Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Flights & Information

Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) is the primary gateway to Portugal and a major hub that connects Europe with the Americas, especially Brazil. It is the main hub for national carrier TAP Air Portugal, and the airline’s growth has prompted the airport to extend and update its terminals. Still, the airport is bursting at the seams, and its proximity to the city means it has little room to expand. Plans for a new airport to open in 2034 are underway, but for now, here is how you can make the most of your time at Lisbon’s airport.

Sightseeing from the sky

Due to the wind direction most of the time, flights make their final approach to the airport’s runway by flying low just above downtown Lisbon. As soon as you see the Tagus River, get ready for some exciting sightseeing from the sky.

First, you will see the famous 25 de Abril bridge, a suspension bridge that looks just like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Next comes the Praça do Comércio square facing the water, and quickly after, all of the city unfurls below you. It’s an exhilarating first glance at Portugal’s capital, but pay attention as it all happens in less than 30 seconds.

Crowded airport terminals

Lisbon Portela sees a surprisingly large amount of passenger traffic for an airport with only one main runway. This is the busiest single-runway airport in continental Europe. There is a second, shorter runway, but it is rarely used.

The main runway has been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft, but Lisbon’s airport is still not suited for the world’s biggest airplane, the Airbus A380. It does not have the gate or apron space to accommodate the jumbo plane.

Terminal 1

The airport has two main terminals. Terminal 1 is divided into two sections: Schengen and non-Schengen. Less than half the gates in this terminal use jet bridges. Instead, travelers reach the aircraft by bus and stairs. This can be inconvenient, and I find it means that boarding typically starts much earlier.

The Schengen section is alive with numerous shops, restaurants and a food court. It all wraps around a central plaza that looks more like a shopping mall than an airport. It can get very crowded.

The other half of the airport is for non-Schengen flights. Word of advice: expect long lines to pass through immigration when multiple flights are leaving around the same time in the morning and early afternoon.

Lounges in Terminal 1

An escalator rises up one level to two lounges, one for TAP Air Portugal passengers that was recently renovated using Portuguese designers and materials. The other is a crowded and unexciting common-use lounge for all other airlines and Priority Pass members. I do love the views of the airport from the row of leather seats by the windows in either lounge.

One disappointment is that I always struggle with how soon to go through immigration. Until recently, there was no lounge for travelers in the non-Schengen section. This means you want to linger longer in the other lounges before going through immigration, but you never know how long the wait will be (there is often a shortage of immigration staff at the counters).

Recently, TAP Air Portugal opened a small lounge for its own passengers in the non-Schengen section, but this does little to help any one not traveling with Star Alliance.

On the landside part of the terminal, there are numerous shops and restaurants. There is even a barber shop and beauty salon where I once got an excellent haircut before a flight.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 is newer and dedicated to low-cost airlines and has no jet bridges. Instead, travelers board flights either by bus or by walking to the plane.

Transferring between terminals can be a chore as the shuttle buses are not as frequent as they should be. Keep in mind that the terminals are not connected airside. This means that you will have to reclear security again at the new terminal.

If you are planning connections on different ticket itineraries, be sure to allow time to collect bags, take the bus and recheck bags for your new flight. Let’s say you land from the U.S. on TAP Air Portugal, but are connecting to a Ryanair flight on a different ticket. I recommend at least 4-5 hours between flights just in case there are lines, flight delays and waits for the bus transfer.

Star Alliance Gold flyers and premium cabin travelers on other airlines can use the Fast Track lanes to go through security. This is also available for purchase directly from the airport.

Airlines and destinations

All major U.S. and European network carriers fly to Lisbon, and the airport has seen a growing number of U.S. destinations as TAP Air Portugal expands its network. Emirates flies to Dubai, Etihad flies to Abu Dhabi, TAAG Angola flies to Luanda and LAM Mozambique flies to Maputo.

Most impressive though is TAP Air Portugal’s network to South America, serving more than a dozen cities in Brazil alone. It also flies to numerous cities in Africa, many of them former Portuguese colonies. These include Sao Tome and Principe, Bissau, Accra, Dakar and Banjul.

Low-fare airlines like easyJet and Ryanair have bases here flying to numerous points across Europe, which helps bring down the overall cost of airfare at the airport. You can also expect numerous flights, which are often subsidized by the government, to Madeira and the Azores Islands.

TAP Air Portugal also has its Ponte Aérea (or air bridge) flights on its most frequent routes between Lisbon and Porto, Madrid, Funchal and Paris. These destinations are the busiest at the airport, and booking one of these flights comes with extra perks like Fast Track security and more flexibility for ticket changes (these benefits are not available on the most discounted fares).

How to get to Lisbon Airport

The easiest way to get to the airport is by taxi or rideshare service, and given the proximity to central Lisbon, rates are not exorbitant. The metro line is just as easy. It takes 20 minutes to reach downtown Lisbon from the station just outside of Terminal 1.

A bus station at the airport has several options to get into the city and other neighboring towns. The Aerobus leaves from both terminals and heads to several stops in central Lisbon. Interestingly, there are also bike paths that go to certain parts of town if you want to take the most eco-friendly option.

Amenities for aviation fans

You don’t even have to go to the airport to spot planes flying low and slow over central Lisbon on their final approach. I love to watch planes from the rooftop jogging track when staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon or from many of the rooms at the next door InterContinental.

Real plane buffs can look forward to guided tours and an archive of photographs, memorabilia and historic aircraft on display at the TAP Museum in Sintra.

Where to stay near Lisbon airport

The Meliá hotel is directly outside of Terminal 1, and it is easy to walk there. Other options with free shuttles include Holiday Inn Express and Radisson Blu, but I typically head into central Lisbon (even on a one-night layover). The city is so close, and the metro or rideshare services are so cheap, it is a better experience.

Passenger-friendly amenities at LIS

If you have a long stopover between flights, it is easy to head into the city center via metro to do some sightseeing or enjoy a great meal. Luggage lockers are accessible outside of the arrivals area where you can safely store luggage for a fee and enjoy the day in town.

Long stopovers are common in Lisbon, especially between cities that do not have multiple flights per day. Going into town is a much more rejuvenating way to spend your time than sitting in the crowded airport terminals.

Don’t forget that if you make purchases over a specific amount and reside outside of the European Union, you should request a VAT refund form. You will need your passport in the store to request it. Before your departing flight from the EU, you can go to the airport VAT refund counter to claim your reimbursement for local taxes paid.

My recommendation is to save substantial time to complete the process as they try to make it more cumbersome than it should be. You might have to show your purchases so you need to go to the refund counter before checking in your bags. Once they stamp your forms and process the claim, then you can check in for the flight.