Madeira Airport FNC
Madeira Airport FNC
Madeira Airport (full name Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (Portuguese: Aeroporto Internacional da Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo) (IATA code: FNC – ICAO code: LPMA) is a Portuguese international airport, located on Madeira Island. It was known as Santa-Catarina Airport until 24 March 2017, when it was renamed after the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Madeira Airport (FNC)
Madeira airport is located at the eastern end of Madeira Island, 16 km from the capital Funchal, in the municipality of Santa Cruz. Due to the gusty weather conditions, it is considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world1,2,3. The particularity of this airport is the presence of reinforced concrete pylons to support a portion of the runway.
FNC Airport Information
IATA airport code: FNC
ICAO airport code: LPMA
Owner: Vinci Group
Opened: 7 July 1964
Operator: ANA Aeroportos de Portugal
Elevation AMSL: 58 m / 190 ft
Hub for:
- Ryanair
- TAP Air Portugal
Serves: Madeira, Portugal
Location: Santa Cruz
Madeira Airport Facilities
The Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira Airport offers a good range of facilities and services:
- ATMs
- Currency exchange
- Wi-Fi access
- Car hire offices
- Restaurants and cafeterias
Flight Destinations
Madeira Airport has a single runway and one terminal building with 16 gates. The runway is considered short for large aircraft, but it can still handle mid-size jets like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. The terminal offers basic facilities like check-in counters, baggage claim belts, passport control, customs, a few shops and cafes, as well as short and long-term parking lots.
Airport Infrastructure
Madeira Airport offers direct flights to several major European cities, including London, Lisbon, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris, and Zurich. There are also seasonal charter flights from the UK, Germany, and Scandinavia. Inter-island flights connect Madeira to Porto Santo Airport and the Desertas Islands. Many tourists visit Madeira Island and use the airport as a hub to explore the natural beauty of the Madeira archipelago.
About Madeira
Madeira located in the Atlantic Ocean, 973 km from Lisbon and 640 km north-northwest of Cape Juby, in the province of Tarfaya in Morocco. It is an autonomous region called the Autonomous Region of Madeira (in Portuguese: Região Autónoma da Madeira) of which Funchal is the capital.
The islands are of volcanic origin and located on the African plate. The last eruption was 6,000 to 7,000 years ago2. The main island, with an area of 750 km2 , is very green compared to other volcanic islands, giving it remarkable landscapes that make it a renowned destination for hiking.
Transportation
The airport terminal is situated just over 8.2 miles (or about 13.2 kilometers) from Funchal, which is the capital of the Madeira autonomous region and its largest city. Whether you are traveling to Funchal or anywhere else in the area, you’ll need some type of transportation to get from the airport, and there are a few different options that you can choose from.
Taxis: will provide more comfort than buses because the only people in the car will be the driver, yourself and any traveling companions. And you will also have the peace of mind in knowing that your luggage will be safely stowed in the trunk of the vehicle during your trip.
But taxis are more expensive than buses, and will be charged based on the distance that you travel, with longer journeys costing more money. Fares begin at €4 once you leave the airport, with the average cost of a taxi ride into the center of Funchal being around €30, and taking about 20 minutes – which is faster than if you were to make the trip with a bus.
Car rental: Finally, several car rental companies have kiosks at Madeira Airport where you can hire a vehicle and drive directly to your hotel or wherever else you are staying. A rental car gives you the most flexibility and impendence of these options, but it is also the most expensive.
You will have to pay a flat rate for the hire of the car and the exact cost will be dependent on the model and size of car that you get, as well as how long you intend to rent it for.
Bus: The cheapest option is taking the Aerobus service which makes several stops on the way from the airport to the center of Funchal, including stops close to a few popular hotels.
The typical journey time into the center of the city should be about 30 minutes and 45 minutes if you’re heading to the zone that has many of the hotels. Just beware that travel times can be longer during peak traffic periods such as rush hour, and quicker during quieter periods.
Buses operate every day of the week starting at 3.45am each day, and the fare is just €5 for each adult €2.50 for each child, with a return ticket for adults costing €8.
There are also a number of regular public bus routes that include stops at the airport and offer transportation to various destinations around the island at low cost fares.
Terminal
Madeira International Airport has a single terminal, inaugurated in 1973. The terminal has 40 check-in counters, 16 boarding gates and 7 baggage carousels.
Popular Destinations
Passenger Traffic and Airlines
In 2023, Madeira Airport handled over 4 million passengers, making it the fifth busiest airport in Portugal. The airport is served by many major European airlines like TAP Portugal, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Eurowings, and Vueling. These airlines offer direct flights to European cities such as Lisbon, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan and Barcelona. Seasonal chartered flights also operate from the UK, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands.
Contact
- Phone: +351 291 520 700
- web: aeroportomadeira.pt/