Humberto Delgado Airport — informally Lisbon Airport and previously Portela Airport — is an international airport located northeast of the historical city centre of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. With more than 36million passengers per year, it is the 13th-largest airport in Europe in terms of passenger volume. It also carries approximately 200,000 tonnes of cargo per year.
The airport is the main hub of Portugal's flag carrier TAP Air Portugal, including its subsidiary TAP Express, and is a hub for low-cost carriers Ryanair and easyJet. It is a focus city for Azores Airlines, euroAtlantic Airways, Hi Fly, and White Airways. It is a major hub for flights to and from South America, notably Brazil, and Africa. The airport is run by the national airport operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, which in 2012 was granted under a 50-year-concession contract to the French group Vinci Airports, whose Portuguese branch is headed by José Luís Arnaut.
The airport is expected to be shut down after the Lisbon Luís de Camões Airport is fully operational, scheduled for 2034. In the meantime, it remains as one of the most congested airports in Europe and one of the only major airports to have an approach path directly over the city, which leads to noise pollution. Over 414,000 people live within a radius of the airport, the highest number among major airports in Europe. Planning of the construction of a new airport elsewhere started in the mid-1960s, There are ongoing debates regarding staffing for border and security scrutiny, the optimization of slot attributions, and the best use of the current infrastructure.
History
Early years
thumb|left|Lisbon Airport in 1951
thumb|Terminal 1 check-in hall
thumb|Terminal 2 check-in area
thumb|Terminal 1 arrivals area
thumb|Boarding resting area on Terminal 1
thumb|Main food court on Terminal 1
The airport opened on 15 October 1942, during World War II, and initially operated in conjunction with the Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base: seaplanes performed transatlantic flights, and passengers were transferred onto continental flights operating from the new airport. As a neutral airport, it was open to both German and British airlines, and was a hub for smuggling people into, out of, and across Europe. It is widely referenced in the classic film Casablanca, whose plot revolves around an escape attempt to Lisbon airport. As such, it was heavily monitored by both Axis and Allied spies. Although Portugal was neutral, the airport was used by allied flights en route to Gibraltar, North Africa and Cairo.
By 1954 the number of passengers reached 100,000. Major upgrades from 1959 to 1962 included a new runway capable of handling the first generation of jets, such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.
Airport expansion
The construction of Terminal 2 was concluded and operational since August 2007. Expansion of Terminal 1 with new boarding gates was concluded in 2011. A large new shopping and restaurant area, new airbridges and parking positions, a more efficient use of currently existing structures, and a new underground Lisbon Metro station were inaugurated in July 2012. In October 2010, easyJet opened a new base at Lisbon Airport, using Terminal 2 for departures. In 2022, the airline moved to Terminal 1.
Between 2007 and 2013, Lisbon Airport underwent several structural and equipment improvements and expansions. These included the construction of Terminal 2, lighting and baggage claim refurbishment, new cargo facilities, fuel storage, north pier and boarding lounge, north bus gate and baggage claim, enlargement of express cargo facilities, electrical refurbishments, departure lounge refurbishments and underground station and other terminal improvements all of which have been completed. In July 2013, a new commercial area was inaugurated in the Terminal 1 air side area with 20 new stores and spacious naturally lighted internal circulation areas.
In July 2015, a significantly larger food court was introduced, catering to more tastes and delicacies.
In January 2019, Portugal's government unveiled a €1.1billion plan to expand the airport. Although the airport is at capacity, the expansion faces opposition due to impacts on pollution and noise. Construction began in December 2024 on the expansion of Terminal 1, with 10 new jet bridges and more space for apron. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2027 and increase the airport's capacity to receive up to 50million passengers per year.
Planned closure
The airport is expected to be shut down after the Lisbon Luís de Camões Airport, in the current site of the Field Firing Range of Alcochete, by road from Lisbon, is fully operational, expected in 2034.
Initially, the airport was to be replaced by the Ota Airport, a planned airport in Ota, a village north of Lisbon. In 2007, an independent study coordinated by the Portuguese Industry Confederation (CIP) suggested a site in Alcochete Municipality as an alternative location. The site is occupied by a military training facility, which would be moved to another location. A second government-contracted study led by the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) concluded in late 2007 that Alcochete was the best location. The selection of Alcochete was announced on 10 January 2008, more than 35 years after the first capacity increase studies were initiated. The Portuguese government announced that Alcochete was the preliminary choice, to be finalised after public consultation. The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the government on 8 May 2008, but the contract was shelved as part of Portugal's cost-cutting austerity measures, and completely dismissed from Portugal's transportation strategy plans in July 2013, with investment being concentrated on expanding and further improving the existing Lisbon Airport infrastructure.
