![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ay_115794509-e1375955239716.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe airport has been deserted for over a decade (Picture: Oli Scarff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tThe airport has been deserted for over a decade (Picture: Oli Scarff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
A Spanish<\/a> airport that was once put on sale for \u00a31<\/a> (albeit with a few hundred million pounds of debt) has now reopened after being shut for 14 years.<\/p>\n Known as the country\u2019s \u2018ghost airport\u2019, Ciudad Real International Airport (CRIA), located around 150 miles south of Madrid<\/a>, was originally designed to be an alternative to the city\u2019s Barajas Airport.<\/p>\n Following a \u20ac1billion (\u00a3864million) build, it opened in 2008, becoming Spain\u2019s first every privatised international airport, with several high-profile shareholders backing its aim of running both cargo and passenger flights.<\/p>\n With one of Europe\u2019<\/a>s largest runways, stretching almost 2.5 miles, airlines such as Ryanair<\/a>, Air Berlin and Vueling briefly operated there.<\/p>\n However, despite plans for Ciudad Real featuring a railways connection, this never materialised, and the two-hour drive from Madrid centre<\/a> caused it to struggle to attract customers.<\/p>\n Despite expecting 5 million annual visitors to pass through its doors, the airport went on to carry just 190,000 passengers during its entire operation, averaging out at a mere three flights a week, and eventually closed in 2012.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tBest of Metro Deals\t\t\t<\/p>\n Get exclusive\u00a0discounts\u00a0with\u00a0Metro Deals<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 save on getaways and spa days.\u00a0Powered by Wowcher<\/p>\n Bannatyne Spa: Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco \u2014\u00a0save up to 57%\u00a0off.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n Mystery Escape: Hotel stay with return flights from as low as \u00a392pp \u2014\u00a0save on worldwide holiday packages.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n Beach Retreat (Lanzarote): 4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights \u2014\u00a0save up to 58%.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t The judge in charge of its administration at the time ruled it should be sold off, with an asking price of \u20ac100million (\u00a386million).<\/p>\n But after languishing on the market for years, the airport was put on sale with no minimum asking price in 2015 \u2014 providing the new owners assumed its \u20ac290 million debt (\u00a3251 million).<\/p>\n Since then, the site has mainly been used for pilot training and aircraft storage, hosting 70 planes, but no scheduled flights, during the Covid<\/a> pandemic when airlines needed space to park grounded fleets.<\/p>\n However, it was announced this week that CRIA will officially resume operations later this year, with its abandoned 28,000 sq ft terminal welcoming passengers for the first time in over a decade.<\/p>\n \t\t In a statement, new managing director Rafael G\u00f3mez Arribas confirmed Ciudad Real will operate private flights mainly from Europe and the US and specialist aviation, rather than commercial journeys.<\/p>\n So although most holidaymakers likely won\u2019t get a chance to see it for themselves, those travelling via charter planes may now be redirected to the hub.<\/p>\n This could help ease pressure for other Spanish airports, which are already dealing with millions of commercial travellers a year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, private flights hit a record 3,878,836 trips in 2025, with Spain ranking fourth in Europe for charter jet usage in 2022, behind the UK, France and Germany.<\/p>\n \t\t In other travel news, Coventry\u00a0Airport\u00a0recently took its last ever flight<\/a> after 90 years, with Take That among its final passengers, while Manston Airport in\u00a0Kent, dormant for over a decade, has started steps to reopen by 2029<\/a> after being purchased seven years ago.<\/p>\n Similarly, Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA)<\/a>, closed in 2022, is on the path to be given a new lease of life thanks to a \u00a357 million loan<\/a> from Doncaster Council.<\/p>\n Like Ciudad Real International Airport, it was deemed not financially viable, shuttering in November 2022, after 17 years in business.<\/p>\n DSA aims to be up and running again for Easter 2028, but plans to operate freight flights in 2027, akin to Ciudad Real International Airport.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ay_115794451-e1429959647550.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe airport has one of Europe\u2019s largest runways (Picture: Oli Scarff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AY_89296308-bcf8-e1781691237640.jpg\")
\n\t\tSince closing, the site has mainly been used for pilot training and aircraft storage (Picture: Oli Scarff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ay_115794471-e1375955333374.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt will focus on private flights at present (Picture: Oli Scarff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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