Andorra Approves €5M Tender for Airport Routes to Madrid, Palma and Paris

The Andorran government has launched an international tender worth up to €5 million annually to secure year-round Madrid and Palma de Mallorca flights at Andorra-la Seu d'Urgell Airport and establish a new Paris connection with at least two weekly flights.

Published in Thursday's Official Bulletin of the Principality of Andorra (BOPA), the tender will replace the current Air Nostrum contract, which expires on 31 December. It covers a four-year term from 1 January 2027, extendable by two years. Airlines must provide a minimum of 1,400 flight hours per year across the routes, with bids closing at 14:30 on 18 September and opening at 10:00 on 21 September.

Operators need to offer at least two weekly Madrid and Palma services each—on Fridays and Mondays—subject to slot availability. The Paris route targets Orly or Charles de Gaulle airports, with Beauvais-Tillé allowed temporarily for the first six months if slots are unavailable, after which the government could adjust or extend the contract by mutual agreement. Flight schedules and days may shift through a monitoring body, as long as minimum frequencies are met.

Aircraft must be ATR models or equivalents with at least 48 seats and RNP approach capability. Larger planes, such as the ATR 72-600 with up to 78 passengers, can operate during peak periods like summer or Easter, provided they suit the runway length and local terrain. Bigger jets like the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 cannot operate due to runway and orographic limits. Bidders can propose additional routes—such as Lisbon—or extra frequencies on existing ones, counting toward the flight-hour minimum. Priorities for expansions include another French destination first, then a weekday Madrid flight.

Payments will occur quarterly, based on flights operated, routes, ticket prices, occupancy and revenues. Presidency, Economy, Work and Housing Minister Conxita Marsol announced the tender following Wednesday's Council of Ministers meeting, stressing the €5 million ceiling guarantees service viability amid growing demand.

Up to 16 August, regular flights carried 8,848 passengers, with Madrid averaging 41 per flight and Palma 36—a 12% increase over last year's annual average. Summer traffic rose 8-10%. State Secretary for Energy Transition, Transport and Mobility David Forné has discussed issues like Air Nostrum diversions with the operator to minimise disruptions while upholding safety; he prioritised a Paris link in July comments.

The airport has hosted commercial services since 2015 under a Catalonia-Andorra deal managed by Aeroports de Catalunya, which offsets up to 50% of losses, capped at €400,000 yearly. It also supports emergency facilities for groups like the Special Actions Group (GRAE), Medical Emergencies Service (SEM) and Catalan firefighters, plus expanded hangar rentals, bolstering its role in Pyrenean connectivity.