Flight schedule - arrivals and departures
Timetables with the estimated schedule of arrivals and departures at Faro airport during the present day. Select the desired "Time Period" - they are divided into 8 slots of 3 hours each.
Note: arrivals and departures in Portuguese local time - GMT +0:00 / UTC +0
Airport terminal
Faro airport has only one terminal building with 68 500 m2 which operates the arrivals and departures simultaneously. In 2014, over 6 million passengers circulated by the terminal.
It has 36 boarding gates, 6 of which have direct sleeves or air bridges to the planes. Combining arrivals and departures, the airport is able to handle 24 flights and 2 400 passengers per hour. There are currently 22 parking spaces for aircrafts and 11 more are expected to open soon, as a result of the undergoing runway rehabilitation works and airport infrastructure improvements that started in 2013.
Over the next four years, Faro airport is expected to increase its operation capacity to 30 flights and 3 000 passengers per hour - the terminal infrastructure will then be able to process up to 8 million passengers annually.
Terminal map
The following figure provides orientation for passengers and visitors circulating at Faro airport. It illustrates the location of the terminal exterior and internal main areas. The coloured portions indicate areas inside the terminal building and their respective purposes. The dark grey areas represent the several parking zones outside the terminal.
- Public access area
- Check-in counters
- International area after check-in
- Baggage claim and customs
- Passenger reception area at the arrivals hall
Facilities and services
Passengers have access to several facilities and services inside the terminal, to support their departures and arrivals at Faro airport:
- Free wi-fi for Internet access
- Public phones and mobile shop
- Post office, exchange and money transfer counters
- ATM's
- Lockers for luggage and personal belongings
- Information desks and lost & found support
- Police station
- Playgrounds for children
- Bathrooms with baby care facilities
- Special assistance service for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility
- Airport concierge service and assistance with luggage
- Newspaper shops, magazines and tobacco
- Restaurants, cafes and bars
- Smoking rooms
Internet access
Faro airport has a wi-fi network accessible throughout the terminal, enabling all passengers with free internet access. Before July 2015 the internet access was limited and required a paid subscription for longer periods of usage. Since summer 2015 the internet access process has been redesigned and it's now free for unlimited time. The connection process is simple and fast, only a short form filling is required:
- Connect your wi-fi device to the network “_VINCI Airports wifi”
- Launch your favourite browser and open a random page
- You will be redirected to the registration page
- Fill the required data and submit the form to finish the connection process
Check-in counters and public access area
Orientation inside this area is straightforward because of its "L" corridor shape - see green layer in the terminal map. With approximately 7500 m2, all terminal entrances and exits can be found along the north end. The arrivals area is located at the east side and the departures at the opposite side, along with 60 check-in counters and a specific area to dispatch non-standard luggage. Throughout the public area passengers can find several representation counters, information kiosks, exchange desks and other services normally present at airports. Newspapers kiosks, magazines, souvenir shops, cafes and bars are also available to keep passengers comfortable and occupied while waiting.
International area
Access to this area - see red layer in the terminal map - is limited to passengers who have already made the check-in and passed through the security control immediately after. The international area at Faro airport has two floors and occupies approximately 17 000 m2. The first floor is served by several restaurant chains and international stores to keep passengers entertained. The boarding gates with air bridges to the planes are located on the second floor along with several departure lounge rooms where passengers can have a look at the planes parked outside.
Shopping
- Accessorize - Bijou
- Airport Craft Shop - Gifts, handicraft and souvenirs
- Billabong - Surf material and sports clothing
- Casa dos Sabores de Portugal - Traditional food and wines
- Cores Doces - Sweets
- Duty Free Store - Perfumery and tobacco
- Fashion Gate - Clothing and accessories
- Football Gate - Sports clothing and shoes
- Just Luxury - International brands clothing
- Mr. Blue - Menswear
- Relay - Newspapers, magazines, books and tobacco
- Sunglass Hut - Sunglasses and accessories
- Swarovski - Jewellery
- Travel & Business Gate - Travel suitcases and accessories
Restaurants, cafes and bars
- Air Tasty - Soups and sandwiches
- Burger MH - Burgers, salads and soups
- Carlsberg Bar - Beer, tapas and light meals
- Costa Coffee - British coffee house
- Faro Airport Café - Portuguese coffee and snacks
- Mulligan's - English breakfast and burgers
- Quiosque Delta - Portuguese coffee and snacks
- Smoking Lounge - Refreshments and snacks
- Soho Coffee - Light meals
- Subway - Sandwiches
Baggage claim and customs
After leaving the plane, passengers will be guided to the baggage claim area - blue layer in the terminal map. Depending on the flight origin, passengers may have to get clearance from customs control and security officers first. Passengers can then claim any luggage dispatched to the aircraft cargo hold through the respective baggage carousel. After collecting the bags, travellers will leave this area from the north top into to the arrivals and passengers reception area - pointed by the yellow line in the terminal map.
