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Alicante to Tenerife North: flight delays and compensation

154,433 passengers travelled between Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) and Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport (TFN) in 2024, according to Eurostat. Here is what a delay or cancellation on this route is worth in each direction, which rules apply, and how often the two airports are hit by air traffic restrictions.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Alicante–Tenerife is 1,822 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €400 per passenger from Alicante and €400 from Tenerife. 154,433 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Alicante → TenerifeEU261any airline€400
Tenerife → AlicanteEU261any airline€400

The amount depends only on distance (1,822 km, measured as the great circle between the airports) – not on the ticket price – and is paid per passenger, children included. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide care (meals, drinks, a hotel overnight), and after a cancellation you choose between a refund or re-routing.

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

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Air traffic flow delays at Alicante (ALC)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 62,942 flights arrived at ALC; 685 of them were held back this way, 217 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.15 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • aerodrome capacity76%
  • weather18%
  • other5%
  • ATC capacity1%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 1 April 2025 – 827 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 28 June 2025 – 670 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 14 August 2025 – 562 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 52,694 arrivals, 0.25 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (worse than 2025), mainly aerodrome capacity (76%) and weather (19%).

Check what happened at ALC on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (18% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (1%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Air traffic flow delays at Tenerife (TFN)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 40,598 flights arrived at TFN; 436 of them were held back this way, 230 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.25 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • weather58%
  • ATC capacity36%
  • airspace management3%
  • special event2%
  • ATC staffing1%
  • equipment (ATC)0%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 18 October 2025 – 2,480 minutes, mostly weather; 5 December 2025 – 821 minutes, mostly ATC capacity; 30 July 2025 – 732 minutes, mostly weather.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 31,761 arrivals, 0.26 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (worse than 2025), mainly weather (79%) and ATC capacity (18%).

Check what happened at TFN on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (58% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (40%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Other routes from these airports

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Alicante–Tenerife flight?

The great-circle distance is 1,822 km. From Alicante: €400 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Tenerife: €400 per passenger (EU261, any airline). The delay at your final destination must be 3 hours or more, and the airline must not be able to prove extraordinary circumstances.

Is a Alicante–Tenerife flight covered if the airline is not European?

Yes. Both airports apply EU261 (or UK261) to every departing flight, so the airline’s nationality does not matter in either direction.

What if the flight was cancelled?

You can choose a refund or re-routing, get care while you wait, and – unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – fixed compensation. Cancelled flight compensation.

Passenger numbers: Eurostat 2024 (passengers carried between the two airports, both directions). Delay data: EUROCONTROL. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  2. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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