Sardinia Airports March 2026 — Summary: Cagliari, Olbia, Alghero
Sardinia’s three airports all closed March 2026 in positive territory, but at very different speeds. Lining up the numbers side by side reveals a clear pattern: Sardinia is becoming a spring destination, no longer just a summer beach one, and foreign markets are driving the acceleration.
Practical for planning: Compare rental cars · Between March and July, prices triple — booking now costs half of what you’d pay in June.
Hotels in Sardinia — top availability for the pre-peak and peak 2026 season.
March 2026 figures — the three airports compared
Source: official Assaeroporti dataset, March 2026.
| Airport | Domestic PAX | International PAX | Total | vs March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cagliari-Elmas | 265,213 | 53,973 | 319,888 | +6.4% |
| Olbia Costa Smeralda | 83,625 | 14,891 | 98,935 | +12.1% |
| Alghero-Fertilia | 75,476 | 7,048 | 82,788 | +6.4% |
| Sardinia total | 424,314 | 75,912 | 501,611 | +7.5% |
Three speeds: who’s flying more, who’s reinventing itself
Cagliari remains the absolute heavyweight: 319,888 passengers in a single month, more than three times Olbia and four times Alghero. Its +6.4% growth aligns with the national average and reflects the airport’s year-round character — regional capital, business, healthcare, frequent domestic flights. No seasonal peaks, but no dips either.
Olbia tells the most aggressive growth story: +12.1% overall, almost double the other two. But the real headline is the international segment: +99.5% in a single month versus March 2025. Olbia is, by nature, the Costa Smeralda airport and therefore heavily tourist-driven and international. The fact that March is already exploding means airlines are bringing the season forward by 6 to 8 weeks. In-depth analysis of Olbia →
Alghero is the most surprising case in proportional terms: a +6.4% total seems modest, but the international segment posted +151.7% year-on-year in March 2026 (yes, two and a half times in a single month). On smaller absolute numbers, granted, but the signal is unmistakable: Alghero’s catchment area — northwest coast, Bosa, Stintino — is becoming a low-cost alternative to the Costa Smeralda. Alghero details →
What this data means for trip planners
Four practical takeaways from the numbers:
1. The classic low season is disappearing
March is no longer “off-season” — it’s “pre-season”. The flights are there, fares have already aligned with entry-level summer pricing, but the other cost lines (rental cars, hotels, restaurants) are still in March mode. The ideal window for travellers with flexibility — and a particularly attractive one for UK visitors looking ahead to the Easter break.
2. Olbia attracts foreign carriers, Cagliari stays domestic
The international-to-domestic ratio tells a lot: Olbia is 15% international, Cagliari 17%, Alghero just 9%. March 2026 is shifting these ratios especially for Olbia (and in similar measure for Alghero). Cagliari remains the airport “of all working Sardinia”; the other two are in full tourist transformation.
3. Car rental demand is shifting earlier
More international passengers means more rental car demand. The companies know it and are already adjusting their pricing: those hiring for Easter week pay 30 to 40% more than those booking in mid-March. For the July-August peak, rates can triple.
4. The bus can be a real alternative
For non-drivers or short stays, ARST (Trasporti Regionali della Sardegna) runs direct lines from the airports to the main coastal destinations — especially from Cagliari to Villasimius and Costa Rei, from Olbia to San Teodoro and Pittulongu, from Alghero to Stintino and Bosa. They don’t solve everything, but for 2 to 3 days they spare you the full rental cost.
Q1 2026 in perspective
A broader look at cumulative Q1 2026:
- Cagliari Q1: ~950,000 passengers, +6% year-on-year
- Olbia Q1: 238,089 passengers, +3.5% year-on-year (March’s leap recovers flat January and February)
- Alghero Q1: ~210,000 passengers, +8% year-on-year
The three airports combined total around 1.4 million passengers in the first quarter — about 7% of the entire 2025 figure. The 2026 season is shaping up as a record one: GEASAR’s planning for Olbia indicates +7.2% seats for the summer, and Alghero has already secured two new EasyJet routes announced for June.
What to expect in the coming months
April 2026 (data expected by end of May) will be the decisive test: whether the trend is structural or whether March benefited from an early Easter effect. The first evidence comes from the individual airport operators — GEASAR has already flagged that April 2026 shows a flight offer of +10% versus April 2025.
For anyone planning a trip to Sardinia in the coming months: the March data says booking ahead matters more than usual. Across car rental, accommodation and in some cases flights too, every week of delay from today translates into higher prices.