Car rental at Funchal Airport - Exploring Madeira in Comfort

Officially known as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, Funchal Airport (known locally as Aeroporto da Madeira) is located in Santa Cruz, approximately 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) north-east of Funchal city centre. With Madeira Island being a popular tourism destination, the airport is seasonally served by a large number of European carriers (many of them low-cost), as well as the large Portuguese carriers such as TAP Portugal and SATA International which offer a number of domestic and European connections. Operated by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, the airport also serves as a link to Madeira's sister island, Porto Santo.

Capital of Madeira and one of Portugal's top tourist destinations, Funchal boasts a plethora of interesting sites and attractions ranging from historic monuments and restored convents to a magnificent cathedral built in the early days of the island's original settlement in the early 15th century. A major highlight for many people is the chance to tour the city's old cellars and taste the different types of Madeira before buying. Don't miss the narrow streets and shaded squares of the Old Town (Zona Velha) where al fresco dining on freshly-caught fish and seafood is a real treat for visitors.

There are dozens of must-see attractions near Funchal, chief amongst them the beautiful Botanical Gardens overlooking the city and the world-famous Monte Toboggan that was once described by Ernest Hemingway as the most thrilling ride of his life! With a car rental from Funchal Airport you'll also be able to tour the entire island in grand style and enjoy the scenery of this stunning subtropical island. A drive along the coast-road of Madeira's spectacular north coast is an absolute delight, particularly the enchanting village of Santana famous for its traditional triangular-shaped houses with their thatched roofs.

You can book a cheap car hire in Madeira and elsewhere in Portugal (ie the cities of Lisbon and Porto) quickly and easily through Auto Europe's high-tech search engine in just a few seconds and just a couple of clicks with the mouse. We offer more than 28,000 pick-up locations in over 190 destinations with the best choice of vehicles available, including Funchal Airport.

Airport Information

Also known as Madeira Airport or Cristiano Ronaldo Airport, Funchal Airport is a major international hub and the only air transportation facility on the island. Located in Santa Catarina, about 2 kilometres from Santa Cruz and 15 kilometres north-east of Funchal, it is easy to get to the airport from the capital via the VR 1 main road. Originally built with one runway, it has undergone several expansion phases over the years with the aim of ensuring that the airport is able to accommodate tourist flights with large aircraft, as well as military, cargo and mail flights. Now the fourth busiest airport in Portugal, it currently handles around 3 million passengers a year and is one of the main links between the archipelago and the mainland, with a large percentage of the air traffic being domestic passengers travelling between Madeira and Lisbon, Faro and Porto on the mainland. However, with the development of the island and the growing number of visitors, Cristiano Ronaldo Airport is attracting an increasing amount of traffic from European cities, especially in Great Britain and the Nordic countries. To serve the various destinations, FNC currently serves more than 40 airlines, including TAP Air Portugal, easyJet, British Airways, Lufthansa, Vueling and Wizz Air.

Funchal Airport (FNC)
Address: Aeroporto da Madeira, 9100-105 Santa Cruz, Madeira, Portugal
Telephone: (+351) 291 520 700
Airlines operating at Funchal Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at Funchal Airport currently includes airBaltic, Austrian Airlines, Avion Express, Azores Airlines, Binter, Braathens International Airways, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Condor, Discover Airlines, easyJet, Edelweiss Air, Enter Air, EuroAtlantic Airways, Eurowings, Finnair, Iberia, Jet2.com, Lufthansa, Luxair, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Play, Ryanair, Scandinavian Airlines, Smartwings, Sundair, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Transavia, TUI Airways, TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands, United Airlines, Vueling and Wizz Air, amongst others.

Where to pick up a car rental at Funchal Airport

Most of the car hire companies at Madeira airport have their desks inside the terminal building, near the Arrivals Hall on Level 0 before security. We recommend the very convenient Europcar Premium Pick-Up service which makes it very easy for you to pick up your car rental at Funchal Airport without having to contact other people directly. To make sure you have everything you need to pick up your vehicle at the airport, please read all the terms and conditions of your hire voucher carefully and make sure you have your passport, driving licence, credit card and insurance details ready when you arrive to collect your car.

