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VXEGVSV

Sao Vicente Cesaria Evora Airport

São Vicente, CV

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Cesária Évora International Airport

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

Rough

Ease of use7.5
Comfort & amenities4.0
Food & retail3.0
Ground access5.5
Reliability5.5
Lounges1.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

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VXEGVSVNormal

Cesária Évora International Airport

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

Rough

Ease of use7.5
Comfort & amenities4.0
Food & retail3.0
Ground access5.5
Reliability5.5
Lounges1.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare VXE with another airport

Typical security
10 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
About 15–20 min to central Mindelo (estimate)
Taxi
Cheapest to city
Aluguer shared minibus
Low fare; not officially published for this route · About 20–30 min to Mindelo (estimate)
On time
75%
of departures
Terminals
1
(single domestic and international terminal)
Passengers / year
354,292 (2025, per INE Cabo Verde)

VXE security wait times

5 photos

VXEGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Check-in opens 3 hours out

International check-in from 180 min, domestic from 60 min.

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.

Terminal

One small terminal

Single compact terminal with free Wi-Fi.

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.

Food

Eat before security

Snack bar and restaurant are landside.

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.

Status

No lounge to use

No verified lounge; no Priority Pass.

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.

Live conditions

Right now at VXE

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

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

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

7.5

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

4.0

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

3.0

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

5.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.5

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

1.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

354,292 (2025, per INE Cabo Verde)

Terminals

1 (single domestic and international terminal)

On-time departures

75%

Typical security

10 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for VXE.

Updated Nov 2, 2026

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.

28 official 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

Full guide

Explore the VXE guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Sao Vicente Cesaria Evora Airport and the Sao Vicente city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: TaxiCheapest: Aluguer shared minibus
View Getting There
Lounges
Lounges: HonestAirport could not verify any lounge at VXE, and no Priority Pass lounge is listed.
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Pay the TSA and do your EASE pre-registration at home. Have the proof ready at passport control to avoid queues at the border.
10 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Free Wi-FiSnack bar and restaurant
View Amenities
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Sao Vicente Cesaria Evora Airport and the Sao Vicente city center

This airport VXE
City center Sao Vicente

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

There is one terminal for both domestic and international flights, with landside check-in, then security, then the gate area.
The public (landside) area has the snack bar, the restaurant, Aero Shop (travel accessories and souvenirs), N&L Cultural (music) and Sabores de Cabo Verde e Artesanato (local food products and crafts).
The BCA (Banco Comercial do Atlântico) bank is listed at the airport for cash and banking.
Lost and found is handled by the ground-handling company, CV Handling.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

Taxi: taxis wait outside arrivals. The municipal fixed fare between the airport and Mindelo is 1,200 CVE by day and 1,300 CVE at night. The ride takes about 15–20 minutes.
Aluguer (shared minibus): informal shared minibuses also run between the airport area and Mindelo; fares are low but not officially published for this route.
Car rental: Mendes & Mendes Rent-a-Car is listed by the airport operator at São Vicente.
Parking: free at the airport.
There is no rail link.

Ride to Sao Vicente

Pickup at VXE. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Sao Vicente city center for a live price.

To city center

Sao Vicente

~8.5 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Sao Vicente — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

FastestBest for luggage

Taxi

Taxis wait outside arrivals for the 5 km run into Mindelo.

Time to city

About 15–20 min to central Mindelo (estimate)

Cost

1,200 CVE by day, 1,300 CVE at night (municipal fixed fare)

Tip: Have escudos ready; the fixed fare applies to airport runs.

Cheapest

Aluguer shared minibus

Informal shared minibuses run between the airport area and Mindelo.

Time to city

About 20–30 min to Mindelo (estimate)

Cost

Low fare; not officially published for this route

Tip: Ask the driver for the fare before boarding.

Airport parking

Parking at the terminal is free of charge.

Time to city

About 15 min drive to Mindelo (estimate)

Cost

Free

Tip: Handy for pick-ups and drop-offs.

