Las Palmas Airport in Gran Canaria
The modern Airport of Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. This airport is located in the Las Palmas territory and is located just next to the municipality of Gando, a sub-municipality of Telde. On your flight ticket you will find the official Airport Code or abbreviation LPA, which means “Las Palmas Airport“.
Gran Canaria Airport receives more than 15 million passengers every year. This makes it the busiest airport in the Canary Islands and the sixth in passenger volume in Spain.
Booking.comIn recent years, this airport of the Canary Islands and Spain has already had several expansions. It is a very modern and contemporary airport. Las Palmas Airport is the busiest airport in the Canary Islands in terms of passenger and cargo transport. Moreover, it ranks 5th among Spain’s airports.
The military airport Telde Air Base is located at the same location. With the arrival of more than 15 million passengers annually, Gran Canaria is at the top in terms of tourism. The airport is open 365 days, 24 hours a day.
Several airlines use this airport. Easyjet, Ryanair, Spanish airline Iberia and many others from different parts of the world. A list of all airlines at the airport can be viewed here. Make a note of your airline’s phone number already from home.
Shopping at the LPA Airport
Gran Canaria Airport offers an extensive selection of shops in the terminal building. Most shops are located in the departure lounge, exclusively accessible to passengers. In the public zone you will find two shops: Supermercado Spar, a small supermarket, and Hudson News, which sells newspapers, magazines and electrical appliances.
In the passenger zone there is a wide range of shops ranging from jewelery to fashion accessories, newsagents and children’s toys. Here you will find a second, larger Hudson News store with a more extensive range of magazines and books. In addition, there is a Swarovski store for luxury jewelry and Regalos y Souvenirs for authentic Spanish souvenirs. If you’re traveling with children, be sure to visit Tutti Frutti for a selection of sweets and toys.
The most popular store is the duty free store, run by World Duty Free. This is the largest store in the terminal and you will automatically pass it on your way to the departure hall. Here you can buy alcohol, cigarettes, perfume and more at attractive prices.
When buying duty-free and tax-paid goods, keep in mind the exemptions and rules for taking goods to your destination. For travellers to Britain, www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods is a useful resource for information on what you can and cannot take with you.
Besides the many shops, there are also numerous cafés, bars and restaurants. For more information on places to eat and drink, check out our separate page with a full list of all restaurants and shops at the airport.
On an excursion to other islands by plane
The connection between the different Canary Islands is done by Binter Canarias and Canary Fly. These flights depart and arrive at Terminal C. Here, check-in times are flexible. You only need to be at the airport 1 hour before departure. Passport control is not applied here as these are basically domestic flights.
Binter Canarias was founded in 1988. The first flight of this local airline was in March 1989. Binter Canarias was also voted Airline of the Year 2013-2014.
They have a fleet of aircraft like the ATR 72-500, Beach 1900D, Boeing 737-400 and a CRJ 100 and CRJ 200. The Boeing 737 joined the fleet of aircraft in 2005. It is used for flights to mainland destinations such as Paris and Milan. Pets up to 6 kg are allowed on the planes.
Binter Canarias and Canary Fly are the ideal partners to explore the other islands during your holidays. Destinations include El Hierro, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, La Graciosa, Lanzarote, La Palma and Tenerife. Also, Binter Canarias also provides some international destinations such as Agadir, Cap Verde, Lisbon, Malaga and many more. View prices for all Binter Canarias here and Canary Fly here.
Smooth and Comfortable Landing on the Northern Airstrips
Arrival on the island of Gran Canaria is always an experience. If you are lucky you can sometimes take a tour around the island before landing. The landing usually takes place with a sharp turn to the right, which gives a nice view of Las Palmas and the surrounding area.
Thanks to the strong northerly wind, landings are often made in the north. The runways have been extended to a comfortable length of 3,100 meters, ensuring safe and smooth landings. With the presence of two terminals, everything runs very efficiently, so you don’t have to wait long for your luggage upon arrival.
