Quick Answers
What Is the IATA Code for Madeira? (FNC)
The three-letter code you'll type into a booking — and the four-letter one pilots file in their flight plan.
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The IATA code for Madeira’s main airport is FNC, and its ICAO code is LPMA. FNC serves Funchal, the island’s capital, and is officially named Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport. Madeira’s smaller island, Porto Santo, has a separate airport coded PXO (ICAO LPPS).
What is the IATA code for Madeira? (FNC)
Madeira’s main airport uses the IATA code FNC and the ICAO code LPMA. When people search for “the Madeira airport code”, this is almost always the one they mean: the airport on the main island that serves Funchal and handles essentially all of the archipelago’s international traffic.
| Identifier | Code |
|---|---|
| IATA | FNC |
| ICAO | LPMA |
| Official name | Aeroporto Internacional da Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo |
| Former names | Santa Catarina Airport, Funchal Airport |
| Location | Santa Cruz, ~13 km from Funchal |
| Opened | 8 July 1964 |
Why is Madeira’s code FNC?
FNC is derived from Funchal, the capital of Madeira and the city the airport serves. IATA three-letter codes are typically based on the name of the city or airport rather than the island or region, which is why the code reads “FNC” rather than anything containing “Madeira”. The codes were assigned long before the 2017 rename in honour of Cristiano Ronaldo, and that rebranding did not change them.
What is the difference between IATA and ICAO codes?
The IATA code (FNC) is the short three-letter code you see on tickets, boarding passes, baggage tags and departure boards; the ICAO code (LPMA) is a four-letter code used operationally by air traffic control and in pilots’ flight plans. Both refer to the same airport.
ICAO codes are regionally structured: every airport in mainland Portugal and its archipelagos begins with LP (Portugal). For Madeira, the MA denotes Madeira, giving LPMA. By contrast, IATA codes are short and traveller-facing, so you book a flight to FNC, not LPMA.
What is the code for Porto Santo? (PXO / LPPS)
Porto Santo — Madeira’s smaller, sandy second island roughly 71 km from Funchal — has its own airport, coded PXO (IATA) and LPPS (ICAO). It is a fully separate airport, with its own long runway, and is mainly served by the short inter-island hop from Funchal plus a handful of seasonal routes.
| Island / city | IATA | ICAO |
|---|---|---|
| Madeira (Funchal) | FNC | LPMA |
| Porto Santo | PXO | LPPS |
Frequently asked questions
What is the IATA code for Madeira?
The IATA code for Madeira's main airport is FNC. Its ICAO code is LPMA. The same airport is officially called Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport and serves Funchal, the island's capital.
What does FNC stand for?
FNC is derived from Funchal, the capital of Madeira and the city the airport serves. IATA three-letter codes are usually based on the city or airport name, and the codes did not change when the airport was renamed in 2017.
What is the airport code for Porto Santo?
Porto Santo, Madeira's smaller second island, has its own airport with the IATA code PXO and the ICAO code LPPS. It is a separate airport from Funchal's FNC, about 71 km away.
What is the difference between FNC and LPMA?
FNC is the three-letter IATA code used for bookings, tickets, baggage tags and departure boards. LPMA is the four-letter ICAO code used by air traffic control and pilots for flight plans. Both identify the same airport.
Did Madeira's airport code change when it was renamed after Ronaldo?
No. The 2017 rename to Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport was a rebranding only. The IATA code FNC and ICAO code LPMA were unchanged and remain in use.