Tenerife South Airport: Size, Scale, And Significance

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is one of two airports on the island of Tenerife, located in the south of the island in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona. It is the larger of the two airports, handling over 11 million passengers in 2018 and setting a new record in 2024 with 13 million passengers. The airport has a three-storey passenger terminal, a car park with 802 parking spaces, and a VIP lounge. It is located near popular tourist destinations such as Los Cristianos Beach and Playa de las Américas.

Location and surroundings

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife, Spain. The airport is situated in the south of the island, about 60-68 kilometres from the island's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is the larger of the two airports on the island, the other being Tenerife North Airport, and is considered the main airport of Tenerife.

Tenerife South Airport is located in a tourist area, offering hundreds of connections to different parts of the world. It is near popular tourist destinations such as Arona and Playa de las Américas, one of the most popular tourist resorts on the island. The airport is also within easy reach of Los Cristianos, a famous holiday resort known for its beach.

The airport is conveniently located near many fast roads, providing easy access to all cities, towns, and the coastline of Tenerife. Bus lines 343, 111, and 450 connect the airport to several destinations on the island. Line 343 connects Tenerife South Airport to Tenerife North Airport in approximately 50 minutes. Line 111 travels to the capital, Santa Cruz, and the largest beaches on the island. Line 450 goes to the beaches of the city of Granadilla and Playa de las Américas.

Tenerife South Airport features a three-storey passenger terminal with check-in and service counters, departures waiting areas, arrivals, and baggage reclaim all located on the main level. The departure lounge offers a perfect view of the runway and is equipped with various amenities, including restaurants, cafeterias, and shops. The airport also provides a VIP lounge with additional services and facilities. Outside the arrivals area, taxi ranks and a Titsa bus stop can be found, offering regular bus services to and from the airport.

Transport links

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, about 60-68 kilometres from the island capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is the larger of the two airports on the island, the other being Tenerife North Airport.

Tenerife South Airport has a range of transport links to help passengers get to and from the airport. These include taxis, buses, and car rentals.

There are always plenty of taxis waiting outside the arrivals area at Tenerife South Airport. Taxi services at the airport include Solhop, which has been recommended by travellers for its friendly and professional staff and drivers. Tenerife Airport Transfers is another taxi service that provides transfers from Tenerife South Airport to various destinations across the island.

Bus lines 343, 111, and 450 connect the airport to several cities on the island. Line 343 connects Tenerife South Airport to Tenerife North Airport in approximately 50 minutes for €9.70. Line 110 connects the airport to the capital, Santa Cruz, as well as the largest beaches on the island. The cost of travelling to Santa Cruz is €9.35, while the cost of travelling to Los Cristianos is €3.20. Buses operated by Transportes Urbanos de Tenerife (Titsa) depart from the Arrivals floor of the airport every 20 to 30 minutes.

Car rental services are also available at Tenerife South Airport. Shuttle Direct is one such service, offering transfers from the airport to various hotels and resorts around the island.

Passenger facilities

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is the larger of the two airports on the island of Tenerife. It is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona and handled over 11 million passengers in 2018, with a record-breaking 13 million passengers in 2024. The airport consists of one three-storey passenger terminal.

Tenerife South Airport offers a range of facilities for passengers, including:

• Free and unlimited Wi-Fi service with download speeds of 2 Mbps. A paid premium service is also available for faster speeds.
• Public computer terminals with internet access.
• A VIP lounge called "Sala Montaña Roja" (Spanish for "Red Mountain"). Some business and first-class passengers have free access, while other passengers can enter for a fee. The lounge offers various amenities, including refreshments, disabled access, flight information monitors, newspapers, magazines, television, and Wi-Fi.
• A spacious and comfortable departure lounge with air conditioning and a view of the runway.
• Restaurants, cafeterias, and shops, including a famous duty-free gift shop.
• Car rental services from several authorized companies, located in the arrivals halls for both domestic and international flights.
• A car park located within 100 metres of the terminal, providing 802 parking spaces.
• Taxi ranks and a Titsa bus stop located just outside the arrivals area, with regular buses passing every 20 to 30 minutes.
• Baggage reclaim services with two baggage halls and a total of 14 carousels.
• Information screens displaying boarding gate numbers, check-in desk assignments, and flight information.

History

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is the larger of the two airports on the island of Tenerife. It is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, about 60-68 kilometres from the island's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The airport is situated in the most tourist-heavy area of the island and is the second busiest airport in the Canary Islands, handling over 11 million passengers in 2018 and setting a new record in 2024 with 13 million passengers. Combined with Tenerife's other airport, Tenerife North Airport (or Los Rodeos Airport), the island gathers the highest passenger movement of all the Canary Islands, with a combined 12,248,673 passengers in 2018.

In the late 1960s, the island authorities of Tenerife recognised the need for a second airport due to the adverse weather conditions frequently experienced at the original airport in the north of the island, which often led to low visibility. This issue was tragically exemplified by the events of the world's deadliest aviation accident in 1977, when two Boeing 747s collided on the runway at Los Rodeos, killing 583 people due in part to very low visibility.

With the disaster still fresh in people's minds, construction of the new airport proceeded quickly, and Tenerife South Airport was inaugurated in 1978 on 6 November by Queen Sofía of Spain, to whom the airport is dedicated. The first flight was an Iberia flight IB187 from Lanzarote, operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-9.

Over the years, Tenerife South Airport has expanded its connections and now offers hundreds of connections to different parts of the world. In October 2002, Santa Bárbara Airlines commenced service to Reina Sofía Airport using a McDonnell Douglas DC-10. In June 2022, United Airlines launched a thrice-weekly service to Tenerife from Newark using a Boeing 757-200.

Size and capacity

Tenerife South Airport, also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is the larger of the two airports on the island of Tenerife. It is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, about 60 to 68 kilometres from the island's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The airport is situated in the most tourist-heavy area of the island and is the second busiest airport in the Canary Islands, after Gran Canaria Airport.

The airport consists of one three-storey passenger terminal in a classic brick style. The main level, Floor 0, contains all check-in and service counters, the departures waiting areas, as well as the arrivals and main baggage reclaim. The terminal is closed to the public between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., with access restricted to staff and passengers. The departure lounge offers a perfect view of the runway and is quite spacious and comfortable, with air conditioning. It also has restaurants, cafeterias, and shops, including a famous duty-free gift shop. There is a VIP lounge, "Sala Montaña Roja", located just before the escalators leading to the boarding gates. The lounge is open from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. or later, depending on the day of the week, and offers a maximum stay of 3 hours.

The Tenerife South Airport car park is no more than 100 metres from the terminal and has 802 parking spaces. The airport also has taxi ranks just outside the arrivals area, with plenty of taxis available. Additionally, there is a Titsa bus stop with regular buses passing every 20 to 30 minutes. Bus lines 343, 111, and 450 connect the airport to various destinations on the island.

In terms of passenger capacity, Tenerife South Airport handled over 11 million passengers in 2018, setting a new record in 2024 with 13 million passengers. Combined with Tenerife North Airport, the island had a total of 12,248,673 passengers in 2018, the highest passenger movement in the Canary Islands.

Frequently asked questions