How long does it take to fly to Portugal?
Depending on where you’re departure airport is within the United States, the duration of your flights to Portugal can be significantly different. There are three main airports in Portugal with arrivals from the United States. These airports are the Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon, Faro Airport (FAO), and Francisco Sà Carneiro Airport (OPO) in Porto. As for Portugal flights landing in Lisbon, the shortest route takes off from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). This flight is about 6h and 25min long. However, the journey from San Francisco Airport (SFO) to Lisbon is closer to 10h and 50min. The flights to Faro Airport are not nonstop. Since the flights from the United States tend to make a stop in Lisbon before arriving at the final destination, they can take approximately 8h and 10min from an airport like John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. As for cheap flights to the airport in Porto, direct flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Francisco Sà Carneiro Airport are only about 7h long.
Can you get nonstop flights to Portugal from the US?
Yes, there are currently various options for traveling nonstop between the United States and Portugal. The two airports in Portugal with direct flights arriving from the United States are the Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon and the Francisco Sà Carneiro Airport in Porto. TAP Portugal is the main airline operating the direct flights to Portugal. The departures with this airline are out of Boston Logan International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Miami International Airport (MIA) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington D.C. Nonetheless, there are also nonstop tickets with United Airlines from Newark Liberty International Airport and, during specific times of the year, from Dulles International Airport as well. As for the direct routes to Francisco Sà Carneiro Airport in Porto, you can choose to fly with either TAP Portugal or United Airlines from Newark Liberty International Airport. However, the TAP Portugal flights aren’t available every day of the week and the United Airlines ones are seasonal.
What is the best way to travel around Portugal?
Portugal is not a large country and has a variety of travel options depending where you wish to visit. Three of the most popular destinations in Portugal are Lisbon, Porto and Faro. There are domestic flights available between these cities with TAP Portugal that would reduce your travel time, however this isn’t the most affordable option. The best way of getting to and from these cities is most likely by bus. There are various options to choose from throughout the day and the prices are reasonable. The trips from Lisbon to both Faro or Porto take about 3h and 30min. Nonetheless, if you wish to have the most flexibility during your visit to Portugal, a car rental is a good choice. Having a car will allow you to reach the small towns around the country like Sintra or Cascais, or more secluded beaches in the Algarve area like Albandeira Beach.
Does a US citizen need a passport or visa to fly to Portugal?
Yes, it’s necessary for US citizens to have a passport to travel to Portugal. The passport must also be valid for at least three months after their planned departure date from Portugal and have the same name as the one on the plane ticket. Visas are not required for US citizens in Portugal as long as you’re staying in the country for less than 90 days.