If you crave picturesque natural scenery, idyllic weather and miles and miles of coastline, then book a flight to Portugal. Take a flight to Portugal and visit one of Europe’s most unpretentious, but undeniably beautiful countries. Portugal has enough UNESCO World Heritage Sites to keep any nature-lover happy and enough cultural marvels to render any traveler awestruck. Portugal’s past seeps through in present-day Portugal. Annual folk festivals, quaint fishing towns and the simple savoring of fresh seafood and rich wine uphold the Portuguese way of life. 

Find a cheap flight to Portugal and explore medieval towns, windswept coastlines, and romantic hideaways. Relax on the beaches in the Algarve, shop for pottery in Porto, wander the open markets in Lagos, party with the locals in Lisbon, or remain reclusive in one of the luxury resorts in Portimao. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll be grateful you booked a flight to Portugal.

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Portugal Climate

Portugal summers are hot and dry with temperatures hitting 85 degrees F, but cooling eastern sea breezes drives tourists to the Portugal coast in droves from May through September.  Unlike its westward neighbor Spain, which is famous for its lack of precipitation, Portugal plays host to hefty rainfalls that settle predominantly in the northwest regions of the country from the end of November through the beginning of March.

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When to Fly to Portugal

There’s no wrong time to book a flight to Portugal: With remote  beaches, a vibrant city life and festivals scheduled for every month on the calendar, Portugal is an excellent destination for all seasons.

Peak Season: Flights to Portugal are packed in the summer months, when the long, sunny days and comfortable nights cooled by the tidal winds of the Atlantic Ocean have visitors flocking to the shores from all corners of the globe. 

Off-peak Season: The transitional times between winter and summer tend to be the best for booking Portugal cheap flights, when the beaches are less crowded and the rates are lower throughout the months of spring and fall.

Find cheap flights to Portugal

 

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Getting Around Portugal

Because of Portugal’s popularity as a major European travel destination, cheap flights to Portugal touch down at a handful of airports throughout the country.  Once you’ve collected your luggage and passed through customs, Portugal’s network of trains and busses will help you reach your final destination efficiently.  Rede Express and Renex are two bus companies that specialize in cheap coach travel from Lisbon to other popular Portugal destinations such as Faro, Oporto, Braga and the resort cities in the Algarve.The following chart gives approximate journey times from Lisbon (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Portugal.
 AirRoadRail
Faro0.403.004.00
Porto0.453.303.00
Funchal1.40--

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Portugal Insider Information

  • Most cheap flights to Portugal touch down at Lisbon International Airport, where domestic flights depart for other Portugal cities. If you're staying in Lisbon, you'll have plenty of Lisbon hotels to choose from. As the departure point for Portuguese explorers in the 16th and 17th centuries, Lisbon has been a bustling cultural capital for hundreds of years and is home to unique literary, musical and artistic traditions.  Spend an evening out in the cobblestone streets of Bairro Alto, and keep your ears open for the haunting refrains of the fado, Lisbon’s own nostalgic musical genre. If you’re traveling to Portugal for a vacation in the Algarve, you can find Portugal flights to Lisbon or Faro airports.
  • Take a trip to Sintra, located just a stone’s throw away from Lisbon and easily accessible by train and bus. Sintra is home to some of Portugal’s most picturesque man-made sights, including Technicolor castles and mansions that are open to the public for visits. Be sure to stop by the Palacio Nacional, the Palacio Regaleira and the Pena Palace. If your Portugal flight is scheduled during the summer, spend time admiring the beautiful ballerinas at the Sintra Ballet Festival (Noites de Bailado em Seteais) or dance the night away at the Sintra Music Festival (Jornadas Musicais de Sintra).
  • The Douro Valley in Costa Verde produces the region’s famous port wine, which is savored by viticulturists who book flights to Portugal each year, eagerly waiting a sip of the new vintage.  Porto, the capital of the region, is full of historic taverns on ancient cobblestone streets that invite visitors to enjoy glasses of port wine before snuggling in at their Porto hotel.  An aged bottle of port makes for an excellent memento, but be sure to check the rules and regulations regarding customs before boarding your return Portugal flight with a premier bottle of port.
  • If you couldn’t find a cheap flight to Portugal during the sizzling summer months, don’t fret – the  beaches of Costa Verde and the Algarve are just as beautiful in the cooler seasons. Favorite stretches of sand include the beaches of Lagos, Cascais, Praia de Leirosa and Ponte de Lima. For a truly spectacular fall evening, take a drive to Cape St. Vincent in the Algarve and watch the sunset on a cool fall night. The naval fort at Cape St. Vincent is where Christopher Columbus was said to get his sailing instructions from the Queen. According to seamen, this point is the western most point of the world and where you’ll see some of the most colorful and awe-inspiring sunsets. Hotels in the Algarve range from luxury resorts to rented beachside homes.
  • Fatima is a spot of spiritual importance, and visitors from around the world book flights to Portugal to take part in a pilgrimage that draws them to this town 76 miles north of Lisbon. In 1917, three children claimed to have seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, and the Basilica of Fatima was later built to commemorate the event. 

