Lisbon Targets 45 Flights an Hour as Airport Overhaul Looms

Lisbon’s airport debate has finally moved from speculation to paperwork. ANA, the operator that runs every major airfield in the country, has placed a 300-page blueprint on the minister’s desk that sketches how Humberto Delgado Airport could squeeze in a third more flights per hour while everyone waits for the long-promised mega-hub in Alcochete. It sounds technical, yet the consequences could be felt by anyone who needs to fly in or out of Portugal—whether to visit family, renew a residence visa, or run a business that depends on just-in-time shipments.

Life on hold at Portugal’s busiest runway

The capital’s single main runway already handles more traffic than most experts deem comfortable. Every summer weekend produces a familiar trio of complaints: cancellations, queues at passport control, and noise that rattles apartment windows in the neighborhoods of Alvalade, Olivais and Alfama. Over the past decade Portugal’s tourism boom, combined with a surge in remote-work migrants, has pushed Humberto Delgado close to its 38-movement-per-hour ceiling. Without relief, government economists warn that Portugal could shed €1 B in annual tourism receipts within five years. That threat has left officials little choice but to keep Portela—its old name—alive even as they plan to close it when the new airport is finished.

Inside the dossier ANA handed over

According to infrastructure officials, ANA’s file proposes a phased investment plan that touches everything from rapid-exit taxiways to an enlarged Terminal 1 hall and a biometric border-control system. The goal is to hit 45 movements per hour, roughly on par with Dublin or Manchester today. Construction would unfold mostly at night between 23:30 and 05:30 to avoid daytime gridlock, although partial closures in winter are expected. The headline figure circulating in Lisbon—€233 M—covers only the first tranche: ten new jet bridges, 30 000 m² of interior gut-and-build, and redesigned road access meant to untangle the ride-share choke point outside Arrivals.

The environmental and legal flashpoints

The Portuguese Environment Agency has already signaled that an Environmental Impact Assessment cannot be bypassed, overruling an earlier ministerial hope for fast-tracking. In February the agency rejected ANA’s latest noise-mitigation plan, chastising the operator for missing prior soundproofing commitments in Loures. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor has filed an administrative suit to force a deeper review, and municipal leaders in Lisbon, Loures and Almada have threatened to block any increase in night flights. For expats weighing a move to the riverfront district of Parque das Nações, the debate matters: property listings boast river views, but decibel readings at dawn can already top 65 dB.

Airlines push separate agendas

Flag-carrier TAP backs almost any solution that preserves its Lisbon hub but wants a dedicated pier at the future Alcochete site. Ryanair cheers new capacity yet derides Alcochete as a “white elephant,” urging regulators to lift what it calls “artificial slot caps” immediately. easyJet sits somewhere in the middle: supportive of growth, wary of the bill. Behind the scenes, NAV Portugal’s controllers are testing the Point-Merge arrival scheme that could unlock 52 movements in Lisbon’s airspace even before concrete is poured. Their union remains officially silent on Alcochete but privately warns that staffing levels must climb if night-work windows are extended.

What foreign residents should expect on the ground

Short term, passengers can plan for overnight closures this winter and sporadic morning delay chains as crews reposition. Schengen e-gate upgrades, partly funded by Brussels’ Recovery Plan, should speed residence-card holders through immigration lines by next Easter. Rental prices around Avenidas Novas are unlikely to cool—estate agents already sell the area as a “15-minute Uber ride to the airport”—but Alvalade landlords may need to offer thicker windows. If you rely on medical supplies shipped via air freight, note that cargo slots will be prioritized during the remodel, potentially adding a day to delivery times.

Alcochete: promise or mirage?

The Luís de Camões Airport at Alcochete, anchored in former military training grounds across the Tagus, received cabinet approval in May. The working timeline speaks of an inauguration in 2034, but internal memos seen by ECO suggest 2037 is likelier—and Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary quips it could be 2040 or later. Still, the site could host 3 runways, a dedicated high-speed rail spur and room for 70 M passengers annually, dwarfing today’s figures. Once Alcochete opens, the government vows to decommission Portela and hand parts of the 465-hectare estate to Lisbon City Hall for housing, parks and tech campuses.

Milestones worth circling in the calendar

Autumn should bring the first inter-agency verdict on ANA’s file, followed by a six-month window for the full Environmental Impact Study. If approvals line up, ground works on taxiways could begin late 2026, with completion targeted for 2028. In parallel, the Air Force’s move from Figo Maduro to Montijo is budgeted at €30 M and must finish before the civilian apron can expand. For residents and investors, the takeaway is simple: expect at least three more summers of packed terminals, then a gradual easing until the Tagus-side replacement finally takes off.