Naming
In February 2015, Lisbon city council unanimously agreed to propose that the name of Lisbon International Airport, known as Portela due to its geographical location, be changed to Humberto Delgado Airport. The proposal, tabled by the Socialist leadership under former Mayor António Costa, was agreed to by councillors from across party lines.
The Portuguese government under then Prime Minister António Costa, announced in February 2016 that Lisbon Portela Airport would be renamed on 15 May 2016 after Humberto Delgado, in memory of the late Portuguese air force general and famous politician. "He was an opposition figure to the dictatorship regime... and had a very important role in the field of civil aviation," Minister of Planning and Infrastructure Pedro Marques said at a press conference after the meeting of Council of Ministers, stressing that it was Humberto Delgado who presided over the foundation of Portugal's flagship airline TAP and "so it is very fair this assignment name to the airport". 2016 marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Humberto Delgado, who was also known as the "Fearless General" due to his staunch opposition to Salazar's rule and his participation in the 1958 Portuguese presidential election.
Terminals
thumb|Airport Map
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport features two passenger terminal buildings:
Terminal 2 is used by six scheduled low-cost flight airlines for departures to European destinations, while Terminal 1 handles all arrivals and regular scheduled and chartered flights. A free shuttle bus connects the two and runs every ten minutes.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is the main building and features large landside and airside areas containing several shops and service facilities. It consists of two check-in halls: the older one has been converted into TAP Air Portugal's self check-in area, and the newer one housing 68 desks (37–89 and 90–106). The joint departures area features 47 gates (17 of which are equipped with jet-bridges) with 21 of them designated to non-Schengen destinations.
Statistics
Passenger numbers
thumb|upright=1.6|left|Annual passenger traffic at LIS airport.
thumb|Control tower
thumb|Radar Tower
thumb|Airport boarding dock
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! style="width:100px"| !! style="width:100px"| Passengers !! style="width:100px"| % Change
|-
!2001
|9,356,453 ||
|-
!2002
|9,422,605 || 0.7%
|-
!2003
|9,636,257 || 2.3%
|-
!2004
|10,731,861 || 11.4%
|-
!2005
|11,236,476 || 4.7%
|-
!2006
|12,314,917 || 9.6%
|-
!2007
|13,393,182 || 8.8%
|-
!2008
|13,603,616 || 1.6%
|-
!2009
|13,265,268 || 2.5%
|-
!2010
|14,049,808 || 5.9%
|-
!2011
|14,806,537 || 5.4%
|-
!2012
|15,314,800 || 3.4%
|-
!2013
|16,025,510 || 4.6%
|-
!2014
|18,158,588 || 13.3%
|-
!2015
|20,110,804 || 10.8%
|-
!2016
|22,462,599 || 11.7%
|-
!2017
|26,676,552 || 18.8%
|-
!2018
|29,045,733 || 8.9%
|-
!2019
|31,184,594 || 7.4%
|-
!2020
|9,267,968 || 70.3%
|-
!2021
|12,148,972 || 31.1%
|-
!2022
|28,261,883 || 132.6%
|-
!2023
|33,648,613 || 19.1%
|-
!2024
|35,092,225 || 4.3%
|-
!2025
|36,126,000 || 2.9%
|-
!Jan–Mar 2026
|7,857,000 || 3.1%
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:right;"| Source: Pordata Vinci INE
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Top 10 busiest domestic routes from Lisbon in 2024
|-
! Rank
! Airport
! Passengers
! class="unsortable"| Airlines
|-
| 1
| Funchal
| 1,395,044
| easyJet, Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 2
| Ponta Delgada
| 934,111
| Azores Airlines, Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 3
| Porto
| 755,832
| TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 4
| Terceira
| 318,962
| Azores Airlines, Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 5
| Faro
| 279,862
| TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 6
| Horta
| 93,758
| Azores Airlines
|-
| 7
| Porto Santo
| 84,264
| easyJet, Smartwings, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 8
| Pico
| 52,720
| Azores Airlines
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Top 10 busiest European routes from Lisbon in 2024
|-
! Rank
! Country
! Airport
! Passengers
! class="unsortable"| Airlines
|-
| 1
| Spain
| Madrid
| 1,906,228
| Air Europa, easyJet, Iberia, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 2
| France
| Paris–Orly
| 1,545,371
| TAP Air Portugal, Transavia France, Vueling
|-
| 3
| Spain
| Barcelona
| 1,304,984
| TAP Air Portugal, Vueling
|-
| 4
| United Kingdom
| London–Heathrow
| 1,121,519
| British Airways, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 5
| Netherlands
| Amsterdam
| 1,045,272
| easyJet, KLM, TAP Air Portugal, Transavia, Vueling
|-
| 6
| Germany
| Frankfurt
| 733,217
| Lufthansa, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 7
