How is the traffic distributed across the islands?

Gran Canaria tops the list with 1,507 planned flights in the period from 9 to 12 October 2026, as RTVC reports citing Aena. It is followed by Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna with 936 flights and Tenerife Sur with 821 flights.

César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport has 748 planned flights. Fuerteventura has 584 flights, La Palma 282, El Hierro 72 and La Gomera 32. The figures cover the entire four-day period.

On Saturday 10 October, 1,344 flights are planned.

What does this mean for travellers over the Pilar weekend?

Because of the high passenger numbers, air passengers should allow more time for getting to the airport, check-in, security checks and baggage. However, RTVC does not state a specific additional lead time.

For residents and foreign residents, the report does not announce any new prices, access requirements, deadlines or changes to the resident discount. The information mainly concerns the expected level of airport traffic.

No airport closures or new entry requirements are announced. The information provided by the relevant airline and Aena on the day of travel remains binding.

What additional connections are there between the islands?

Binter announced additional capacity for the period from 9 to 13 October 2026. On the particularly high-demand days of Friday, Monday and Tuesday, 5,500 additional seats are available.

Anyone travelling between the islands should also book early here and allow more time on the day of departure. The summary available does not give specific flight times.

How do the Canary Islands compare with the rest of Spain?

Across Spain, Aena expects 27,744 flights during the Puente del Pilar. That is 222 more than in the same days of 2025, as RTVC reports.

Madrid-Barajas leads national activity with 4,945 planned operations. It is followed by Barcelona-El Prat with 4,303 and Palma de Mallorca with 3,574 flights.

Málaga-Costa del Sol has 2,367 flights and Alicante 1,726.

Why is 12 October a public holiday?

12 October is a nationwide public holiday in Spain known as Día de la Hispanidad. In 2026 it falls on a Monday, creating a long weekend.

The holiday is also called Fiesta Nacional de España. The Canary Island calendars also include additional island holidays, such as the Pino in Gran Canaria or the Candelaria in Tenerife.

For the Puente del Pilar 2026, the available sources do not contain an official events programme with ticket prices or special transport arrangements.

What remains open before travelling?

Actual delays, load factors and possible short-notice flight schedule changes remain open. Aena's planned figures are no guarantee of actual operations on the day of travel.

The official ISTAC statistics record monthly air traffic by passengers, flight movements and airports. However, in the available results they do not provide additional confirmation of this specific holiday planning.

Travellers should therefore check Aena's flight information and their airline's information on the day of travel. Aena's flight information shows scheduled flights from two hours before up to 14 days after the time of enquiry.