Madeira · Portugal · FNC / LPMA
Flights to Madeira, explained completely
Every direct route and airline, how long the flight takes, when it's cheapest, and the story of the extraordinary airport built on stilts over the Atlantic. Fact-checked, sourced and kept up to date.
Madeira flights at a glance
Madeira sits 900 km off the coast of Portugal, so you can only get there by air or sea. Almost everyone flies — into Funchal's Madeira Airport (FNC), one of the most dramatic airports in the world.
Popular routes
The main airlines
The airport
The runway built on stilts
Madeira's runway was too short and too dangerous — until engineers extended it out over the Atlantic on a platform held up by about 180 columns. It's an award-winning feat, born from tragedy, on an airport famous for its white-knuckle curving approach.
Porto Santo
The golden-sand sister island — reached by a 15-minute flight or the Lobo Marinho ferry.
Flights & ferry to Porto Santo →Practical guides
When to fly, when it's cheapest, what happens when the wind closes the airport, and how to get into Funchal.
All travel guides →Frequently asked questions about Madeira flights
What is the airport code for Madeira?
Madeira's main airport is Funchal — IATA code FNC, ICAO code LPMA, officially Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport. The second airport, on Porto Santo island, is PXO (ICAO LPPS).
How many airlines fly to Madeira?
Around 30 airlines fly to Madeira (FNC), serving roughly 65 direct destinations across about 22 countries. The biggest are easyJet, TAP Air Portugal, Ryanair, Jet2.com and Transavia.
Can you fly direct to Madeira from the USA?
Yes — United flies nonstop from New York/Newark (EWR) to Funchal, a summer-seasonal route (about 3×/week on a Boeing 737 MAX 8) that launched in June 2025. It is the only scheduled nonstop between the US mainland and Madeira; all other US travel connects, usually via Lisbon.
Is Madeira Airport dangerous?
Madeira is one of Europe's most operationally challenging airports — a terrain-forced curving approach and severe wind shear mean frequent go-arounds and diversions — but its modern safety record is strong, with no fatal commercial jet accident since 1977. Pilots need special qualification to land there.
When is the cheapest time to fly to Madeira?
The cheapest fares are usually in the winter low season — roughly November to February, with January often the cheapest — plus the September shoulder. August and the Christmas/New Year period are the most expensive.
What is the shortest flight from Madeira?
Funchal to Porto Santo (FNC–PXO) on Binter is about 15 minutes in the air (a ~25-minute scheduled block) — one of the shortest scheduled flights in Europe, though not the world's shortest (that's Westray–Papa Westray in Scotland).