Roberta Aguirre
Portugal has five international airports, with three main airports covering the entire country. Lisbon Airport, also known as Humberto Delgado Airport, is the main international airport of Portugal and is located within the city limits of the capital. Porto Airport, or Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is the second-largest airport in Portugal and is located in the north of the country. Faro Airport is the main gateway to the Algarve region in southern Portugal. In addition, Funchal Airport in Madeira and Ponta Delgada Airport in the Azores also serve international flights.
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What You'll Learn
Lisbon Airport
The airport has two terminals, with the larger Terminal 1 complex handling all arrivals and the departures of most flights. Terminal 2 was originally constructed for domestic flights but now handles the departures of low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, Transavia and Wizz Air. The transition of the terminal from low-volume domestic flights to high-volume international flights has led to issues with queues, facilities and seating. Lisbon Airport has undergone several structural and equipment improvements and expansions since 2007, including the construction of Terminal 2, lighting and baggage claim refurbishment, new cargo facilities, and enlargement of express cargo facilities.
The airport first opened on 15 October 1942 during World War II and initially operated in conjunction with the Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base. As Portugal was a neutral country, the airport was open to both Axis and Allied forces. It was a hub for smuggling people into, out of, and across Europe and was heavily monitored by both Axis and Allied spies. At the end of the war, the airport developed rapidly and was soon used by major airlines.
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Porto Airport
Portugal has recently seen significant investment in its airport infrastructure, with improvements to its airports in Lisbon and Faro. The country has an excellent and inexpensive train network connecting Porto, Lisbon, and the Algarve. The three main airports in Portugal are conveniently located to cover the entire country.
The airport has a modern terminal building with three levels, including restaurants and cafes, shops and duty-free stores, baggage services, convenience services, free Wi-Fi, and lounges. The ground level is dedicated to arrivals, baggage claim, and rental car counters. The airport is accessible by taxi, bus, and metro, with the Aeroporto station on line E of the Porto Metro linking it to the city centre.
The airport opened in 1945 and was initially known as Pedras Rubras Airport, named after the locality where the airport is located, which means "red rocks". It was renamed in 1990 after former Portuguese prime minister Francisco de Sá Carneiro, who died in a plane crash in 1980 while travelling to this airport. A new terminal building was constructed between 2003 and 2006, becoming operational in the last quarter of 2006.
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Faro Airport
As of 2019, Faro Airport can handle up to nine million passengers annually. It features 22 stands, 16 of which are remote, along with 60 check-in desks and 36 boarding gates. The airport has a variety of dining options, including bars, restaurants, and cafes, and provides convenient and ample parking.
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Madeira Airport
The history of the airport's runway is quite intriguing. When it first opened on July 7, 1964, the single runway was only 1,600 metres long, making it difficult even for experienced pilots to navigate. After the tragic TAP Air Portugal Flight 425 crash in 1977, the runway underwent several extensions to accommodate larger aircraft and improve safety. Between 1982 and 1986, the runway was extended to 1,800 metres, and by 2000, it reached a length of 2,781 metres with the addition of a platform partly over the ocean, supported by 180 columns. This extension resulted in a slight adjustment to the runway's heading, changing its designation to 05/23.
The runway at Madeira Airport, designated 05/23, is what is known as a tabletop runway. This means that there are steep drop-offs at both ends. Runway 05 begins just before a snaking motorway, while Runway 23 drops off a cliff. Additionally, the runway is placed on a platform supported by pillars, resembling a beam bridge. This unique construction has earned the airport the Outstanding Structure Award in 2004 from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.
The airport has been ranked as the ninth most dangerous airport in the world and the third most dangerous in Europe by the History Channel programme "Most Extreme Airports." The challenging approach involves a visual landing, where aircraft must circle around in a near-180-degree turn before lining up on a very short final approach. This, coupled with the surrounding hills and cliffs, makes Madeira Airport a technically demanding landing even for skilled pilots.
Despite the challenges posed by its location and runway construction, Madeira Airport serves as a gateway to the island of Madeira, contributing to the growth of tourism in the region.
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Azores Airport
Portugal has seen significant investment in its airport infrastructure in recent years, with improvements to its three main airports: Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. These airports serve as the major gateways for international travellers, offering both domestic and international flights.
One of the airports in Portugal is the Ponta Delgada–João Paulo II Airport (IATA: PDL, ICAO: LPPD), named after Pope John Paul II. João Paulo II Airport is located on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It is situated 2 kilometres west of Ponta Delgada's city centre and is the primary and busiest airport in the Azores. The terminal was completed in 1995, and by 2024, the airport had served a total of nearly 3.3 million passengers. The airport offers scheduled domestic flights to all islands of the Azores, as well as international flights to and from Europe and North America. It is the major hub for the SATA Group of airlines, which includes SATA Air Açores for inter-island flights and Azores Airlines for international routes.
The SATA Group offers convenient connections to the Azores from various destinations. SATA Azores Airlines provides daily direct flights from Boston and Toronto to São Miguel throughout the year. During specific seasons, they also offer direct flights from Toronto to Terceira and between New York and Terceira. Additionally, there are direct flights from Montreal and Bermuda to São Miguel on selected days of the week during certain months.
For travellers originating from the United Kingdom, TAP Air Portugal operates daily flights from Manchester, Gatwick, and Heathrow to Lisbon, with connections to the Azores. There are also flights available from Edinburgh, Bristol, and Birmingham to Lisbon on selected days, allowing for onward travel to the Azores.
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Frequently asked questions
The main international airports in Portugal are Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) in Lisbon, Porto Airport (OPO) in Porto, and Faro Airport (FAO) in the Algarve region.
Lisbon Airport is the busiest airport in Portugal. It handles the majority of routes from outside of Europe and is busy year-round, with an even higher number of flights and passengers during the summer.
Porto Airport has metro and bus services that connect it to the city. The terminal has three levels and includes restaurants and cafes, shops and duty-free stores, baggage services, convenience services, free Wi-Fi, and lounges.
In 2010, planning began for a new airport based on the existing Montijo military airport, located 45 km outside Lisbon. However, due to economic problems and nature conservation issues, construction was first postponed and then stopped completely.
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