Finance
Aena to buy majority stake in UK airports holding for $360 million
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 18, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 18, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Aena is buying a 51% stake in a UK airport holding company for $360 million, aiming for 15% EBITDA from international operations by 2026.
MADRID, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Spain's airport operator Aena said on Thursday it agreed to buy a 51% stake in a new holding company that owns Leeds Bradford Airport and part of Newcastle Airport in the UK for 270 million pounds ($360.88 million).
The deal aligns with Aena's push to expand internationally, as the group targets having overseas operations account for 15% of EBITDA in 2026 after its chief executive said the company plans to grow through asset purchases.
The deal sees Aena acquire a majority stake in the newly formed holding company that owns Leeds Bradford Airport and a 49% stake in Newcastle Airport, with InfraBridge retaining the remaining 49% in the holding.
"This is an important step for Aena in countries with strong potential such as the UK, where we already have long-standing experience," Chief Executive Maurici Lucena said in a statement.
The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026.
Shares in Aena were up 0.5% on Thursday, accumulating gains of nearly 20% so far this year.
($1 = 0.7482 pounds)
(Reporting by Jesus Calero, Editing by Louise Heavens, Andrei Khalip)
A majority stake refers to owning more than 50% of a company's shares, giving the owner significant control over its operations and decisions.
EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is a measure used to evaluate a company's operating performance.
A holding company is a parent corporation that owns enough voting stock in another company to control its policies and oversee its management.
An asset purchase involves acquiring specific assets of a company, rather than its stock or ownership. This can include equipment, property, and intellectual property.
A corporate acquisition occurs when one company purchases most or all of another company's shares to gain control of that company.
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