The Tenerife airports and what sets them apart

There are two Tenerife airports for flights to the other six Canary Islands of Spain.
The smaller TFN, short for North airport of Tenerife, at 38297 Los Rodeos of San Cristóbal de la Laguna was there first.
It has now a yearly passenger turnover of 4 Million. Rumors have it that its very first version was built for military reasons prior to WW2.

Its location in the wide open Valley of Parrots aka Lllanos de los Loros that lets in the foggy Alisian Winds would have been good enough for skilled fighter plane pilots. So? In 1977, the unscheduled, suddenly deviated two international Jumbo jets that should never have been there caused the world biggest aviation collision in this spot because of poor visibility on unsuited airpane landing strips.

Much later, modern security and surveillance have made a big difference after several revamps to turn this Northern of Tenerife airports into an interesting IATA aviation connecting point. It has now all modern amenities that are needed, although much less than his younger cousin TFS in the South.

The difference of both airports by sheer size

In fact, you get a good idea of the North airport size by looking down from its upper gallery. There, all its airline check-in counters fit into this one single space, as depicted above. 

This is different in the South at TFS. There, the arrival and departure areas can't even be called lounges any more, as everything is so big now.  Above all by 2022. Then, the departure terminal was doubled in size with many more check-in counters than before. Mind that the Reina Sofia airport called often just TFS or South Airport  handled 13 million air travellers in 2023, more than three times as much as in the North.

What the Northern of Tenerife airport serves best

1. Political sessions of Gran Canaria and Tenerife regarding the Canary archipelago
2. Fairs of economic and cultural nature at the Santa Cruz Trade fair Center Recinto Ferial
3. Entertainment, sports and art events at stadiums by the capital, at TEA, Teatro Guimera, and at Auditorio Adan Martin
4. Seminars of volcanology and other university highlights at San Cristóbal de la Laguna
5. Holidays in Tenerife as well as any type of business to deal with in the North

Transport options from the North airport

You can arrange for airport car rental at TFN, take a bus or opt for the electric tram Tranvia with free WiFi to get to TFN from the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Catch a cab for the remaining way of about 1,5km when the tram stops at the Intercambiador La Laguna.

Obviously, car rental from and to your air travel hub leaves you more flexible, above all with an android or any other GPS road finder.

Map of North airport surroundings

Trace San Cristobal de la Laguna the romantic town with old quarters for Tenerife vacations with a difference. It's closest to the TFN airport.

News for TFN Los Rodeos airport

Its opening hours have been extended to 11 p.m. by 75 minutes. This will allow for direct flights with additional five mainland Spain destinations besides Barcelona. Vueling of Iberia has been one of their flight carriers since January 2014. Other international operating airlines at Los Rodeos are Air Europa, Norwegian and lately also Ryanair.  Binter and Canaryfly are main carriers for Canarias, as said before.

By the way, the 7.a.m. TFN's opening time will not change.

Mind no air travel operations being cast in stone

Unfortunately, Iberia express my favorite flight carrier to the UK has stopped to do direct International flights from Los Rodeos. In this context must be noticed how important it is to constantly check travel availability by airlines, as there seem to be changes often. This also regards those that used to connect with Miami, Cancun, Cuba or Caracas. Marrakech in Morocco is definitely listed again although not direct, off lately,  but its cheap flights seem to be very irregular.

Not to forget is that Madrid and Barcelona will always be good connecting travel havens to both Tenerife airports, of course.

Hotels very close to TFN Los Rodeos of Tenerife airfields

• Hotel Aguere of La Laguna
• La Laguna Gran Hotel
• Hotel Nivaria for self catering
• Alternatively 3 and 4 star Hotels of the Tenerife capital

What about the Santa Cruz Carnival Airport TFN Los Rodeos?

Binter the leading airline of the Canary Islands carried a whooping 40 000 travellers within the archipelago during the disguise celebrations in February 2024. On February 16, friends and I could observe Binter's amazingly frequent coming and going from the height of Palmetum the biggest open air palm museum in the Tenerife capital.
Otherwise, mainland Spain as well as Canarias have exchanged thousands of tourists with residence status every month at subsidized travel conditions for the last two decades.

How reach by car Los Rodeos airport including distances?

