The Balearic Islands have become an airport: passenger numbers have grown by 75% in 24 years

PalmThe Balearic Islands are celebrating Sustainable Mobility Day with staggering figures. The three island airports—Palma (PMI), Ibiza (IBZ), and Menorca (MAH)—have registered an overall increase of 75% in passenger numbers over the last quarter century. Between 2000 and 2024, total passengers rose from 26.67 million to 46.54 million, the most significant increase among Spanish airports. These figures confirm what many experts have been denouncing for years: the environmental "unsustainability" of the island's economic model, which bases its income on the increase in the number of visitors, with the largest increase in the entire country. As for passenger traffic by sea, the figures have almost doubled in less than 20 years. Regular passenger traffic has increased from 3.9 million in 2010 to 7.4 million in 2024, while the 2.5 million cruise passengers represent an increase of one million people between 2010 and 2024.

The Balearic Islands are facing a period of intense pressure on mobility, with a significant increase in passengers on both public and private transport, as well as at airports and ports, especially during the tourist season. This traffic growth has a direct environmental impact: the increase in flights, maritime travel, and private vehicles contributes to the rise in CO₂ emissions. According to the sources consulted, the impact of transport on greenhouse gas emissions varies, but in any case, it accounts for more than half of what the Balearic Islands generate. This percentage highlights that mobility is one of the main environmental challenges in the archipelago. According to the Committee of Experts for Energy Transition and Climate Change, the region will not come close to meeting "the emissions reduction targets set for 2030 and 2050 if there is no change of pace," something that is not currently happening. As the Committee's president, Pau de Vílchez, has warned, "a decisive change in trend is necessary." "What we've observed so far is sustained growth in transport, which is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions," he adds.

The car is causing traffic jams

With nearly one vehicle per inhabitant, the islands are a prime example of car overuse, and the consequences, in addition to emissions, include the feeling of being stuck in a permanent traffic jam. According to data from the Consell de Mallorca (Mallorca Council), there are points on Palma's ring road that reach 186,000 vehicles per day. The high level of motorization in the islands is a key factor. The number of vehicles per inhabitant has grown significantly in the last two decades, driven in part by tourism. This situation has led the Pitiusas Islands to already restrict access for non-resident vehicles by sea. In Ibiza, significant regulations have been implemented to control tourist car traffic: between June 1 and September 30, 2025, a maximum of 20,168 visitor vehicles are authorized (this includes rental cars and private tourist vehicles).

This measure seeks to alleviate the overload on the island's road network, which, according to authorities, reached 23.6% overload during the peak summer months. These vehicles require prior reservation and a fee of €1 per day is charged.

Formentera has applied similar restrictions for years. In 2025, the Consell reduced the quota of authorized tourist vehicles to 1,732 under the Tourism Sustainability Law to preserve the road network and prevent gridlock.

The Council of Mallorca has not yet managed to submit a bill to Parliament to limit the entry of cars by sea, although its president, Llorenç Galmès, had promised to do so. The boycott by Vox and the lack of agreement, mainly with the PSOE, have been the reasons for this.

Public land transport is also overwhelmed

For all these reasons, public transport is essential. Thanks to its free service and population growth, the intercity bus network (TIB) has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. The TIB recorded 28.3 million journeys in 2024, a 20% increase compared to the previous year (almost 5 million more journeys). This growth has been accompanied by a reinforcement of the service with more buses and increased frequency, but user complaints and frustration are on the rise because the available seats cannot meet the demand, especially in summer. Mallorca Rail Services (SFM) has also grown steadily: in May 2024, a record 1,016,098 passengers were carried in a single month, a 13.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023. However, on a winter Friday, the last train departing from Palma to Inca leaves at 10:20 p.m.

Regarding urban transport, Palma's buses (EMT) have broken all records. From January to June 2025, Palma's EMT recorded 31.5 million passengers. Overcrowding during peak hours remains a challenge, especially on central routes and those leading to university campuses.