Lounge & amenity notes

Lounge, food, and quiet-spot picks pulled from the markdown guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

Lounges: HonestAirport could not verify any lounge at VXE, and no Priority Pass lounge is listed.
Food: the Filomena Luz "Guloseima" snack bar serves breakfast, lunch and snacks, and a restaurant run by the same operator serves Cape Verdean and international dishes. Both are in the public area. Opening hours are not published.
Shopping: Grogaria by Steam 95 (duty free, international departures), plus Aero Shop, N&L Cultural and Sabores de Cabo Verde e Artesanato landside.
Wi-Fi: free and unlimited; just enter an email address.
Money: a BCA bank is listed at the airport.

good

Free Wi-Fi

Fast WiFi

Free, unlimited Wi-Fi; log in with an email address.

basic

Snack bar and restaurant

Food

Filomena Luz snack bar (breakfast, lunch, snacks) and restaurant (Cape Verdean and international dishes) in the public area.

good

Grogaria by Steam 95

Food

Duty-free shop in international departures selling grogue, gin, Fogo wine and Cape Verdean music.

good

Free parking

Easy Transport

Parking at the airport is free of charge.

basic

Car rental

Easy Transport

Mendes & Mendes Rent-a-Car is listed at São Vicente airport.

basic

Assistance for reduced mobility

Accessibility

Request it from your airline when booking, at least 48 hours before departure.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Pay the TSA and do your EASE pre-registration at home. Have the proof ready at passport control to avoid queues at the border.
Use the taxi rank. Mindelo's municipal fixed fare for airport runs is 1,200 CVE by day and 1,300 CVE at night.
Parking at Cabo Verde Airports' terminals is free (Praia is the only exception), so drop-offs and pick-ups cost nothing.
Buy grogue, gin or Fogo wine at Grogaria by Steam 95 in the international departures area; it also sells Cape Verdean music on CD and vinyl.
On a long layover, Mindelo is close enough for a taxi into town; check your airline's check-in deadline before leaving.

01

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Do EASE and the TSA before you fly

Foreign visitors pre-register on ease.gov.cv and pay the 3,400 CVE airport security tax online.

Pre-register ideally at least five days before travel. The registration and payment stay valid for a year. Cape Verdean nationals and children under 2 are exempt. Since 1 January 2026, citizens of some countries also need a visa in advance.

Pro

Faster border check on arrival

Watch-out

Easy to forget for a short trip

02

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Take a fixed-fare taxi

Mindelo's municipal tariff is 1,200 CVE by day and 1,300 CVE at night.

Taxis wait outside arrivals and the ride to Mindelo takes about 15–20 minutes. Shared aluguer minibuses are cheaper but informal.

Pro

Quick and predictable

Watch-out

Cash in escudos is easiest

03

LoungeTraveler Tips & Hacks

Don't count on a lounge

No lounge could be verified at VXE.

No Priority Pass lounge is listed. The snack bar and restaurant are landside, so eat before security if you want a proper meal.

Pro

Short walks everywhere

Watch-out

Limited comfort on a delay

04

FamilyTraveler Tips & Hacks

Bring the right papers for children

Minors need their own passport on international flights.

A child travelling with only one parent needs a notarised authorisation from the other parent. Children under 2 don't pay the TSA.

Pro

Clear rules

Watch-out

Notarised consent takes time to arrange

05

LayoverTraveler Tips & Hacks

Use free Wi-Fi and allow for check-in rules

Free unlimited Wi-Fi; check-in opens 180 min before international flights.

Inter-island check-in opens 60 minutes before departure. If you're connecting on separate tickets, collect bags and check in again.

Pro

Free connectivity

Watch-out

Separate tickets mean no through check-in

Entry requirements

Cape Verde (CV)

Sign in and add a passport to see the entry requirement for Cape Verde.

Passports are saved in profile settings. Check the official site before you travel.

Published alerts

Editorial profile notes — not a live alert feed. Live operations are on Overview and in the panel below.

Published alerts

Typical operations snapshot — editorial, not live news. File dated Nov 2, 2026.

Normal

Winter 2026/27: Transavia flies to Paris-Orly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until 27 March 2027 and to Nantes on Fridays (30 October 2026 to 26 March 2027, continuing to Sal).Cabo Verde Airlines flies to Lisbon on Thursdays and Paris-CDG on Mondays this winter; TAP and easyJet serve Lisbon, and easyJet serves Porto.On-time share, delays, cancellations, security wait and travel times are HonestAirport estimates; the airport publishes no punctuality figures.

Typical delay mix from the same editorial snapshot — not a live feed. Current operations are on Overview.

Typical departure delays16 min · 20%

Typical arrival delays18 min · 22%

Typical cancellations0 min · 2%

Live operations

Live operational signals from Flighty or FAA, plus checkpoint waits where airports publish them.

Traveler reviews

What travelers say

Write a review

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