Ponta Delgada has a single terminal providing basic functions, with the main concourse and arrivals area together on the ground floor.
The airport is well laid out and the check-in process is quick. The only security checkpoint leads to the common transit area, where there are free-access departure gates for departures to Schengen countries and then non-Schengen departure gates after passport control.
The transit area is often overcrowded and there are not enough seats, especially in the morning and afternoon.
Transfer between flights
Ponta Delgada is a very common transfer point between flights from Europe and the USA to other Azores islands, but also between flights from the USA/Canada to mainland Portugal or vice versa.
It is one of the fastest and most uncluttered airports in Europe for transfers.
Do I have to leave the transit zone?
No. If you have a connecting flight purchased in one booking or are travelling with hand luggage only and already have an online boarding pass for the connecting flight, you do not need to leave the transit zone.
You will always walk from the plane to the terminal on the tarmac. You enter the concourse. If you are arriving from a non-Schengen country (e.g. USA, Canada, UK, Cape Verde) you will go through passport control (queues of about 20 minutes), whereas if you are arriving from a Schengen country you will not go through any control.
To the right is the exit for baggage claim and to the left is the passage for connecting flights directly to the departure gate area.
There is no security check.
The entire transfer takes about 5 minutes net (+ passport control if applicable).
Do I need to collect my luggage?
Your checked baggage will be automatically transferred and collected at your final destination if you have a connecting flight purchased in one booking.