 

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Portugal Airports

Portugal flights land at a number of international and domestic airports, namely in Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS): The airport is located just 4 miles from downtown Lisbon, and is where most Portugal flights arrive.

Funchal Airport (Madeira) (FNC): The airport is located just miles 10 miles northeast of Funchal. 

Faro Airport (FAO): Cheap flights to Portugal for a vacation in the Algarve will land at Faro airport, located 2.5 miles from downtown Faro.

Porto Francisco Sa Caneiro Airport (OPO): The airport is located 6 miles northwest of Porto.

Ponta Delgada (The Azores) (PDL): The airport is located less than 2 miles from Ponta Delgada.

 

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Passport/Visa

U.S. citizens are not required to carry visas if their visit is less than 30 days. You must have a passport valid at least 90 days after your visit in order to board a Portugal flight.

 

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Cheap flights to Portugal

New York City (NYC) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$569RTwith CheapOair.com
New York City (JFK) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$672RTwith Orbitz
New York City (NYC) to Funchal, Portugal (FNC)
from$1,110RTwith Airline Consolidator
New York City (NYC) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$554RTwith IntraTours
New York City (LGA) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$710RTwith CheapTickets
Newark Intl (EWR) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$562RTwith Hotwire
New York City (JFK) to Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
from$639RTwith Vayama

In-flight Reading

Jose Mourinho: Made in Portugal - the Authorised Biography

Luis Lourenco and Jose MourinhoTells the story of Mourinho's journey from assistant coach to UK soccer legend Sir Bobby Robson to Chelsea Football Club manager.

Selected Poems

Fernando PessoaThe poet was born in Lisbon in 1888 and is seen as one of Portugal's most notable writers of all time. This book offers a good spread of his work.

Journey to Portugal: In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture

Jose SaramagoThe novelist travelled throughout Portugal in the late 1970s in an attempt to produce a book that would offer a new way of looking at the country.

Going to live in Portugal: All you need to know to enjoy your new life in the sun

Sue Tyson-Ward A guide book on how to turn that two-week holiday into a way of life.

Travel Tips

Read expert tips on getting the most out of travel

Airline and Air Travel Information
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Fat-Finger Fares
Alternate Airports
Last-minute Airfares 101
Booking Flights by Phone
International Travel Tips
Embassies and Consulates Abroad
Trip Planning
Timing Your Trip
Airport Amusements

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Contributors to this guide: Word Travels, World Airport Guide, Cheapflights

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Wordtravels.com

Destination guides to countries and cities worldwide www.wordtravels.com

World Airport Guides

Guide to more than 200 airports around the world www.worldairportguide.com

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Cheap airline tickets to domestic and worldwide destinations www.cheapflights.com

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