Lisbon, and to a lesser extent Oporto, have regular scheduled flights from
European capitals and major cities, including London, Paris, Madrid, Rome,
Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich and Milan. Most of these are daily, and in many cases
there are several daily connections. TAP , Portugal’s national
carrier, currently operates five daily flights from London (three from Heathrow
and two from Gatwick) to Lisbon and one to Oporto (from Heathrow), plus several
weekly ones. It is worth checking the internet for bargains (TAP auctions
flights online every Thursday, under “virtual auction”
on www.tap.pt).

Faro is the usual Portuguese destination for charter flights and low-cost
airlines, particularly during the holiday season. Many fly to Lisbon as
well.

Funchal and Porto Santo are also package holiday destinations, which means that
charter flights may be available. The Azores are becoming a more accessible
holiday destination, in terms of flights and prices (see Air fares).

Travellers from North America will usually have to change at some European hub.
Delta  flies to Lisbon via Paris (using a partner airline)
daily or twice daily. TAP’s only direct flights from the US are out of Newark.
South America is better served thanks to Portugal’s ties with Brazil: TAP has
direct flights to and from several Brazilian destinations, as does the Brazilian
national carrier, VARIG .

There are no direct flights to mainland Portugal from Canada, Australia or New
Zealand. London is the most popular hub for flights from these countries. North
Americans wanting to visit the Azores will find a greater choice of direct
connections, due to the large Azorean communities in the US and Canada. The same
is true of the ever-popular Madeira.

Charter flights are available to Lisbon and Faro, particularly during the summer
months. Tickets always have fixed outward and return dates, but as they are
often cheaper than a regular one-way ticket, many passengers only use the
outward flight. Some charter companies now re-sell empty return seats at very
competitive prices.

Major low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair fly weekly or several times a
week to Faro – Ryanair currently only from Dublin, while easyJet flies from
Luton, Stansted, East Midlands and Bristol. Bmibaby is another low-cost airline
with a weekly flight to Faro, from East Midlands.

Much the best way of getting a cheap ticket is to check websites such as
www.cheapflights.com which offer an overview of currently
available deals. These are not necessarily on low-cost airlines, as regular
airlines sell quotas of low-cost seats or unsold ones via a network of
agents.

Specialist holidays are now a popular option in Portugal. These include stays in
manor houses and pousadas , short breaks to Lisbon and Oporto,
tennis and golfing holidays in the Algarve and walking holidays in the Minho.
These, together with package deals including hotel, villa or apartment
accommodation, will often provide inclusive bus service to your destination from
the airport. Fly-drive deals are also available, to the Algarve especially, that
mean you spend less time at the airport dealing with paperwork. Car hire, when
booked as part of a package deal, may be very reasonable. Travel agents sell
these holidays but a list of companies specializing in them on the mainland and
the islands is available from ITP , the National Tourist
Office.

Tap also flies between major domestic destinations, including Lisbon, Oporto,
Faro and Funchal. PGA Portugália Airlines , Portugal’s
privately owned second airline, has a large domestic network (and a growing
European one). In partnership with SATA , TAP 
flies daily from Lisbon and Oporto to Funchal and from Lisbon to São Miguel,
Terceira and Faial in the Azores.