--- iata: VXE name: Cesária Évora International Airport city: Mindelo country: Cape Verde lastUpdated: '2026-11-02' officialWebsite: >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/aeroportos/cesaria-evora-international-airport/ sources: - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/aeroportos/cesaria-evora-international-airport/ - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/aeroportos/aeroporto-internacional-cesaria-evora/ - 'https://vinci-airports.com/en/our-airports/cabo-verde/sao-vicente-airport/' - >- https://www.anacao.cv/noticia/2026/03/07/2025-numero-de-passageiros-nos-aeroportos-aumentou-quase-meio-milhao/ - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/airlines/' - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/prepare-trip/check-in/' - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/prepare-trip/security-control/ - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/luggage/traveling-with-liquids/ - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/prepare-trip/passports-and-visas/ - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/need-to-know/traveling-with-children/ - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/passengers-guide/need-to-know/passengers-with-special-needs/ - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/servico/' - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/food/' - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/loja/' - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/parking-and-accesses/parking/' - >- https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/parking-and-accesses/public-transportation/ - 'https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/en/parking-and-accesses/vehicle-rental/' - 'https://ease.gov.cv/' - 'https://www.gov.cv/pedir-tsa' - 'https://www.conscv.nl/pt/servicos-consulares/ease' - >- https://www.easyjet.com/en/news/pt/story/easyjet-expande-ligacao-a-cabo-verde-a-partir-de-lisboa-e-do-porto - 'https://ilesducapvert.fr/actualites/vols-directs-cap-vert-hiver-2026-2027/' - >- https://caboverde24.info/en/2026/07/24/cabo-verde-airlines-revela-os-horarios-de-inverno-para-todas-as-rotas-internacionais/ - 'https://cvsky.cv/en/news/bo-sodade-tem-solucao-winter-schedule-2026-2027' - >- https://expressodasilhas.cv/pais/2026/04/02/cv-sky-assume-ligacoes-interilhas-em-cabo-verde/102162 - >- https://noticiasdonorte.publ.cv/19796/sao-vicente-taxistas-definem-novas-tarifas-para-servicos-diurnos-e-noturnos/ - 'https://mindelolife.com/guides/taxi-fares-mindelo' - 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ces%C3%A1ria_%C3%89vora_Airport' quickFacts: - >- Cesária Évora International Airport (IATA VXE, ICAO GVSV) is on São Vicente island, Cape Verde, about 5 km southwest of central Mindelo next to the village of São Pedro. It opened in 1960 and was renamed in 2012 after the singer Cesária Évora. - >- It is run by Cabo Verde Airports (VINCI Airports 70%, ANA 30%) under a concession running to 2063. - >- It handled 354,292 passengers and 4,508 aircraft movements in 2025, making it Cape Verde's fourth-busiest airport after Sal, Praia and Boa Vista (INE figures). - >- There is one terminal for domestic and international flights (about 550 passengers an hour) and a single 2,000 m runway (07/25). - >- Winter 2026/27 international routes: TAP Air Portugal and easyJet to Lisbon, easyJet to Porto, Cabo Verde Airlines to Lisbon (Thursdays) and Paris-CDG (Mondays), and Transavia to Paris-Orly (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and Nantes (Fridays, continuing to Sal). - >- Inter-island flights are run by CVsky (since 29 March 2026), with Cabo Verde Airlines keeping some links via Sal and Praia. bentoTips: - label: Timing title: Check-in opens 3 hours out detail: >- The airport operator opens check-in 180 minutes before international departures and 60 minutes before inter-island flights. Most international routes run only a few times a week, so check your airline's day of operation. summary: 'International check-in from 180 min, domestic from 60 min.' category: timing - label: Terminal title: One small terminal detail: >- Domestic and international flights share one compact single-storey terminal. Wi-Fi is free and unlimited across Cabo Verde Airports' terminals; you only need an email address to log in. summary: Single compact terminal with free Wi-Fi. category: terminal - label: Food title: Eat before security detail: >- The snack bar (breakfast, lunch and snacks) and the restaurant (Cape Verdean and international dishes) are both in the public area. Airside, the Grogaria by Steam 95 duty-free shop sells grogue, gin and Fogo wine. summary: Snack bar and restaurant are landside. category: food - label: Status title: No lounge to use detail: >- HonestAirport could not verify any lounge at São Vicente, and no Priority Pass lounge is listed. Status and lounge cards don't get you anything extra here, so plan to wait in the main hall. summary: No verified lounge; no Priority Pass. category: status lounges: [] waterOptions: [] airportistScore: 4.9 slug: vxe region: Africa --- > Markdown for [/airports/vxe](/airports/vxe). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/vxe) - [Lounge directory](/airports/vxe/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) Mindelo, Cape Verde · Africa Mindelo's airport on São Vicente, about 5 km southwest of the city, run by Cabo Verde Airports (VINCI/ANA). It handled 354,292 passengers in 2025, making it Cape Verde's fourth-busiest airport. TAP and easyJet fly to Lisbon, easyJet to Porto, Cabo Verde Airlines to Lisbon and Paris-CDG, and Transavia to Paris-Orly and Nantes; CVsky runs inter-island flights. The single small terminal has free Wi-Fi, a landside snack bar and restaurant, a duty-free grogue shop airside, free parking and no lounge. ## Airportist Score **4.9 / 10** Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge). - Ease of use (25%): 7.5 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout. - Comfort & amenities (20%): 4.0 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet. - Food & retail (15%): 3.0 — Food and retail quality and variety. - Ground access (15%): 5.5 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city. - Reliability (15%): 5.5 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience. - Lounges (10%): 1.0 — Worth-it density and access quality. ## At a glance - Passengers: 354,292 (2025, per INE Cabo Verde) - Terminals: 1 (single domestic and international terminal) - Typical security: 10 min - On-time: 75% - Disruption: normal ## Best for - Direct flights from Lisbon, Porto, Paris and Nantes to Mindelo - Short walks and simple processing in a small terminal - Quick, fixed-fare taxi rides into Mindelo ## Watch out for - International routes run only a few days a week - No lounge and few food options, mostly landside - Foreign visitors must pre-register on EASE and pay the 3,400 CVE TSA before arrival - Some nationalities need a visa in advance since 1 January 2026 ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/vxe/lounges.md) (free) - [Map](/airports/vxe/map.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/vxe/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/vxe/amenities.md) (free) - [Traveler tips](/airports/vxe/tips.md) (free) - [Water](/airports/vxe/water.md) (free) - [Visa](/airports/vxe/visa.md) (free) - [Full guide](/airports/vxe/guide.md) (free) - [Disruptions](/airports/vxe/disruptions.md) (free)