---
iata: PDL
name: João Paulo II Airport
city: Ponta Delgada
country: Portugal
lastUpdated: '2026-09-23'
officialWebsite: 'https://www.pontadelgadaairport.pt/en/pdl/home'
sources:
  - >-
    https://www.nav.pt/CD/NAV/AIP%20Portugal/eAIP/html/eAIP/LP-AD-2.LPPD-en-PT.html
  - >-
    https://www.ana.pt/sites/default/files/2026-06/Report%20of%20revenue%20from%20regulated%20charges%20and%20terminal%20passengers%202025%20ANA.pdf
  - 'https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/comunicacao/news-detail?id=20470841'
  - >-
    https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/economia/aeroporto-de-ponta-delgada-vai-mudar-radicalmente-ate-2030-com-expansao_n1697446
  - >-
    https://construir.pt/2026/05/05/ana-reforca-incentivos-nos-seus-aeroportos-dos-acores-e-anuncia-novas-rotas
  - >-
    https://www.ana.pt/sites/default/files/2026-07/Tarifario_estacionamento_2026_%28p-aeroporto%29.pdf
  - 'https://www.pontadelgadaairport.pt/en/pdl/home'
  - >-
    https://uber-newsroom.prowly.com/452683-uber-chega-aos-acores-com-veiculos-100-eletricos
  - >-
    https://diariodosacores.pt/2025/03/11/servico-tvde-da-bolt-ja-esta-em-ponta-delgada/
  - 'https://www.ana.pt/en/content-topic/premium-services'
quickFacts:
  - 'ANA counted 2,772,487 terminal passengers in 2025.'
  - 'One passenger terminal and one runway, 12/30, 2,323 × 45 m.'
  - AIP distance to the city is 2 km.
  - >-
    Commercial night movements are capped at 30 a week and 6 a day between 01:00
    and 07:00 UTC.
bentoTips:
  - label: Timing
    title: 'Night moves are capped, and the AIP clock is UTC'
    summary: >-
      From 01:00 to 07:00 UTC, commercial movements are limited to 30 a week and
      6 a day, with listed weather and delay exceptions. Parenthetical AIP times
      are Azores standard, one hour behind summer local time.
    category: timing
  - label: Terminal
    title: 'One terminal, 2 km from the city'
    summary: >-
      Check-in and boarding are in the single Relva terminal. The AIP reference
      point is 2 km from Ponta Delgada, not a second terminal and not a 5 km
      transfer.
    category: terminal
  - label: Food
    title: 'The AIP names a restaurant, not a 2026 menu'
    summary: >-
      The AIP lists an airport restaurant at 180 meals per hour and other
      restaurants in the city. No current outlet list or prices were verified.
    category: food
  - label: Status
    title: Expansion is underway; the VIP move is announced
    summary: >-
      The airport stays open through works planned to 2030. ANA said in May 2026
      the Sala VIP will be relocated in 2026. Card programs and a walk-in price
      were not published.
    category: status
lounges:
  - name: Sala VIP
    access:
      - >-
        Airport VIP room. Hours, a walk-in price, and Priority Pass, LoungeKey,
        or DragonPass access were not published.
    summary: >-
      ANA said in May 2026 the Sala VIP will be relocated during 2026 before the
      next expansion phase. As of 23 September 2026 it is not confirmed that the
      move has happened.
    verdict: depends
    terminal: Passenger terminal
waterOptions: []
airportistScore: 6.2
slug: pdl
region: Europe
---
> Markdown for [/airports/pdl](/airports/pdl). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy.

- [HTML page](/airports/pdl)
- [Lounge directory](/airports/pdl/lounges.md)
- [Sitemap](/sitemap.md)

# João Paulo II Airport (PDL)
Ponta Delgada, Portugal · Europe
A single-terminal Azores gateway 2 km from Ponta Delgada: straightforward once you are there, with a night-movement cap, Atlantic weather and terrain on approach, and a VIP room whose 2026 move was announced without published access rules.
## Airportist Score

**6.2 / 10**
Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge).
- Ease of use (25%): 7.4 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
- Comfort & amenities (20%): 6.4 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
- Food & retail (15%): 5.4 — Food and retail quality and variety.
- Ground access (15%): 6.2 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
- Reliability (15%): 5.8 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
- Lounges (10%): 4.6 — Worth-it density and access quality.

## At a glance

- Passengers: 2.77M (2025)
- Terminals: 1 passenger terminal
- Typical security: 0 min
- On-time: 0%
- Disruption: normal

## Best for

- Schengen flights to mainland Portugal and hops around the Azores
- Travelers using a taxi, Uber, or Bolt, or renting a car on São Miguel
- Summer 2026 trips on the announced Toronto and Vienna links

## Watch out for

- The 01:00–07:00 UTC movement cap and its weather and delay exceptions
- Wind, birds, and rising terrain northwest of runway 12/30
- No published city-bus fare, and a Sala VIP relocation without hours or a walk-in price
- Terminal works through 2030 while the airport stays open

## More intel

- [Lounge directory](/airports/pdl/lounges.md) (free)
- [Getting there](/airports/pdl/getting-there.md) (free)
- [Amenities](/airports/pdl/amenities.md) (free)
- [Traveler tips](/airports/pdl/tips.md) (free)
- [Water](/airports/pdl/water.md) (free)
- [Full guide](/airports/pdl/guide.md) (free)
- [Disruptions](/airports/pdl/disruptions.md) (free)
- [Reviews](/airports/pdl/reviews.md) (free)