Located in the south of Portugal, there’s just one international airport in the Algarve, which is located just outside the city of Faro.
Modern, large and well organised, the Algarve’s main airport is easy to fly to from across Europe, with regular direct routes from a huge range of different cities.
From London, for example, flights to the Algarve take around 3 hours and depart from Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted.
From Dublin, Paris and Munich flight times are also around 3 hours and there’s regular daily connections.
The Algarve’s capital city, Faro is then easy to get to from the airport, as well as from around the region care of buses and taxis, as well as from further afield in Portugal or Spain via train or coach.
Here I’m going to bring you all the lowdown about how to get to this southern part of Portugal, including Algarve airport info, flight details, package holiday recommendations that include flights, and non-flying transport from across Portugal and Spain for those of you looking to reduce your carbon footprint.
So let’s get stuck in…
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My trip to The Algarve was sponsored by Jet2 but, as always, all views are my own.
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Algarve Airport: The Basic Info
The main airport in the Algarve is located just outside the historic city of Faro, the region’s capital.
It’s incredible close to the ocean, so when you fly in to land, you’ll feel like you’re almost going to touchdown on the water so close is the runway to the coast!
If you’ve ever flown to Funchal in Madeira, it’s a similar experience!
Faro airport is clean, modern and well-signposted.
It’s easy to navigate the airport and signs are clearly and written in English.
All staff also speak excellent English
Trollies and assistance are available, along with the regular duty free shopping, bars and restaurants.
Lounge access is available at the Algarve airport and there’s free wifi throughout too.
The network you need to logon to here is _VINVO Airports WiFi.
There’s no airport hotels attached the Algarve’s airport, so you’re best to stay in Faro if you want to be close to the airport the night before or after your flight.
Check out these top Faro accommodation picks if you’re looking for some inspiration.
Flying to the Faro Airport from the UK
Officially known as Faro International Airport, the Algarve’s airport is serviced by 29 different airlines from a diverse range of European cities that include Bordeaux, Brussels, Barcelona and Milan Bergamo.
In terms of the UK, flights to the Algarve are available from all these UK airports:
- Gatwick
- Heathrow
- Luton
- Stansted
- Southend
- Bristol
- Bournemouth
- Birmingham
- East Midlands
- Liverpool
- Glasgow
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Newcastle
- Belfast
- Edinburgh
Airlines that fly the route from the UK to Faro include Jet2, Wizz Air, easyJet, Ryanair, Tui and British Airways.
Instead of booking independent flights, you can also book a package holiday to the Algarve, which will include flights from a UK airport, along with accommodation and airport transfer, as well as a potential range of other benefits such as all-inclusive food.
Check out these Jet2holidays to The Algarve for some great ideas.
If you’re coming from the UK you’ll now need a valid passport for at least 6 months to enter the Algarve and will need to queue at immigration to receive an entry stamp to Portugal.
Stays of up to 90 days are allowed in the EU (of which Portugal is a part) for UK citizens, visa-free.
To learn more about entering the EU as a UK passport holder, click here.
Airport Parking, Drop Off and Car Hire
Parking and car hire facilities are all available at Faro airport, along with a Kiss and Fly area perfect for dropping people off quickly.
The Kiss and Fly area can be found curb-side outside the departures area and stays a re limited to a few minutes with driver’s requested to stay in the car.
For more long term parking, the ANA parking is the only official parking within the Algarve airport.
ANA have both premium and affordable, open air and sheltered parking options, with their online booking system providing the best value.
Book your parking at the Algarve’s airport here – you’ll need to reserve your spot a minimum of 6 hours ahead.
The minimum stay is 1 day and the set day rates offered make things easy to calculate and organise.
Prices begin from 7€.
You can also book short stay car parking at Faro airport, from 15 minutes to 1 hour, 24 hours a day.
When it comes to car hire at the Algarve airport, all the usual reputable companies have desks here, meaning you can easily pick up your car rental in the arrivals hall as soon as you;ve passed immigration and collected your luggage.
Personally, I always Discover Cars for my car rental abroad, as they brilliantly compare multiple providers for the best deal.
Check them out for your Algarve car hire!
How to Get To / From Faro Airport from the Algarve
When it comes to getting to and from the Algarve’s airport in Faro, there’s a few different options.
First of all, you can of course grab a taxi.
Many taxis wait outside the airport arrivals area and the average cost to get to Faro city centre is then 10€.
If you’re travelling further afield, do factor in that you may have to pay toll rates on many of the major Algarve roads.
You can also pre-book your Algarve airport pick up. I recommend Welcome Pick Ups for the job.
Finally, you can also use public transport to get to Faro airport.
Aerobus Vamos connect Faro airport directly with the towns of Albufeira and Lagos. View their timetable here.
From Faro city centre, the bus company Proximo run a regular service, via Lines 14 and 16, to the airport. View the timetable here.
How to Get To the Algarve From Around Portugal / Spain
If you’re travelling to the Algarve from elsewhere in Portugal or Spain, then you may prefer to catch a train or bus instead of fly.
This is certainly much better for your carbon footprint and likely to be better for your wallet as well!
Regular trains run to Faro from Lisbon and take around 3 hours.
You can opt for either the high-speed Alfa Pendular services or the slightly slower express Intercidades trains.
You can also grab a coach from Lisbon’s Oriente station direct to Faro airport in roughly 3 and a half hours – there’s around 5 daily departures.
Coaches will be cheaper than the train.
I always book my public transport, whether train or coach, across Portugal using Trainline – who make the reservation process straightforward and secure.
For travel to Faro airport from Spain, you can uses coaches, as trains are a bit thin on the ground!
The most popular route to the Algarve’s airport is from Seville to Faro, which is direct and only takes around 2.5 hours.
Several coaches run this service daily and many people use Faro airport to get to Seville, and the wider Andalusia area in general, given how close they are.
Book your Flixbus tickets from Seville to Faro (or visa-versa) here.
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Top Travel Tips for the Algarve
When to Visit the Algarve?
I think the best time to visit The Algarve is during the shoulder seasons of May and June, or September and October, when the weather is good, but the prices and crowds low.
How Long to Spend in the Algarve?
I recommend 7-10 days in the Algarve.
Where to Stay in the Algarve?
I highly recommend the stunning Pine Cliffs Resort, which is situated just outside Albufeira.
Read my review here.
Travel Insurance for the Algarve
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while travelling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Alternatively, if you’re a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance policies.
Travel Money in the Algarve
The easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups and no sneaky transaction fees, I always travel to Portugal with my Wise card.
It works just like a debit card… and it links easily with Google and Apple pay – sold! Grab yours here.
PIN IT TO PINTEREST!
So there you have it, my full guide to getting to the Algarve, including everything you need to know about the Algarve’s airport – how to get there, how to park there and how to fly there.
I’ve also included some info about getting to the Faro Algarve from around Portugal and southern Spain.
I hope the info was helpful, but any more questions you have, don’t hesitate to drop them into the comments box below…
