More than 75 million tourists visit Spain annually, and about 14% of them choose the hottest region of the country - Andalusia for recreation. Located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, the autonomous community has acquired unique architectural monuments, traditions and even its own language for more than a thousand years of its existence. The majestic Alhambra and the Strait of Gibraltar separating the two continents - these and many other amazing places can be seen in Andalusia, where it is most convenient to get there by plane. Malaga Costa del Sol Airport serves as the main air gateway to the region and will offer guests a comfortable welcome and fast transfer to the city.
Airport today
Malaga Airport is located 8 km from the city center, close to the Mediterranean coast. It is one of the oldest and fourth busiest airports in the country after Madrid Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
Most of the passenger traffic is provided by the European Union.
In 2021, the Costa del Sol handled 18,628,876 passengers, 137,092 flights and 2,867 tons of cargo. The busiest flights connect the UK airports London Gatwick and Manchester, which together account for 32% of the annual passenger traffic.
The second in a row is Spain: domestic flights account for 13% of the annual passenger traffic.
Today Málaga-Costa del Sol provides about 85% of all Andalusia's international air traffic. The airport works around the clock.
Airlines and destinations
As of 2021, 53 airlines operate flights to Malaga airport. 10 of them (Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, Norwegian, Jet2.com, Air Europa, Transavia Holland, Monarch Airlines, Aer Lingus and Scandinavian Airlines) are basic and use the Malaga airport as a hub - a hub, where air carriers organize a transfer point for passengers and have a high percentage of connecting flights.
Regular flights account for 94% of the total number of flights. The airport is mainly focused on servicing low-cost airlines: in 2021, they accounted for 68% of flights.
Flights are operated to 28 countries, including almost all EU countries, as well as Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Morocco and others.
The airport's official website provides detailed information on all destinations.
Airmalta, airBaltic, Kuwait airways, Qatar airways and AJ Saudi are expected to appear in Malaga-Costa del Sol this year, as well as 24 new destinations.
Airport terminals
The airport has two runways, three passenger terminals (T1, T2 and T3), which are connected by a pedestrian crossing. Also in the airport there is a terminal for servicing private flights (General Aviation Terminal) and a cargo terminal.
The oldest terminal, T1, opened on June 30, 1972, and was used primarily for flights to non-Schengen countries. Today this terminal does not serve flights.
T2, the airport's second largest terminal, opened on 30 November 1991. Designed by architect Ricardo Bofill and named after Pablo Picasso.
The largest terminal T3 began operation on March 15, 2021. Its area is 250,000 m², more than double the size of T2. T3 was built with the aim of increasing tourist flow in the Costa del Sol region and expanding the airfield due to the increase in the number of passengers. The project and implementation of the new facility cost approximately 410 million euros.
The airport's three terminals have 51 boarding gates and 27 baggage claim carousels.
The general layout of the airport with terminals is presented below.
An interactive map is available on the airport website showing the location of terminals, parking lots, public transport stops and more.
Features of check-in for a flight
Information regarding flights, an online departure and arrival board, as well as the current timetable is available on the website of the international air navigation operator Aena.
Also for these purposes, the official mobile application Aena APP has been developed. Passenger information is available in Spanish, English, German, French and the regional languages of Spain.
You can get your boarding pass and check in your baggage at one of the 176 check-in counters that are available at the airport. During the high season, the terminal is at its maximum, so it is better to arrive for baggage check-in, customs control and other procedures at least 2 hours before departure.
Services
The airport in Malaga has a developed infrastructure that offers passengers a wide range of services. These include free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, children's areas, mother and child rooms, tax free offices, lost property recovery offices, banking services, smoking rooms, places of worship and prayer for all religions.
The terminal staff provides assistance to people with reduced mobility, VIP services.
Passengers can visit the business center, cafes, restaurants, the exhibition hall, the Air Navigation and Transport Museum and much more.
The telephone number for the airport information service is 913 211 000. Before dialing the number, do not forget to enter the telephone code for Spain: +34.
Shopping and food
On the territory of the airport, passengers have access to 22 restaurants and cafes, as well as 33 shops and duty-free shops.
Offices for applying for tax credits for residents of non-EU countries are located in Terminal T3 on the ground floor. Working hours: Monday to Friday from 6.30 to 22.00; Saturday and Sunday from 7.00 to 0.00.
The shops and duty free, located in terminals T2 and T3, sell many interesting souvenirs and goods of local and international manufacturers at an attractive price.
Also on the duty-free shelves there is a wide range of goods from well-known world brands, including elite alcohol and perfumery.
How to get from the airport to the city
Public transport (city and intercity buses, train) and taxis travel from the airport to the city. You can also get to Malaga by renting a car or using a transfer service.
The A Express Airport bus takes 15 minutes to the city center. The bus stop is located on the 0 floor of Terminal T3. The ticket price is 3 euros.
Renfe commuter train line C1 connects Terminal T3 with the city center and several nearby points on the Costa del Sol.
Travel time to Malaga is approximately 12 minutes. The train runs every 20 minutes. One way ticket fares:
- airport / city center and Torremolinos - 1.8 euros;
- Benalmadena - 2.05 euros;
- Fuengirola - 2.7 euros.
The taxi rank is located next to the arrivals area of Terminal T3. On weekdays from 6.00 to 22.00 the minimum taxi fare will be 1.49 euros, at night from 22.00 to 6.00, on Saturday and holidays - 1.85 euros.
With a rented car, you can get to the center of Malaga on the MA-20 and MA-22 motorways.
The transfer service is the most expensive, but at the same time the most comfortable among the available options: you will be met with a sign at the airport upon arrival and taken to the desired address even at night.
Conclusion
Over the nearly 100-year history of its existence, Malaga airport has evolved from a small regional airport into an international airport terminal with an annual passenger traffic of over 18 million people. Costa del Sol has 3 passenger terminals, well-developed infrastructure and excellent transport links to the city.
Most of the world-famous low-cost airlines use it as a hub airport and annually open new flights to different countries, which allows you to quickly and cheaply get to the warm Mediterranean region of Spain Costa del Sol from anywhere in Europe.