Information about Terminal A and B: What you need to know
- Terminal A is for all citizens from Europe.
- Terminal B is used for passengers from mainland Spain and Non-Schengen citizens. Non-Schengen are countries that do not belong to the European Union. Above all, do not forget to adjust the local time on your watch or smartphone upon arrival.
Practical General Information at the Airport
There are play corners for the children on the ground floor near Gate A and on the first floor near Gate C. You have WiFi Hotspots available throughout the airport building. The first 15 minutes are free, after that you have to pay for the fast wireless internet.
For medical care, there is a 24-hour on-call service provided. The medical service is located on the ground floor between zones B and C. Throughout the building, there are 16 Heart Rescue Areas with Defibrillators. You can reach this medical first aid service if necessary by calling the phone number 928 579 123
Departure after your Holiday: Tips for a Smooth Return Journey
Unfortunately, when your holiday is over, you have to leave again. We recommend that you arrive at the airport on time, at least 2 hours before departure. Due to the large number of flights and passengers, waiting times can sometimes increase. Please make sure you have enough time to check in and go through security checkpoints
It is important that you prepare the necessary documents such as identity cards for you and the children, and your flight ticket. Be sure to ensure that your luggage complies with aviation regulations. If you are with a tour operator, there is no problem. These will generally pick you up on time at your holiday location. Consult the brochure of your tour operator in your hotel, apartment or bungalow resort.
Car Rental at Las Palmas Airport: Tips and Alternatives
Hire a car at Las Palmas airport can be done easily, but I recommend booking a rental car online in advance. You can do this via this link on the website. You can choose from reputable rental companies such as Avis, Cicar, Europcar, Goldcar, Hertz and Top Car Auto Reisen.
If you don’t want to hire a car, there are alternatives such as buses or taxis. Taxis and buses have dedicated stands near the airport. A taxi ride to Las Palmas costs about 42 euros, and to Maspalomas also about 42 euros. Bear in mind that fares are slightly higher during the night, on Sundays and public holidays.
Parking at Gran Canaria Airport
The ample parking at the airport is chargeable and available via ATMs. Upon departure you will be directly on the GC-1 highway, which provides access to both the north and south. A new car park managed by AENA will soon open, with 4 floors and space for 1,438 vehicles, including 15 spaces for disabled people. Parking rates vary per provider
Bus Services and Airport Transfers in Gran Canaria
Since November 2014 there is a new bus stop for Guaguas (the buses in Gran Canaria and all Canary Islands) between the arrival and departure zones of the airport. Passengers can use the safe bus stop for bus lines 1, 5, 11, 36, 60, 66, 90 and 91 along highway GC-1.
For personal transport, Airport Transfer Services offer an alternative, similar to a taxi but more personal and often slightly cheaper. These services can be booked in advance online.
For up-to-date departure and arrival times of flights and more information about the airport, visit the airport operator’s website here.
Lijn 1 – Las Palmas (1) – Airport (2) – Puerto de Mogan (3)
Lijn 5 – Las Palmas (1) – Airport (2) – Bahia Feliz (3) – Maspalomas (4)
Lijn 11 – Las Palmas (1) – Airport (2) – Aguimes (3)
Lijn 36 – Telde (1) – Carrizal (2) – Airport (3) – Maspalomas (4)
Lijn 60 – Las Palmas (1) – Airport (2)
Lijn 66 – Airport (1) – Bahia Feliz (2) – Playa del Ingles (3) – Lighthouse Maspalomas (4)
Lijn 90 – Telde (1) – Airport (2) – Bahia Feliz (3) – Arguineguin (4) – Playa del Ingles (5) – Maspalomas (6)
Lijn 91 – Las Palmas (1) – Airport (2) – Arguineguin (3) – Playa del Cura / Patalavaca (4) – Puerto Rico (5)
In case of problems, always consult the hostess of your local tour operator. If you have any suggestions for this webpage, please let me know via email.