Galicia celebrates the return of flights just before the busy Camino de Santiago summer season
Santiago de Compostela Airport has officially reopened after 35 days closed for major runway renovation works, marking one of the most important moments for Galicia’s tourism industry ahead of the busy summer pilgrimage season.
The reopening comes with major upgrades, a fully renovated runway and — most importantly — the launch of the first direct regular flight between Galicia and the United States.
Starting this week, United Airlines will connect Santiago de Compostela directly with Newark, near New York City, creating the first nonstop transatlantic route in Galician aviation history.
For many tourism experts, this is far more than just a new flight.
It represents a huge opportunity for:
international tourism,
the Camino de Santiago,
wellness travel,
and Galicia’s growing global visibility.
A key moment for the Camino de Santiago
The reopening arrives at a crucial time for northern Spain.
Every summer, thousands of pilgrims from around the world travel to Galicia to complete the Camino de Santiago, one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage and hiking routes.
And in recent years, American travelers have become one of the fastest-growing groups on the Camino.
According to tourism officials, the United States is already one of the main international markets for pilgrims walking to Santiago de Compostela.
That is why the new New York connection is being seen as a game changer for Galicia.
Until now, many American visitors needed multiple flight connections through Madrid, Barcelona or other European airports to reach Santiago.
Now, they can fly directly from the New York area to the heart of Galicia.
A fully renewed runway after massive works
The airport had remained completely closed from April 23 to May 27 while Aena carried out one of the largest infrastructure upgrades in the airport’s recent history.
The works included:
new runway pavement,
lighting improvements,
drainage upgrades
and modernization of low-visibility landing systems.
According to the project data, more than 73,000 tons of pavement materials were used during the renovation process.
Although the closure created travel difficulties for many pilgrims during spring 2026, officials say the modernization was necessary to improve:
safety,
operational efficiency
and long-term airport capacity.
Santiago Airport wants to recover lost passengers
The reopening also comes during a challenging period for Santiago Airport.
After handling more than 3.6 million passengers in 2024, the airport suffered a significant drop in traffic during 2025 and early 2026.
Part of that decline has been linked to:
the temporary airport closure,
reduced airline operations,
high-speed rail competition,
and Ryanair reducing its presence in Santiago.
Now, authorities hope the renovated runway and expanded international network will help reverse that trend.
New international routes strengthen Galicia
The New York flight is not the only new connection arriving in Santiago.
The airport is also expanding routes to:
Marrakech,
Amsterdam,
Cork,
London,
Paris,
Brussels,
Frankfurt,
Zurich
and Dublin.
For the first time in history, Santiago Airport will have direct connections with three continents:
Europe,
Africa
and North America.
Tourism experts believe this could significantly increase:
international pilgrim numbers,
rural tourism,
gastronomy tourism,
and luxury travel linked to the Camino de Santiago.
The Camino continues becoming global
The reopening of the airport reflects something much bigger happening in Galicia.
The Camino de Santiago is no longer only a European pilgrimage.
It has become a worldwide travel phenomenon.
Pilgrims now arrive from:
the United States,
South Korea,
Brazil,
Australia,
Germany,
Italy
and dozens of other countries.
Many discover the Camino through:
TikTok,
Instagram,
YouTube
and travel documentaries that present Galicia as a destination for:
slow travel,
mental wellness,
nature
and emotional transformation.
Galicia prepares for the future
The airport reopening is also part of wider preparations for the future Xacobeo 2027 holy year, when millions of visitors are expected to arrive in Galicia.
Authorities believe international connectivity will be essential for handling that growth.
And the new New York route may only be the beginning.
Because in 2026, Santiago de Compostela is no longer just a historic pilgrimage destination.
It is becoming one of Europe’s fastest-growing international travel hubs for cultural tourism, hiking and transformational travel.
And now, for the first time ever…
New York is directly connected to the Camino.