| Switzerland
| Geneva
| 724,294
| easyJet Switzerland, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 8
| Italy
| Milan–Malpensa
| 664,606
| easyJet, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 9
| Italy
| Rome–Fiumicino
| 654,069
| Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal, Wizz Air
|-
| 10
| Swizterland
| Zurich
| 652,212
| easyJet Switzerland, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Top 10 busiest international routes from Lisbon in 2024
|-
! Rank
! Country
! Airport
! Passengers
! class="unsortable"| Airlines
|-
| 1
| Brazil
| São Paulo–Guarulhos
| 864,997
| LATAM Brasil, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 2
| Angola
| Luanda
| 464,375
| TAAG Angola Airlines, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 3
| US
| Newark
| 456,445
| TAP Air Portugal, United Airlines
|-
| 4
| UAE
| Dubai–International
| 448,150
| Emirates
|-
| 5
| Canada
| Toronto–Pearson
| 427,884
| Air Canada, Air Transat, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 6
| US
| Boston
| 337,841
| Azores Airlines, Delta, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 7
| Brazil
| Rio de Janeiro–Galeão
| 319,036
| TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 8
| Brazil
| Campinas
| 311,274
| Azul Brazilian Airlines
|-
| 9
| US
| New York–JFK
| 309,939
| Delta, TAP Air Portugal
|-
| 10
| Canada
| Montréal–Trudeau
| 306,193
| Air Canada, Air Transat, TAP Air Portugal
|}
Ground transportation
Train
Trains to all parts of the country are available at Gare do Oriente station, the main train station in Lisbon. The airport connects to the station via metro in approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively travelers can take the bus to the station, albeit with slightly longer travel times.
Metro
thumb|Terminal 1 front with subway station entry
thumb|[[Metro de Lisboa station at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport]]
Aeroporto Metro station lies at the Southern edge of the Terminal 1 arrivals area. The Aeroporto Saldanha line takes approximately 20 minutes to reach downtown Lisbon. To use the metro, passengers can purchase a 7 Colinas/Viva Viagem card, which can be topped up and used on the metro and bus network.
Bus
Carris city buses stop at the airport arrivals section, and connect to Marquis of Pombal Square, and Amoreiras. Night routes run to downtown Baixa, as well as Cais do Sodré and Gare do Oriente train stations.
Shuttle
Shuttles are available to transport travelers around the airport, and to locations not serviced by aerobuses.
Car
The airport is easily accessible by several major highways and main roads. ANA operates several covered and open parking areas. Valet service, car hire, and chauffeur limousine services are also available.
Bicycle
Two bicycle paths connect the airport roundabout, situated south of Terminal 1 to the city's cycle infrastructure network.
Other facilities
thumb|TAP Air Portugal maintenance hangar
TAP Air Portugal has a complex at Lisbon Airport housing many head offices and the TAP Museum Archives, where visitors can make appointments to view materials including photographs, advertising material, flight logs and manuals. The complex is in area. In 1989 TAP became the owner of the complex due to a governmental decree. TAP's head office is in Building 25. The TAP subsidiary Serviços Portugueses de Handling, S.A. (SPdH) has its head office on the 6th floor of Building 25. Sociedade de Gestão e Serviços, S.A. (TAPGER), another TAP subsidiary, has its head office on the 8th floor of the same building. Building 19 has the head office of Sociedade de Serviços e Engenharia Informática, S.A. (Megasis), a TAP information services subsidiary. The TAP documentation and archive is in the annex of Building 19. Building 34, on the far north side of the complex, houses the company's new data processing centre.
ANA Aeroportos de Portugal has its head office in Building 120. Portugália has its head office in Building 70. The TAP catering subsidiary, Catering de Portugal, S.A. (CATERINGPOR), has its head office in Building 59. Cuidados Integrados de Saúde, S.A. (UCS) is based out of Building 35.
Accidents and incidents
- On 12 April 1959, a Douglas C-47 of the Portuguese Air Force crashed into the Tagus river estuary (near Carcavelos) shortly after takeoff, killing all 11 people on board.
- On 4 December 1980, a Cessna 421 carrying Prime Minister of Portugal Francisco de Sá Carneiro and other government officials, crashed into buildings in Camarate seconds after takeoff, killing all 7 persons on board.
See also
- Transport in Portugal
- List of airports in Portugal
- List of eponyms of airports
References
External links
- Lisbon airport information
- Accident history for LIS at Aviation Safety Network