• From Santa Cruz the capital to TFN Los Rodeos by the TF 5 Freeway and Exit 11 with a distance of 11 km


• From Puerto de la Cruz to TFN Los Rodeos by the freeway TF5 and a distance of 28 km and 30 minutes travel time depending on traffic near the La Laguna university
  


• To the contrary from Los Rodeos TFN to the South Airport Reina Sofia Aeropuerto del Sur by the TF1 Freeway and exit 23. after a distance of 65km and 46 minutes driving time

Getting to the TFS the Southern one of Tenerife airports

• From Puerto de la Cruz to TFS Reina Sofia Airport within about 90 minutes depending on traffic on the TF1 freeway with a distance of about 86km
• From Playa de las Americas to TFS Reina Sofia Airport within 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic with a distance of about 12 km
• From Santa Cruz capital to TFS within 40 to 55 minutes depending on traffic on the TF1 freeway and a distance of 61 km

Car hire Tenerife at its airports?

Encounter information on Tenerife car rental  with tips and recommendations

How to mind rush hour traffic

For example, leave Puerto de la Cruz before 7 in the morning to avoid traffic congestion on the way to the North airport. Hopefully the planned trains will solve this problem in the future.
The direct <i>Titsa</i> bus 343 leaves at 6.30 subject to change in Puerto de la Cruz and goes all the way to the <i>Tenerife South Airport Reina Sofia</i>. The difference in driving time may be from 1h50 to 2h30 when traffic is heavy. 

New Aeroexpress Titsa service for both Tenerife airports since 2018

• #30 from Puerto de la Cruz to TFN every 30min
• #20 from Santa Cruz main station to TFN every 15 min
• #40 from Costa Adeje via Los Cristianos to TFS every 30min

View Larger Map

When use regular Titsa buses for the North or from the South airport to Santa Cruz?

Use them when your flights don't land late at night in the North, unless you have booked car rental, a shuttle or want to take a taxi. The last 102 bus leaves the capital for Puerto de la Cruz at 23.40 to pass Los Rodeos by about 23.45 or 23.50. Public holidays have an even earlier schedule from Santa Cruz by the latest at 23.00 at night. There isn't any more Linea 10 to Santa Cruz from the South Airport after 21.40 on a Saturday, for example. Mind that bus 111 or 711 operate around midnight. Make sure to verify... So? Using car rental from the South Airport to get to the North seems to be less stressful with nighttime flight delays.

Services at both Tenerife airports

• Duty free sections, wash rooms, bars, cafes and a pharmacy each
  
• Excellent Public transport which is only limited on Public holidays and on early morning hours
• Ample outside parking
• Medical attendance and
  Medical emergency service for the North airport Tel.: + 34 922 635 857 on the P-1 terminal and, on the TFS South airport Tel.: + 34 922 759 305
• Attendance for people with mobility problems
• Airline counters in the departure lounge
• For any information on both airports call
  Tel: + 0034 902 404 704
• Hopefully lockers for baggage storage will materialize, once a new security screening is in place for that, as is the case in most German airports.

Hotels near the South airport TFS Reina Sofia

There are several luxury hotels in its neighborhood but none within the airport. I very much like the town center as well as the beach area of the Medano Hotel on drywall stilts although it's a bit dated. I have been to the Hotel Monica aeropuerto Sur which seems to have been lacking in good service for a while, as told by a friend.

Security at Tenerife airports

 It's of the highest international standard. Also, there's an emergency army fire unit of 90 professional fire fighters on standby stationed in close vicinity.
This has been implemented by the Spanish Government as promised after the great Tenerife wildfire danger of midsummer 2007. 

Airport flight safety in Tenerife

Nowadays contrary to 1977, Tenerife airports are equipped with the most sophisticated software for weather information and flight safety by a flight security system hosted at Helsinki which coordinates 17 airports within Spain.

The Weather at both Tenerife airfields

The region at the Tenerife southern airstrip is usually sunny and bright in its subtropical surroundings. Los Rodeos is not like that. Always have a warm jersey or jacket handy by La Laguna , just in case. A slightly chilly wind or clouds aren't unusual. 
Read my insider info  about the weather where the region of the Tenerife North Airport is interesting.

Useful links related to the Tenerife aerodromes

See what remains after direct flights to Tenerife Los Rodeos were stopped from Miami,Cancun,Punta Cana,Buenos Aires, New York,Caracas and La Habana

Always book in advance airport transfer with or without shuttles including Tenerife airport taxis and luxury mini buses...

A lovely travel review of our  Tenerife transfer to Puerto de la Cruz  the only long distance airport shuttle travel, I ever did.

Car rental for Tenerife by pre-booking on-line to get exactly the vehicle you want

From Tenerife airports back to getting to Tenerife with multiple options

Discover more information about both the airports of North and South Tenerife by your best source which is the aviation company Aena.es

here

The following guide will be your virtual travel companion for the many convenient

Spain airports

and set you on your way to explore a unique Spain

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