Airport Fee Shuffle Could Make Lisbon the Bargain Entry to Portugal

Holidaymakers heading south for winter sun and digital nomads commuting through Porto’s tech corridor may soon notice a subtle change in their airfare receipts: cents shaved off flights into Lisbon but added in the north and the Algarve. Portugal’s airport operator has unveiled a tariff shuffle for 2026 that, while numerically small, could influence which runway expats choose for the next few years.

Why Faro and Porto travellers may pay more while Lisbon gets cheaper

Under the concession held by ANA – Aeroportos, charges at Sá Carneiro (Porto) and Faro can move only in line with the Harmonised Consumer Price Index. With consumer prices forecast to tick up, the company proposes a 3.9 % rise – roughly €0.34 per passenger – at both airports from January 2026. Lisbon, by contrast, benefits from a contractual clause that corrects earlier forecasting errors, so its fees are slated to fall 4.65 % or €0.76 per traveller. Madeira and the Azores, grouped administratively with Lisbon, keep their tariffs flat.

How the price shift fits into Portugal’s wider aviation puzzle

Passenger traffic is expected to creep up by just 1.9 % in Porto and 1.7 % in Faro, a cooling after several post-pandemic boom years. Even with a new airport for the capital still mired in environmental studies, Humberto Delgado has hit capacity and relies on price incentives to manage flow. For foreigners weighing where to base themselves, the change means Lisbon could become the cheapest long-haul entry point, with rail links such as the Alfa Pendular turning the three-hour trip to Porto or Faro into a workable alternative.

Airlines and travel trade push back

The travel industry’s response has been swift. RENA, the umbrella group for carriers operating in Portugal, brands the increase a *disincentive* to fly short distances at precisely the moment sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) surcharges are kicking in. Ryanair has already hinted it might redeploy aircraft if costs climb, echoing past moves that saw capacity trimmed at Faro. easyJet’s leadership warns that higher ground fees usually translate into fewer seats on marginal routes, especially outside the summer peak. On the tourism side, APAVT’s president Pedro Costa Ferreira argues that persistent infrastructure constraints – not higher prices – should be the priority, lamenting what he calls the “worst moment ever” for Lisbon’s service quality.

What the extra cents are supposed to finance

ANA’s parent group, France-based Vinci Airports, tells regulators the extra revenue will underpin a slate of infrastructure and sustainability upgrades. Ongoing works include a €53 M runway overhaul in Porto, a €17 M roof intervention in Faro, and the rollout of on-site solar farms and electric ground-handling equipment. All Portuguese hubs under Vinci already hold Airport Carbon Accreditation level 4+, and the operator recently secured €50 M from the European Investment Bank to push emissions further down. In theory, today’s modest surcharge helps preserve that green badge while keeping terminals compliant with tighter EU climate rules.

Comparing Portugal’s move with Spain and Italy

For context, neighbours are lifting prices faster. Aena plans a 6.5 % rise in Málaga and Seville from March 2026, adding about €0.68 per passenger. At Italy’s Bologna airport, landing charges will creep up only around 2 %, yet the passenger levy jumps almost 9 %. Against that backdrop, Portugal’s 3.9 % sits mid-table – not the cheapest on the Mediterranean map but hardly the costliest either. Still, a nation long marketed as a budget gateway cannot ignore the psychological effect of any increase.

Practical tips for residents and frequent flyers

Expats can soften the blow with a few tweaks. Advance-purchase tickets locked in before airlines add the fee often dodge the hike. An open-jaw itinerary – inbound to Lisbon, outbound from Porto or Faro – may capitalise on the capital’s lower charge. For Algarve property owners ferrying guests, the regional train or long-distance coach from Lisbon is now a better-valued fallback. Above all, keep an eye on carrier newsletters: capacity cuts or flash sales tend to land shortly after regulators like ANAC rubber-stamp new tariffs. A handful of cents might not wreck a holiday budget, but when multiplied by visiting relatives and business trips, the difference soon tallies up.