Countdown Begins: Barcelona To Host Routes World 2027

On the final day of the 2026 edition of Routes World, Barcelona took part in a ceremony where hosting responsibilities were officially handed to the city. The event will be hosted by the Generalitat de Catalunya and Barcelona City Council on October 2027. 

Held in a different location each year, Routes World brings together key stakeholders from the route development community to advance global air connectivity. Airlines, airports and tourism authorities are expected to participate in more than 8,000 meetings during the 2027 event, creating opportunities to form partnerships and develop new air services.

Steven Small, Vice President, Air Transport Events, Informa, said: “As one of the continent’s leading long-haul gateways, Catalonia combines a powerful business, tourism, knowledge and innovation economy with millions of passengers still travelling indirectly to priority international markets. That combination of proven demand and untapped potential makes Barcelona an exceptional destination to unite the global route development community.”

Small added: “Hosting Routes World will deliver Barcelona the opportunity to convert demand into direct connectivity, accelerate its long-term strategy and showcase its ambition to the people that define where the world’s aircraft fly.”

Arantxa Calvera, Director of the Catalan Tourist Agency believes “This opportunity serves for seeing connectivity as a lever to attract talent and investment, drive knowledge and innovation, connect businesses with markets and create opportunities across the whole of Catalonia. Routes World 2027 will be an excellent opportunity to show the world our approach to connectivity: we are not simply looking for more connections, but for connections that generate greater value for Catalonia.”

More than 5.3 million passengers travelling between Catalonia and international markets currently use connecting services, highlighting significant potential for the development of additional nonstop routes. The United States is the largest of these markets, with 1.5 million origin-and-destination passengers traveling indirectly, followed by Asia-Pacific with 593,000; China, Hong Kong and Taiwan with 405,000; South America with 314,000; and Japan with 305,000.

Barcelona-El Prat Airport has already achieved significant progress in strengthening its long-haul network. Over the last decade, the number of direct intercontinental connections has increased from 33 to 62, representing growth of 88% and reinforcing Barcelona’s position as one of Europe’s fastest-growing airports for long-haul connectivity and a major international gateway to Spain.

This progress has been supported by more than two decades of collaboration between the Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council, Aena and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce through the Air Route Development Committee (CDRA). Routes World 2027 will form an important part of the CDRA’s new 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, creating an opportunity to accelerate the development of direct connectivity with priority intercontinental markets, particularly Asia-Pacific and the U.S.

Expanding Barcelona’s international network has implications far beyond aviation. Direct air connectivity supports the internationalisation of Catalan businesses, strengthens the region’s knowledge and innovation economy, and enhances its ability to attract investment and global talent. According to an economic impact study prepared by the University of Barcelona and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport generates 6.8% of Catalan GDP and supports more than 218,000 jobs, with its impact extending across tourism, logistics, international trade and research.

Barcelona’s position as a leading international business and events destination further strengthens the case for enhanced global connectivity. The city hosted 166 international congresses and ranked third worldwide in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) 2025 rankings. The MICE sector accounts for around 20% of visitors to the city and plays an important role in supporting year-round tourism and reducing seasonality.

Hosting Routes World 2027 will provide Catalonia with a global platform to advance these ambitions, bringing the global route development community directly to the market. Alongside opportunities to secure new air services and strengthen existing routes, the event will support a broader connectivity strategy designed to enhance Catalonia’s competitiveness, international reach and sustainable economic development, generating long-term economic, social and territorial value across the region.

By consistently uniting decision-makers from the global route development community, Routes World has made a real impact on the world's air services—over half of the world’s new routes are connected to meetings at the event. VPs and Heads of Network Planning from 230 of the world’s leading carriers are expected to attend the event in Barcelona.