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Calima & Travel

Does calima cancel flights?

Most calima episodes never touch a flight schedule. Dust disrupts aviation only when it cuts visibility below an airport's operating minimums — and in dozens of episodes since the record February 2020 storm, that threshold has closed Canary airports exactly zero times. Severe episodes can mean delays, a diversion to a neighbouring island or, on short inter-island routes, an occasional cancellation; ordinary ones mean hazy views from the window seat. The operational call always belongs to AENA and your airline — this page shows you where today actually sits.

Where today's calima sits

  1. TodayNo calima

    Normal flights

  2. Light–moderate calima (most episodes)

    Normal flights, hazy views

  3. Severe calima (a few days per season)

    Delays possible; island hops occasionally cancelled

  4. Extreme calima (once in modern records)

    Airport closures — Feb 2020 only

Updated just now · AENA and your airline decide operations

Calima Today in Canary Islands →

How dust becomes a delay

Aviation decisions follow a defined chain. Each step is distinct — most episodes stop well before the final one.

  1. 1

    Visibility drops as dust concentration rises and sunlight scatters.

  2. 2

    Below a threshold specific to each airport, low-visibility procedures activate — wider aircraft spacing, reduced approach rates.

  3. 3

    Reduced capacity creates a queue. Delays build.

  4. 4

    If visibility falls below instrument-approach minimums, aircraft divert to a nearby island instead of landing.

  5. 5

    Only when all instrument minimums are breached simultaneously across the island group do authorities close airports outright — as happened once, in February 2020.

February 2020 — the only closure in modern records

Dates

22–26 Feb 2020

Peak PM10

5,254 µg/m³

Airports closed

All 8

Closures since

Zero

Dozens of calima episodes have struck the Canary Islands since February 2020. None reached the extreme visibility threshold that caused closures. The 2020 event remains the only benchmark in the modern record for what an airport-closing calima actually looks like.

Flying soon?

2+ days out

  • ·Nothing to act on yet — don't rebook based on news coverage.
  • ·Check your island's 5-day outlook on the dashboard.
  • ·Airline rebooking policies typically activate 24–48 h before departure.

Tomorrow or today

  • ·Open your airline app and AENA flight status — these are the live sources.
  • ·Keep normal timing unless you receive a direct disruption notification.
  • ·Expect delay as the realistic worst case on international routes; short inter-island flights are occasionally cancelled.

At the airport

  • ·Gate information boards beat all apps in real time.
  • ·A diversion means a short hop to a neighbouring island and a return flight, usually the same day.
  • ·EU Regulation 261/2004 covers compensation — check with your airline and AESA.

Check current conditions

See the live dust situation across the Canary Islands, or learn more about what calima is and where it comes from.

Calima TodayWhat is calima?

Frequently asked questions

Does calima cancel flights?
Rarely. The only complete closure of all Canary Island airports in modern records occurred in February 2020 during an unprecedented dust event with PM10 readings above 5,000 µg/m³. Severe episodes cause delays, diversions and occasionally a cancelled inter-island flight — the short hops to La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma are the most exposed. AENA and your airline make all operational decisions.
How do I know if my flight is affected?
Check your airline's app for real-time flight status, and AENA's website (aena.es) for live airport conditions. Departure boards at the airport are always the most current source. Calima Canarias shows dust severity but does not have access to airline or airport operational data.
Why do airports keep operating when there is visible dust?
Aircraft use instrument landing systems that allow approaches in low visibility. Airports operate under low-visibility procedures (LVP) long before conditions approach closure thresholds. Dust colour in the sky does not directly correlate with visibility at the instrument-approach level.
Am I entitled to compensation for a calima delay or diversion?
EU Regulation 261/2004 provides a framework, but airlines classify severe weather events — including exceptional dust storms — as extraordinary circumstances outside their control, which typically limits compensation. For specific claims, contact your airline and Spain's civil aviation authority, AESA (aesa.gob.es).