It was launched on Christmas Day, 25 December 1989 when it began test transmissions, and then later, it commenced its official broadcasts throughout Spain exactly one month later on 25 January 1990 with a programme fronted by journalist Miguel Ángel Nieto, thus becoming Spain's first nationwide private television station.

Antena 3 dramas and sitcoms in the past and present include Manos a la obra, Canguros, La casa de los líos, Los lahkldrones van a la oficina, Hermanos de leche, Vecinos, Cañas y barro, Compañeros, Un paso adelante, Policías, Fuego, El pantano, Ada madrina, Dime que me quieres, Lleno por favor, ¿Quién da la vez?, Farmacia de guardia, Menudo es mi padre, Nada es para siempre, Aquí no hay quien viva, and Los hombres de Paco.

The channel retransmits programmes from the domestic Antena 3 schedule and other programmes from Atresmedia channels (LaSexta, Neox, Nova, Mega and Atreseries), along with live news programming, but due to rights issues with others who might hold rights to their shows in the Americas, some programming might air on a delay of several months or only after its original run has been completed.

2025–present Antena 3 was fined €215,000 by the Court of First Instance of Brussels for repeatedly misusing fake photos of homicide to illustrate what the channel presented as Moroccan police brutality at Gdim Izig (Laayoune) in Western Sahara.

The Rachidi family whose relatives' photos have been "repeatedly misused in bad faith" is still awaiting for "a public apology" from Antena 3.