Flights to Malaga

Flights to Malaga: history and sun on the Costa del Sol

Located in Spain's Costa del Sol along the Mediterranean coast, Malaga dates back to pre-Roman times. With a vibrant nightlife and cultural scene to go with its history, Malaga is a popular year-round attraction. Malaga airport also provides the gateway to the many resorts along the coast: Benalmadena, Torremolinos and Fuengirola for example. 

When is the best time for a holiday on the Costa del Sol?

While the Costa del Sol is inviting at any time of year, July and August are the hottest part of the year and can make your stay a bit warmer than you would like in addition to the beaches being a bit too crowded then. Planning a holiday for May or June as well as during September will ensure excellent weather, pleasant water temperatures and will be a lot quieter. 

The Easter season is a particularly big deal in Malaga, and the Holy Week Processions are a sight to see. The end of August features nine days of festivals and fun as part of the Feria de Malaga. And while Malaga can be a bit unpredictable in terms of weather during winter, the Procession of the Three Holy Kings in January is also a common draw.

Important travel facts: Malaga and the Costa del Sol

In Malaga the cost of living is about less than that in London, and a little money goes a long way. So too do local special offers such as the Menu del Dia meals offered at many restaurants at midday; these are multi-course meals that run from around EUR 6 per person - quite a deal. Do be aware that many establishments are closed in the afternoons and only reopen in the evening, so plan your outings accordingly - no lunchtime shopping here! Malaga time is set to CET/CEST, which is one hour ahead of London time.

Getting around and getting along

Most of the major attractions are easy to reach on foot, but take care to avoid the midday sun especially during the summer; parking is limited and taxis are expensive, so alternatives are mostly limited to buses. Single fares for buses within the city are roughly EUR 1.30, to and from the airport around EUR3, and are a little cheaper with rechargeable passes. Accommodation is fairly reasonably priced, with budget hotel options starting at around EUR 50 per night and hostels approaching single digits.

Airport Malaga AGP

Malaga Airport, officially called Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport, is an important airport for tourism on the Mediterranean coast on the Costa del Sol in Andalucia and is served by airlines operating flights to and from more than 60 countries worldwide. The main routes in the EU however, are routes to and from Great Britain and Ireland. London-Gatwick Airport recorded the largest passenger volume, followed by Manchester Airport, London-Luton, Dublin, Brussels and Amsterdam. Many low cost carriers are now also operating flights from other UK airports, for instance Ryanair and Jet2 operate regular flights from Birmingham to Malaga.

Many visitors to the Costa del Sol region, which is served by Malaga airport, will come to the area using flights of cheap low-cost airlines, package deals or charter flights. The main traffic volume operates to countries in the European Union and the airport also has significant regular air traffic to domestic airports such as Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Melilla. As one of the oldest airports in Spain, the opening of Malaga Airport is linked to the founding of the first Spanish airline, which was established in 1919. Malaga airport has recently undergone extensive development.

• URL: Official website
• Parking: Yes, paid short stay and long stay car parks.
• Nearby cities: Málaga (9 km), Marbella (39 km), Granada (98 km)
• Directions by car: E15 (coastal road), N340 then the MA-21 (Torremolinos to Malaga road)
• Stations: Cercanías Malaga trains (trains between Malaga airport and the city centre and Fuengirola), Airport bus to Marbella or Malaga centre.

Location

Malaga airport is Spain’s main commercial airport for the Costa del Sol region, and is also the most southerly airport in Europe. It is 6 miles southwest of the capital of the region, and 3 miles north of Torremolinos.

Train and bus: Buses to a number of destinations can be caught directly from the airport arrivals terminal (purchase tickets at the ticket office outside arrivals). Destinations include Malaga city, Marbella, Estepona, Algeciras, Granada, Seville etc.

There is also a train station under the T3 terminal with services to central Malaga and Fuengirola.

From Malaga city centre there are also excellent connections to the entire Costa del Sol region, including a rail link to Fuengirola and Benalmadena, and buses to Mijas and Marbella leaving from Terminal 3. Taxis are also available. A new suburban train station was opened in 2010 with services to Malaga city centre and Fuengirola, and there are plans to extend the service to Marbella.

Taxi: taxis stop at the arrivals hall.

Car hire: Large numbers of tourists make use of the car hire services to get to and from their hotels or holiday apartments on arrival at Malaga airport and to explore the area. Rental car offices are to be found in terminals 2 and 3. Car hire companies include international companies such as Rent a Car, Europcar and Sixt as well as local businesses: Yellowcar, Malagacar, Marbesol and Centauro. Some offices are located offsite.