poblet and Manises to the city; the trip takes about half an hour. By car, you reach the airport via the A-3.

For spotters, however, that is only half the way. Apart from the places directly at the terminal, almost all spots lie on farm tracks and commercial streets without a connection to local transit. A rental car is therefore the most practical solution, especially since you quickly have to get from one side of the runway to the other when the runway direction in use changes. General tips on getting there are in the post Getting to the spot.

Valencia compared

Among Spanish airports, Valencia is in the middle – clearly smaller than Madrid-Barajas Airport or Barcelona-El Prat Airport, but with growing traffic. Madrid offers plenty of long-haul and the well-known spot La Muñoza, Barcelona more Gulf carriers and the Mirador on the beach at El Prat. Valencia scores with manageability and close approaches.

Further south along the coast lies Alicante-Elche Airport with even stronger holiday traffic, and Málaga Airport is also a destination in summer for spotters with vacation plans. The most important domestic connection leads to Palma de Mallorca Airport, and Ibiza is not far either. Among the foreign destinations in 2025, Amsterdam, Rome Fiumicino and Paris Orly were at the very top. You’ll find more worthwhile destinations in the best spotting spots in Europe.

Conclusion

Valencia-Manises is an airport for spotters who like things manageable. One runway, clear patterns – in winter mostly 30, in summer often 12 – and spots where the aircraft come right over your head. The traffic is shaped by Air Nostrum, Vueling and Ryanair, supplemented by European network carriers, North Africa, cargo and a handful of long-haul routes.

The downsides are mainly practical: hardly any shade, no deck and spots that are hard to reach without a car. If you plan for that, you get a relaxed spotting day in Valencia – and can still hit the beach or the old town in the evening.