Malaga Airport is the fourth largest airport in Spain after Madrid, Barcelona and Mallorca. Around 13 million passengers currently (2014) use the airport on the Costa del Sol every year. The official name of the airport is: Aeropuerto Málaga-Costa del Sol (Malaga/Costa del Sol Airport). The airport is located about 10 kilometers southwest of downtown Malaga and only 5 kilometers from the mega-tourist town of Torremolinos.
Malaga airport has three terminals, but almost only the new Terminal 3 is used, Terminal 1 is completely closed. The majority of the planes to and from Malaga are mostly filled with tourists. You can fly directly from Malaga to more than 50 countries. Virtually all major German airports fly to Malaga. In summer there are considerably more flights than in winter, but you can fly there from Germany at any time of the year. The tickets are often cheap.
The food and drinks in Malaga Airport are not exactly cheap, as we feel in many airports around the world. On the first floor there is a Burger King, where the prices are affordable. Starbucks and Pizza Hut also have a branch in the airport.
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Accommodation / Hotels Malaga Airport: Since the hotel rich cities Malaga and Torremolinos are only a few kilometers away from the airport, you don’t have to stay overnight at the airport. There is a Holiday Inn Hotel directly at the airport. Some other hotels near Malaga airport are difficult to reach by public transport. If you want to save money for a taxi, it is better to stay overnight in the centre of Malaga.
Train to Malaga Airport: The trains run about every 20 minutes between 5:45 and midnight. There are no trains at night. In Spanish, the train is called „Cercanias“, but the simpler word „Tren“ is also understood. The fares are cheap, a trip from the airport to the city centre costs about 2 euros. The journey time to Malaga Central Station (name of the station Maria Zambrano) is only about 10 minutes. It is the penultimate stop, then the train stops right next to the old town and pedestrian zone of Malaga. In the other direction the train reaches Torremolinos after a few minutes, then the two tourist cities Benalmadena and Fuengirola. The stop at the airport is about 100 metres from Terminal 3 and is therefore within easy walking distance. If you have to wait a long time, you can take the train to Torremolinos. There is the big shopping centre Plaza Mayor with many shops, restaurants and a huge cinema.
Malaga airport on the map
Buses to Malaga Airport: There are buses to all major towns in the area, but not very often. The connections to Marbella are quite good. You can also take the local train to the main station, next to the station there is the big bus station of Malaga with a lot more connections. The buses stop directly in front of Terminal 3, the ticket counter is a little hidden 50 metres away, outside the terminal towards the terminal.
Parking at Malaga Airport: Those who are travelling in Spain with a few cars or rental cars know the problem. Parking spaces are difficult to find and expensive in city centres and airports. Parking garages and public parking lots are often full. On this great website you can reserve a parking space in Malaga (airport and city centre).