Porto Airport: Location And Travel In Portugal

Porto Airport, officially known as Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is located 6-12km from the city centre of Porto, Portugal. It is the second busiest airport in Portugal, serving over 13 million passengers per year. The airport is accessible by public transportation, including bus and metro, and is also served by taxis and private transfers. The airport features a modern, award-winning single terminal building with three levels, offering a range of facilities and services for passengers, including shops, restaurants, currency exchange, and car rentals.

The airport is located 11km from the city centre of Porto

Porto Airport, officially known as Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is located 11km from the city centre of Porto. The airport is easily accessible from the city centre via the Violet (E) metro line, which takes around 25 minutes. The metro is the cheapest option, costing approximately €1.80, plus €0.50 for a reusable Andante card. Taxis are also readily available at the airport and offer a more comfortable and quicker journey, especially for those with heavy luggage. A taxi ride to the city centre takes around 25 minutes and costs €20-30.

The airport is also accessible by bus, with several bus routes connecting the airport to the city centre and other destinations. However, the bus is not recommended as the metro is a much quicker and cheaper option. For those who prefer more personalised transportation, airport shuttle services are available, offering private transfers from the airport to hotels in the city centre.

Porto Airport is one of the best airports in Europe, known for its beautiful design and efficient layout. The airport features a modern, spacious terminal with a range of facilities, including shops, restaurants, currency exchange, banks, and a pharmacy. The airport also provides special assistance to passengers with disabilities and mobility issues.

The airport is well-connected to other parts of Portugal and Europe, with flights to and from 110 destinations across 30 countries. It is served by major airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa, and TAP Air Portugal, as well as budget airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air.

It is the second busiest airport in Portugal

Porto Airport, officially known as Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is the second busiest airport in Portugal, after Lisbon Airport. It is located 11km (6.8 miles) from the city centre of Porto, in the municipalities of Maia, Matosinhos, and Vila do Conde. The airport is run by ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, which also manages 5 other major airports in the country.

Porto Airport is a small but busy aviation hub, with just one terminal building. In 2022, it welcomed 12.6 million travellers, a significant recovery from the 5.8 million passengers it served in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport has been recognised for its passenger-friendly services and facilities, which include numerous cafes, restaurants, and bars, retail stores, duty-free shopping, baggage carts, luggage storage, a pharmacy, ATMs, currency exchange, and more.

The airport's convenient location and efficient transport connections make it ideal for passengers travelling to Porto or other northern Portuguese destinations. The well-thought-out transport links include the metro, bus, taxi, and car rental options, allowing tourists to reach the city centre in less than 30 minutes.

The airport was initially constructed in the 1940s and was named Pedras Rubras Airport after the red soil local to the area. In 1990, it was renamed after former Portuguese Prime Minister Francisco de Sá Carneiro, who died in a plane crash while en route to Porto in 1980.

The airport is named after a Portuguese prime minister who died in a plane crash

The airport serving Porto, Portugal, is named Porto Airport (IATA: OPO), and it is located about 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) from the city centre, in the municipality of Maia. It is one of the three busiest airports in the country and an important gateway to northern Portugal. The airport has an interesting history, and its name honours a significant figure in Portuguese politics who met an unfortunate end.

Porto Airport is officially named Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport, after the former Portuguese prime minister, Francisco de Sá Carneiro. He served as the country's 111th Prime Minister from 1979 until his untimely death in 1980. The airport was renamed in his honour in 1990, a decade after the tragic plane crash that took his life.

On the night of 4 December 1980, Sá Carneiro was travelling from Porto to Lisbon to attend a crucial parliamentary vote. His small Cessna plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the old Porto airport, known as Porto Paranhos Airport, which was located within the city itself. The crash also took the lives of his partner, Snu Abecassis, the defence minister, Adelino Amaro da Costa, and the pilot, Alfredo de Sousa.

The exact cause of the crash remains a subject of debate and has been the focus of several investigations over the years. Initial reports suggested bad weather and poor visibility due to fog, but conspiracy theories emerged, especially in the context of the political instability of the time. Sá Carneiro's death shocked the nation, and he is remembered as a charismatic and influential leader who played a key role in Portugal's transition to democracy after the Carnation Revolution of 1974.

The current Porto Airport, which opened in 1945, was previously known simply as Pedras Rubras Airport, named after the local parish. It is now a modern and well-equipped international airport, serving millions of passengers each year. The airport's name serves as a lasting tribute to Prime Minister Sá Carneiro, ensuring that his contribution to Portuguese democracy is not forgotten.

It is easily accessible by taxi, bus, metro, car, and shuttle bus

Located 11km from Porto, Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is easily accessible by taxi, bus, metro, car, and shuttle bus.

The airport is situated just 11km or 6 miles from the city centre of Porto, enabling tourists to go from plane to the city within an hour. The airport is also accessible via public transportation, making it easy for tourists and locals to reach the airport and the surrounding areas.

For those looking for an easy, frequent, and low-cost service, the metro is highly recommended. The airport is connected to the city centre by the Violet (E) metro line, which can be picked up at any of the city centre stops. The service departs every 20 minutes from 6:00 to 1:00, with a journey time of 25 minutes. This is also the cheapest service, costing approximately €1.80 (plus €0.50 for a re-usable Andante card).

If you have limited time and/or heavy luggage, taxis provide the most efficient way to get to the city centre. There are a wide range of taxi companies located in the arrivals hall, and a taxi rank is just outside the main exit doors. The journey will take around 25-30 minutes and cost around €20-30.

There are several bus options from the airport, including local SCTP buses and independent shuttle bus services. The tourist information office, located in the arrivals hall, can provide full information on current timetables. The bus is the cheapest option, with a wide range of routes and destinations.

For those who prefer to drive, there is a wide selection of international car rental agencies based within the arrivals hall, including Europcar, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, and Sixt.

The airport has a range of facilities, including shops, eateries, and a pharmacy

Porto Airport, officially known as Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is located 6.8 miles northwest of Porto, Portugal. It is a modern, spacious airport with a wide range of facilities spread across its three floors. The ground floor is for arrivals and baggage claim, the second floor has a shopping area and the boarding lounge, and the third floor is for departures, with some food and beverage options, banks, currency exchange, and additional services.

The airport has 34 stores, with four located before the security checkpoint and the remaining 30 in the departures lounge. Before security, passengers and visitors can access two Relay stores, which sell newspapers, magazines, and other press materials, and two Cores Doces stores, which sell sweets. After security, there is a greater variety of shops, including souvenir stores, fashion accessories, jewellery, duty-free, and a technology store.

For food and drink, visitors have a range of options to choose from. Before security, there is Costa Coffee, La Pausa Restaurant, a self-service restaurant, Super Bock Lounge (a bar with pub food), and Ola (cakes and ice cream). After security, there is Burger King, Costa Coffee, Quiosque Dos Sabores (a cafe), Belight (healthy snacks), Douro Restaurant (Portuguese cuisine), and Madas Beer (a bar with pub food).

The airport also has a pharmacy, located within the departures area, which is open from 8:30 to 23:00 and has English-speaking staff. Other facilities include ATMs, currency exchange, a full-service bank, car rental agencies, and lounges.

Frequently asked questions