The economic engine of southern Gran Canaria remains strong, albeit with some cause for concern. With a Global Index of 81,68 points, the island ranks above Mallorca (80,73) and Tenerife (74,07), although it is slightly surpassed by the surge in Antalya (82,60). Despite this regional leadership, Gran Canaria has experienced the largest year-on-year drop in visitor perception, with a decrease of 3,1%. This contrasts sharply with Mallorca's 1% growth, highlighting the increasing demands of tourists choosing the south of the island.
Iberia Express's commercial director, Isabel Rodríguez, emphasized in the case of her airline "the commitment acquired since the beginning of operations" with Gran Canaria and highlighted the effort made to optimize the fleet in order to "guarantee connectivity for both residents and visitors."
Air capacity forecasts for the first half of 2026 predict a stable scenario for the island's tourist destinations. For the first quarter (January-March), a 2,59% increase in the number of international seats is expected, exceeding one million. This upward trend is expected to consolidate in the April-June period with a 2,62% increase. While destinations like Tenerife show a decline in their seat forecast for spring (-3,82%), Gran Canaria remains attractive to international airlines.
Gran Canaria Airport will have 8.300 new seats from Iberia Express during the 2025-2026 winter season. These 42 additional flights will allow for up to ten daily frequencies to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. Furthermore, some of these routes will be operated with A321neo aircraft, which have a larger capacity than the current models.
The airline explains that the goal is to "strengthen connectivity" for residents, promote "less seasonal" tourism, and respond to increased demand during peak travel months. The company will accompany this capacity expansion with a pricing campaign under the Express Days formula, offering tickets from €13 each way for Canary Islands residents and from €20 for all other customers. The promotion will be available until September 22nd for travel between October 2025 and June 2026.
