Alicante is for many the gateway to a Spanish holiday, some 80 percent of its flights are made up by tourists and it regularly under takes development plans to cope with the volume of travelers. In 2007, Alicante Airport handled 9,120,631 passengers, 79,756 flight operations and 4,533 tones of cargo. Almost triple the volumes they experienced in 1998.

Located in the municipality of Elche, Alicante airport is conveniently close, only 9 km away from the city center, and the average travelling time for this short journey is anywhere between fifteen minutes to half an hour during rush hour.

Sited right on the coast in the Costa Brava Alicante has fantastic road links to its surrounding regions, it serves as an extremely convenient airport for anyone travelling on to the Costa Calida or the La Manga resort. At approximately 100 kilometers away it can be travelled very swiftly; and you can arrive at La Manga del Mar Menor in just an hour.

As you leave Alicante I would suggest taking the A-7. Its a relatively new motorway that will get you out of the city quickly and easily. From the A-7 take the A-37 this is a beautiful scenic coastal road which will take you swiftly South and straight to La Manga Club, it couldnt be easier. As the road follows the beaches keep an eye out for that first glimpse of the sea and enjoy the landscape that makes this part of Spain so unique, dont be fooled by the odd Cactus, youre not in the deserts of Arizona it really is Spain.

Travel to Murcia is only 80 kilometers and takes less than hour. Murcia makes a fantastic stopping point or day trip city; its crammed with things to do and interesting places to visit. Alicantes location on the coast in Southern Spain means it benefits from year round good weather and temperatures which rarely dip below 20 degrees even in winter. During the high summer months temperatures are constantly in the thirties! However Alicantes location on the coast quite often means that the scorching summer temperatures are complimented and soothed by cool off sea breezes.

El Altet is the name of the old airport which replaced Alicantes old field runway now known as Alicante international it is the main Airport for this region, and a new terminal is due to be finished in 2009.

The airport terminal has two information desks, the Aena desk located at the check-in area and another in the departure area, with adequate parking for 2000 cars the airport can easily cope with the numbers of hire cars it accommodates, the car park can be found directly in front of the terminal building on the opposite side of the road. Adjacent to this car park is a longer stay facility offering daily rates for parking your car. Facilities in the airport include a bureau de change, a post office, pay phones can be found through out the building and internet access is possible in certain areas and Wi-Fi hot spots. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes and ice cream parlors in the Airport to keep you well fed and the children happy.

Alicante Airport offers holiday makers easy access to be beautiful surrounding areas of the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida, with it being just a little bit further than Murcia airport to reach the La Manga Club it is definitely worth considering renting a car for your holiday. It will most likely work out as a cheaper option than using taxis during your stay and will offer a greater sense of freedom and flexibility.