reinforces its position in the British airline market. The Spanish airport manager has reached an agreement with InfraBridge for the purchase of a majority stake of 51% in the United Kingdom holding company, owner of 100% of the Leeds Bradford airport and 49% of the Newcastle international airport for 270 million pounds (about 309 million euros), as the company has communicated to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV). InfraBridge Investors will own the remaining 49% of the new company.
The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals. Termination will take place once all of these conditions have been met. The closing of the operation is estimated to occur in the second quarter of 2026.
With this transaction, Aena strengthens its market share in one of its key regions, the United Kingdom, where it has been present since 2004, complementing its current 51% share there and deepening its long-term commitment to the development of high-quality airport infrastructure in the country.
According to Aena, Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), located in the center-north of England, handled 4.3 million passengers in fiscal year 2025 and closed the period with revenues of 56.5 million pounds, with mostly outbound traffic, with a European tourist profile, and the main base of Jet2.com, present since 2003 and which currently has 16 aircraft. Meanwhile, Newcastle International (NCL), in the northeast of England, covers an area of 490 hectares and its catchment area is home to 3 million people, with no major competing airports within a 100-mile radius. In 2024, it handled 5.2 million passengers and generated revenue of 89.5 million pounds, with an EBITDA of 50.2 million pounds. Its traffic is mostly outbound, with a European tourist profile and good diversification in the airline offering, highlights Aena.
“With this operation, Aena reinforces its position among local stakeholders. The three assets together managed a total of 26.6 million passengers in their last fiscal years, which represents a 9% market share. Both LBA and NCL are owned regional airports, a rare and highly attractive category of perpetually owned assets that provide long-term strategic and economic resilience,” the company says in a statement.
Aena communicates that there is no requirement for mandatory investments, so investments will be adapted to the needs that arise from traffic and demand and, in the medium term, will focus mainly on the execution of certain growth plans, as well as maintenance and replacement work to guarantee the proper functioning of the infrastructure. It will also focus on regulatory compliance in aspects such as safety and/or environmental protection.
Aena’s current Strategic Plan establishes that only those corporate operations that generate value for public and private shareholders will be carried out.
