Owais Crawford
Tenerife is the largest island in the Canarian archipelago and has two airports: Tenerife North Airport (TFN) and Tenerife South Airport (TFS). The north airport, also known as Los Rodeos, is located in the district of La Laguna and operates mostly domestic flights between the islands of the archipelago. The south airport, also known as Reina Sofia Airport, is located in the district of Granadilla de Abona and is the busier of the two, with hundreds of connections to different parts of the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Airports | 2 |
| Names of the Airports | Tenerife North Airport (TFN), Tenerife South Airport (TFS) |
| Other Names | Los Rodeos, Reina Sofia Airport, Tenerife Sur, Tenerife Norte |
| Location | North and South of the Island |
| Year of Inauguration | 1978 |
| Purpose | TFN: Domestic flights, TFS: Charter/Holiday flights |
| Passenger Movement | TFS: 11 million (2018), TFN: 4 million |
| Transport | Line 343 connects the two airports |
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What You'll Learn
Tenerife North Airport (TFN)
The airport has a convenient layout, with check-in desks situated next to the security checkpoint, which is next to the gates. The airport also has a reasonably-sized terminal, with plenty of seating and space to relax. It is praised for its ease of navigation, with all the important facilities located close to one another.
Tenerife North Airport has a rich history, with the field at Los Rodeos being hastily prepared to accommodate the first (unofficial) flight to Tenerife, operated by Deutsche Luft Hansa in the 1930s. The first official air link between the Spanish mainland and the Canary Islands was established in 1939, with flights taking off from Madrid to Los Rodeos via Casablanca, Cape Juby, and Gando in Gran Canaria.
In 1977, Tenerife North Airport was the site of the deadliest accident in aviation history, when two Boeing 747s collided on the runway, killing 583 people. This tragedy highlighted the need for a second airport on the island, as Los Rodeos did not meet technical requirements due to adverse weather conditions and low visibility. As a result, Tenerife South Airport was inaugurated in 1978, and Tenerife North Airport was closed to international flights until 2002, when a new terminal was opened.
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Tenerife South Airport (TFS)
Tenerife South Airport is the second busiest airport in the Canary Islands, after Gran Canaria Airport. Combined with Tenerife North Airport, the island has the highest passenger movement of all the Canary Islands, with a total of 12,248,673 passengers in 2018. The airport was built due to problems with the location of the original Tenerife North Airport, as the north of the island experiences frequent adverse weather conditions, including fog and low visibility, which impact take-offs and landings.
Tenerife South Airport is located about 60 kilometres from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and is just 10 minutes away from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. Line 343 connects Tenerife South Airport with Tenerife North Airport in approximately 50 minutes, and Line 110 connects the airport with the capital, Santa Cruz. Line 450 connects the airport to the beaches of the city of Granadilla, and Line 102 connects Tenerife North Airport to Santa Cruz and the north of the island.
Tenerife South Airport is a modern international airport, offering both domestic and international flights. It is open to the public from 4:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily, and access is restricted to staff and passengers outside of these hours. The airport has a range of facilities, including car rental services, and is served by the public bus service TITSA, which offers connections to all parts of the island.
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Transport between the two airports
Tenerife has two airports: Tenerife North Airport (Los Rodeos) and Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofia Airport). The south airport is located in a tourist area and is the busiest of the two, offering hundreds of connections to different parts of the world. The north airport, on the other hand, operates mostly domestic flights between the islands of the archipelago, although it also has some international destinations.
To get from one airport to the other, you have several options:
- By bus: Line 343 connects the two airports directly, with buses running approximately every 30 minutes. The trip takes around 50 minutes and costs €9.70.
- By taxi: Taxis are available at both airports and throughout the island. The trip between the two airports is likely to cost around €66.
- By car: If you prefer to drive yourself, you can rent a car at either airport or in various parts of the island.
- By shuttle: You can book a shared shuttle service between the two airports.
- By minibus: Minibus transfers are also available and can be booked in advance.
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The history of Tenerife's airports
Tenerife has two airports: Tenerife North Airport (Los Rodeos Airport) and Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofía Airport). The south airport is situated in a tourist area, making it the busiest of the two, with hundreds of connections to different parts of the world.
Before the 1970s, Tenerife North Airport was the island's only airport. However, in the late 1960s, the island authorities decided that a second airport was needed because the existing airport did not meet technical requirements due to adverse weather conditions and low visibility. This issue was highlighted by the events of the deadliest aviation accident in history, which occurred in 1977 when two Boeing 747s collided on the runway at Los Rodeos, killing 583 people. The cause of the collision was, in part, due to very low visibility.
In July 1970, the Air Ministry awarded the project for the construction of the airfield, with a budget of almost 450 million pesetas. On 23 October 1978, Tenerife South Airport was opened to domestic civil air traffic, and then to international flights from 2 November. The airport was inaugurated by Queen Sofía of Spain, to whom the airport is dedicated. The first flight was an Iberia flight from Lanzarote, operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-9.
Tenerife North Airport operates mostly domestic flights between the islands of the archipelago. The airport is located in the north of Tenerife, in the district of La Laguna, and offers regular national and international flights.
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The busiest airport in Tenerife
Tenerife has two airports: Tenerife North Airport (Los Rodeos Airport) and Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofía Airport). Tenerife South Airport is the busiest airport on the island, serving as a key travel hub in Spain. It is located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona and is about 10 minutes away from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. It is also 60 kilometres from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Tenerife South Airport is the Island's most modern international airport and one of the busiest in Spain. It is also the second busiest in the Canary Islands, serving millions of passengers annually. In 2014, the airport handled over 9 million passengers, and in 2018, this number increased to over 11 million. The airport connects Tenerife to various domestic and international destinations, serving as a base for several low-cost carriers, including Ryanair, easyJet, TUI, Vueling, and Iberia. It offers a wide range of services and amenities, including shops, duty-free stores, restaurants, cafes, free Wi-Fi, ATMs, and currency exchange services.
Tenerife North Airport (TFN), on the other hand, operates mostly domestic flights between the islands of the archipelago. It is located in the north of the island, in the district of La Laguna. Tenerife North Airport is accessible by bus lines 102, 107, 108, and 343, which connect the airport to the capital, Santa Cruz, and other large cities on the island, such as La Laguna, La Orotava, and Garachico.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Tenerife has two airports: Tenerife North Airport (Los Rodeos) and Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofía).
The Tenerife North Airport was the original airport, but due to its location in the mountains, it was prone to fog, which caused several aviation disasters. As a result, a second airport was built on the south coast, which does not have this issue.
Tenerife South Airport is the busiest airport in Tenerife, handling over 11 million passengers in 2018 and 13 million in 2023. It is also the second busiest airport in the Canary Islands.
Line 343 connects Tenerife North and Tenerife South Airports, with buses running approximately every 30 minutes. The journey takes around 50 minutes and costs €9.70.
