Malaga Airport


Also known as the Costa del Sol Airport, Malaga Airport has expanded considerably over the past few years and now ranks highly among the busiest airports in Spain, with hundreds of thousands of tourists travelling through the airport during the summer months alone.

As a gateway to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, Malaga airport has become an important centre for several European low cost airlines. In 2010, the new Malaga Terminal 3 was opened, significantly increasing its flight capacity. It is possible to walk between the main terminal buildings but there is also a large cargo terminal and a General Aviation Terminal for private aeroplanes within the complex.

Malaga International Airport

Malaga Airport is a popular choice for visitors to the Spanish Autonomous Community of Andalucia due to the sheer number of international flights that fly through the terminals. In addition, it is ideally positioned close to the A7 motorway and can be easily accessed by bus, taxi, train or private car. There are also a number of car rental companies offering car hire based at the main Malaga Airport terminal where you can get some great deals on available cars.

In common with a large number of commercial airports in Spain, Malaga Airport is operated by Aena Aeropuertos S.A. and is a popular destination for those travelling from the UK, Ireland, France, Holland and Belgium. New routes are being introduced all the time.

Around 13 million passengers choose to fly through Malaga Airport each year making it one of Spain’s busiest airports. Low cost airlines Ryanair, Easyjet and Vueling have the greatest number of flights arriving and departing, but there are more than 45 additional airlines servicing flights to and from Malaga Airport including Iberia and Air Berlin.


At The Airport

There are a wide range of facilities available at Malaga Airport for both leisure and business travellers alike. Below is a list of some of the services and facilities you can find at the airport:

Bars & Restaurants

There is a diverse selection of cafeterias, restaurants, coffee shops, fast food outlets, American style bars, Italian restaurants, sweet snack stands, sandwich and ice cream kiosks and traditional Spanish gourmet eateries within the Departures and Arrivals areas.

Shopping

Duty free shops sell wines and spirits, tobacco and jewellery in the air side Departures zone. There are also pharmacies, bookshops, newsagents and shops selling luggage, sports equipment, travel accessories, sweets, gifts, Spanish delicacies and electronic gadgets at Malaga Airport. Spanish fashion retailer Adolfo Dominguez also has stores in the Departures area.

Business Services

For business travellers there are VIP Lounges with internet connection, fax services, telephones, television, complementary newspapers and self-service drinks and snacks. The General Aviation Terminal has a bespoke lounge for private aeroplane passengers.

Travel Services

Within the arrivals areas at Malaga Airport, there are international car rental desks, foreign exchange counters, cash machines, emergency medical defibrillators, medical centre, tour operator desks, multi-denominational chapel and police station. In addition there are several internet access points and wifi is available throughout the Terminal buildings. The airport is also home to the Museum of Air Transport.

Lost Property

There is a lost property office located in the main terminal building and they can be contacted on:

+34 952 048 837 or +34 952 048 851

Please note that AENA are the operators of Malaga airport and we at globalairporttravel.com are unable to help with any missing property queries.

Disabled Facilities

A number of modifications have been undertaken to ensure that the available facilities at Malaga Airport are more accessible to disabled passengers. There are lifts and ramps throughout the terminal buildings, drop-off zones with lowered pavements, reserved seating, priority security zone, adapted air bridges and designated information points.

For The Kids

There is a colourful children’s play area and designated baby changing facilities through the terminal buildings.

Flight Operators

The following is a list of airlines currently operating out of Malaga airport:

Aer Lingus Aeroflot Air Berlin
Air Europa Air Finland Air Mediterranee
Air Nostrum L.A.E. Air Transat Alitalia
Blue Air Bmibaby British Airways
Brussels Airlines Bulgaria Air Cimber Sterling
City Airlines Condor Easyjet
Easyjet Switzerland Enter Air Finnair Check
Flybe Check German Sky Airlines Germanwings
Helitt Líneas Aéreas Iberia Inaer
Jet Time Jetairfly KLM
Lufthansa Luxair Monarch Airlines
Niki Luftfahrt Norwegian Air Shuttle Orbest
Royal Air Maroc Ryanair Ryjet
SAS Scandinavian Airlines Swiss International Air Lines TAP Portugal
Thomas Cook Belgium Thomas Cook UK Thomson Airways
Transavia.com Transavia.com Vueling
XL Airways France

About the Costa del Sol

Millions of tourists flood to the Costa del Sol each year to enjoy a holiday where they can sample the local seafood and tapas, lounge on the beach and hit the shops. Malaga Airport is the busiest in the region, and handles visitors looking for fun in the sun. But how many people can honestly say that they know much about the area? Before you go, find out a bit about the region so that you can put the museums and architecture into context.

Settlements in the area are thought to date back to the Bronze Age, and has been under the rule of a whole host of cultures such as the Visigoths, the Moors and the Romans. It started off as lots of tiny fishing villages where the majority of people lived, with the fishing industry being one of the main sources of income. The mountain regions housed the rest of the population in ‘white villages’, so called for their whitewashed houses. These are easily accessed by car from the coast nowadays to catch a glimpse of residential Spain’s history.

The region didn’t become established as a tourist destination until the Romantic travellers of the 18th century arrived, drawn in by the promise of beautiful, rugged Mediterranean landscapes, fine wine and prosperous trade. The Costa del Sol has inspired many works of art and novels as a result of its beautiful location between the glimmering sea and the lofty mountains.

Two of the most important resorts in the Costa del Sol in terms of its development as a tourist hotspot are Torremolinos and Marbella. Torremolinos came first, attracting sunseeking Europeans in the early 60s, followed by Marbella’s rise to fame as a playground for the rich and the famous. Torremolinos is now a testament to the Costa del Sol’s meteoric rise to tourist popularity, boasting a seafront lined with hotels, and Marbella continues to become more and more popular as a party destination with its bars, clubs and glamorous clientele.

Other cities in the region soon took notice, and jumped on the package holiday bandwagon to get themselves into the booming Spanish tourism scene. Golf courses, watersports facilities and immaculate beaches have all contributed to the success of the region, along with theme parks and water parks to keep children entertained on family trips. Malaga is now one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations, and despite the economic crisis throughout Europe, Spain’s tourism is still successful compared to many of its neighbours, thanks, in part, to the low-cost airlines flying into Malaga Airport.

Other Airports in Spain

* Gibraltar is not in Spain but its airport is used by many people who are travelling to the South of Spain.