Arrivals hall and passengers reception
The yellow line - see terminal map - represents the public access limit and the location where most people wait for their family members and friends arriving at Faro airport. Millions of passengers visiting the Algarve cross this line annually. It is also the place where we can watch a characteristic scene in airports - transfer chauffeurs, tour and car hire operators receiving passengers while holding signs with client names.
Getting to and from the airport - ground transportation options
If you don't have a family member or friend to pick you up or leave you at Faro airport, there are several ground transportation options at Faro airport: car hire, shuttle buses, private transfers, regular taxis and public buses. Presently there is no direct railway connection to Faro airport.
Car rental - pick-up and return
To pick-up your car rental after landing at Faro airport, follow the directions to the car hire counter located outside the terminal at the P4 park - this rental desk is shared by several companies. Confirm the pick-up instructions in your rental voucher. To get back to the airport and return your car, take the N125 road or the A22 motorway towards Faro. Once in the Faro area, follow the signs to the airport. Inside the airport find the car return park associated with your rental company. If the company doesn't have its own park inside the airport, the return is made at the P4 park next to the airport entrance - confirm the return instructions in your booking papers. If you want to rent a car or obtain more information about the rental process, see the section about hiring a car at Faro airport.
Private transfers
If you opted for a private transfer to leave from Faro airport, after exiting the baggage claim area and as you cross the arrivals hall look for a driver holding a sign with your name or the logo of the respective transfer company - refer to your booking voucher for more detailed instructions regarding your arrival. The private transfer service also transports the passengers back to the airport, straight from their accommodation in the Algarve. During the booking process you can add the return transfer by filling in the date and collection time from your accommodation. To book a transfer, get a quote or to obtain more information about this private transportation service in the Algarve, please refer to the section about transfers between Faro airport.
Shared transfers - shuttle buses
A number of companies operate cheap shuttles between the airport and major resorts. They will be cheaper than a private transfer if only one or two people are travelling, but can take considerably longer. At busy times a 50 seat bus may be used. They may wait for passengers from more than one flight and then there may be many stops before you arrive at your destination. Furthermore, many of these operations will not stop at private addresses eg villas so there may be further travelling once dropped off. Do check carefully before committing yourself.
Taxis
Regular public taxis at Faro airport are available 24 hours. The taxis rank is located just outside the terminal, next to the arrivals exit. In addition to your destination, the price of a taxi trip between Faro airport also varies according to the vehicle capacity and the time of day the transport is requested - taxi fares are uniform across the country. For more information about taxis in the Algarve or to get an estimate of the taxi final price from Faro airport to your destination, see the section about taxis at Faro airport.
Public buses
To exit Faro airport by bus there are two stops outside the terminal - one next to the arrivals and another next to the departures. Take the circuit 16 bus bound to Faro central bus station where there are frequent buses and coaches connecting destinations across the Algarve, the rest of Portugal and southern Spain. To get to the airport by bus, take the circuit 16 bus from the central station at Faro downtown. More info on bus schedules and ticket prices is available in the section about public buses at Faro airport.
Trains
Currently there is no direct connection by train or subway between Faro airport. The nearest train station is located 6 km away in Faro city centre, next to the bus station - request a taxi at Faro airport or take the circuit 16 bus to get to the train station. From Faro you can catch a regional train which connects the Algarve from one end to the other. There are also trains establishing connections to Lisbon and Porto. For more information see travelling by train from Faro.
Parking
If you need to leave your car at the airport while travelling or if you are driving and accompanying someone to the terminal, Faro airport has long-stay and short-stay parking facilities, suitable for both scenarios. For leaving or picking up passengers at Faro airport there are two short-stay parks - the P1 park next to the departures and the P2 park next to the arrivals. For those who want to leave the car for more than one day at the airport, the P3 park for long stays - 400 meters from the terminal and the low cost Park&Fly facilities 5 Km from the airport (with free shuttle) represent the most viable options when you're away for longer. For more information and prices please refer to the section about car parking at Faro airport.
Accommodation near the airport
If you need to spend the night near Faro airport, there are several accommodation options within a 2 km radius - the closest hotel is located just 600 meters from the terminal. However, most of the hotels can be found in Faro city centre, approximately 6 km from the airport - see all the hotels and accommodation options near Faro airport.