Car rental operating hours

	Avis at Funchal Airport Arrivals, Funchal, Portugal 9100 +351 291 524 392	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight
	Budget at Funchal Airport Arrivals, Funchal, Portugal9100 +351 291 524 392	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight
	Hertz at Funchal Airport Arrivals Funchal, Portugal 9100 +351 219 426 300	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-midnight
	Sixt at Funchal Airport Arrivals Funchal, Portugal 9100 +351 255 788 199	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight

Terminal

When the airport was created in 1964, it only had a short runway with the aim of connecting the archipelago with the mainland, serving just a few flights between Funchal and Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. With the opening of the airport attracting an increasing number of tourists to the island, 1972 saw the first phase of expansion at the airport and the creation of the main terminal building. The notoriously short runway has been extended several times over the years and during the process the airport has won a number of major engineering awards. The terminal building is mostly located underground and has several check-in counters, baggage -claim carousels and boarding gates. Since there are no air bridges taking passengers directly to the planes, travellers walk a short distance or take a shuttle bus provided by the airport. In 2016, when the airport was renamed after the locally-born footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, it was renovated once again and the terminal now has much better facilities and an improved layout capable of housing more shops and leisure facilities. Besides creating a larger larger area dedicated to making it easier for travellers to navigate their way around airport, this new area also made it possible to increase the customs services and the number of security stations. A new lounge and three boarding gates were also created, as well as an area dedicated to Schengen flights. Today, even after a series of expansion and remodelling phases, there is still only one terminal at Madeira Airport, with capacity for approximately 1,400 passengers at the same time.

Airport Facilities

At Madeira Airport, visitors can find a broad selection of services across the various sections of the main terminal building which is divided into three floors, each with different functions. Level 0 houses the Departures and Arrivals areas, including a large hall for passengers to move quickly and easily to their boarding gates. On this same floor, in addition to all the regular facilities and amenities services found at an international airport, you'll find the baggage-claim carousels, airport information desk and several bureaux de change and ATMs. It's also possible to relax in this area in a sumptuous lounge area and check in at your respective car rental office. Level 1 is entirely dedicated to shopping and other commercial activities, such as a post office, hairdressing salon and various restaurants, cafés and bars. Passengers looking for last-minute souvenirs will find everything from travel items to chocolates and other local specialities, as well as numerous duty-free shops. The top floor is home to a number of VIP lounges, as well as other catering and leisure services. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport and the terminal is fully prepared for passengers with reduced mobility.

How to get to and from Funchal Airport

Since Madeira isn't very large, you can easily get around the island by car, with plenty of stopovers en route. Driving in Madeira is relatively stress-free as the rules are the same as in mainland Portugal, plus the roads are in good condition which means your journey from the airport to Funchal city centre can be done just in 20-30 minutes along the connecting road known locally as the VR1. If you want to use public transport to get to Funchal from the airport, you can take a bus or a taxi because there are several bus-stops and taxi ranks situated around the main terminal building. The Aerobus is another transport option which departs from outside Arrivals Hall for the Formosa Beach area near the city centre, stopping at several of Funchal's most popular hotels along the way.

Parking Tips

There are several excellent options for parking your car rental at Funchal Airport and other parts of the city. The airport has car parks to suit all tastes and to fit all budget, starting with the popular P0 and P1 car parks (both Express parking facilities for short stays) which are located to the north and close to the VR1 main road. Other good parking possibilities are P5 and P6 which are dedicated to long-stays while P7 is a low-cost car park, with all three situated on the south side of the airport. The airport also has some non-covered car parking options, mostly for long-stay durations. Please note that all of FNC's car parks have pedestrian access to the main terminal building, with the added convenience of being able to book a parking space online to avoid the queues. Street parking in and around Funchal city centre is paid for through a dedicated colour-code system. Blue zones mean that you can park, but don't forget to pay at the nearest parking meter and leave the ticket visible on top of the dashboard inside the car. White zones mean you shouldn't park in them because they are reserved for the local residents. As it's not always easy to find an empty space on the street in Funchal, you can always opt for one of the many centrally-located car parks (try the Almirante Reis Car Park which has ample space and is open 24/7), some of which are reasonably priced in shopping centres near some of the city's top tourist attractions, including the fantastic Funchal cable-car. During the busy Carnival period and New Year's Eve festivities, it can be difficult to find an available parking space, so at these times of the year it's best to check with the receptionists at your hotel for their recommendations.

Useful links

Funchal Airport