Practical guide · Azores
Flights to the Azores after Ryanairhow to reach Ponta Delgada from the mainland, Europe and North America
Ryanair left the Azores on 29 March 2026. Who flies to Ponta Delgada now: Azores Airlines and TAP from Lisbon, Azores Airlines from Porto and Faro, a thinner and partly seasonal list from the rest of Europe, year-round routes from Boston, New York and Canada, and what changes in winter 2026/27.
The short answer: since 29 March 2026 there are no Ryanair flights to the Azores [1]. From mainland Portugal you fly Azores Airlines (Lisbon, Porto, Faro) or TAP (Lisbon) [4][5]. From the rest of Europe direct options are fewer and partly seasonal, so most people connect in Lisbon or Porto. North America has year-round direct flights from Boston, New York, Toronto and Montreal [5].
What changed in 2026
- Ryanair: announced on 20 November 2025 and confirmed in January, all Azores flights ended from 29 March 2026; Ryanair said the region would lose 6 routes and 400,000 passengers a year [1][2].
- easyJet: stopped flying to the Azores in 2017 and told RTP Açores in April 2026 it does not intend to return [3].
- Azores Airlines (SATA group): for winter 2026/27, 16 more weekly flights between the mainland and the Azores (Lisbon–Ponta Delgada +3 a week, Porto–Ponta Delgada +2), over 100 weekly mainland flights in total, while Paris, Barcelona and Frankfurt are suspended for the winter [4].
- Guest-nights in Azores tourist accommodation have fallen year on year for 11 months up to August 2026 [7].
From mainland Portugal
| From | Airlines | Flights in Oct 2026 (aggregator) |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | Azores Airlines, TAP | about 232 [5] |
| Porto | Azores Airlines | about 68 [5] |
| Faro | Azores Airlines | about 8 [5] |
| Funchal (Madeira) | Azores Airlines | about 30 [5] |
From the rest of Europe (October 2026)
| From | Airline | Status per aggregator [5] |
|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | British Airways | 4 flights in October |
| Amsterdam | Transavia | 8 flights in October |
| Zürich | Edelweiss | Seasonal, October–November |
| Gran Canaria | Binter | 4 flights in October |
| Prague | Smartwings | 1 flight in October |
| Frankfurt, Paris, Barcelona | Azores Airlines | Suspended for winter 2026/27 by the airline [4] |
| Brussels, Madrid, Vienna, Tenerife North | Transavia, Iberia, Austrian, Binter | Summer seasonal, ended September |
Check the airline before planning around any of these: the aggregator’s data is partly inconsistent with the airline’s own announcement.
From North America
Azores Airlines flies year-round from Boston, New York JFK, Toronto and Montreal; in summer United (Newark), Air Canada and WestJet (Toronto) add seasonal flights [5].
On arrival
João Paulo II airport is less than 3 km from central Ponta Delgada; the operator lists taxis as the public option [6]. Taxi prices, the nearest bus stop and onward connections: Ponta Delgada airport to the city. Getting around after that: São Miguel without a car.
Sources
Numbered references match the source list on this page. All read on 9 October 2026.
Source references
- Ryanair corporate: Ryanair to close all Azores flights from March 2026 (20 Nov 2025) · accessed
- Público: Ryanair abandona Açores (27 Mar 2026): last flights Saturday 28 Mar; SATA and TAP the remaining scheduled carriers · accessed
- RTP Açores: EasyJet não pretende voltar aos Açores (13 Apr 2026) · accessed
- Azores Airlines: more weekly flights between the Azores and mainland Portugal, IATA winter 2026/27 (Paris, Barcelona, Frankfurt suspended) · accessed
- Flight Connections: flights to Ponta Delgada (PDL), routes, airlines and October 2026 monthly counts (aggregator) · accessed
- ANA Ponta Delgada Airport: getting to and from the airport (under 3 km from the centre) · accessed
- Açoriano Oriental / Lusa: Azores guest-nights down 11 months in a row (30 Sep 2026) · accessed
Quick answers
Does Ryanair still fly to the Azores?
No. Ryanair cancelled all flights to and from the Azores from 29 March 2026, citing airport fees and taxes; the last flights were Lisbon–Terceira and Porto–Ponta Delgada on 28 March. easyJet, which stopped flying there in 2017, told RTP Açores in April 2026 it has no plans to return.
Which airlines fly from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada?
Azores Airlines and TAP. Azores Airlines says it will run more than 100 weekly flights between mainland Portugal and the Azores in winter 2026/27, including three extra weekly Lisbon–Ponta Delgada and two extra Porto–Ponta Delgada frequencies. In October 2026 an aggregator counted about 232 Lisbon–Ponta Delgada flights a month.
Can you fly direct to the Azores from the UK?
From London Heathrow with British Airways, according to the Flight Connections aggregator, which counted 4 flights in October 2026; check the airline for winter dates. There were no other UK direct routes listed.
Can you fly direct to the Azores in winter from Europe?
Fewer options. Azores Airlines suspends Paris, Barcelona and Frankfurt for winter 2026/27. In October 2026 the aggregator also listed Transavia from Amsterdam, Edelweiss from Zürich (October–November), Binter from Gran Canaria and a single Smartwings flight from Prague. Many travellers connect in Lisbon or Porto.