Wanting to find cheap flights to Portugal? Then you need to know where to look. And what to look for. There are a growing number of holiday makers choosing Portugal as their destination of choice [now] and it’s fair to say that it’s worthy of the hype. It's a country steeped in culture, gastronomic delights, stunning vistas and landscape - and it's also one of the safest countries in Europe.

Cheap Flights To Portugal

Portugal is a beautiful country, temperate of climate and largely undiscovered – excluding the Algarve.

Much of the country is unspoilt and there’s far more to see than what’s on offer in the South.

Go far North and you’ll find the wonderful city of Porto – a city that dates back to the 4th century.

Or what about Lisbon? The capital city of Portugal since 1255 and the Jewel in Portugals’ crown.

There's also the stunning Alentejo region and let's not forget the beautiful central provinces. There really is more to Portugal than the Algarve and the entire country offers a wonderful choice of holidays - to suit all tastes, ages and groups.

Portugal| Porto| Lisbon

Having made the decision to take your holiday in Portugal - finding cheap flights to Portugal is a must. You can do this in one of two ways; either book a package holiday, i.e. accommodation and flights together, or book separately.

I’ve always booked separate but that’s a matter of personal choice. To be honest, finding cheap flights is horses for course and they do exist if you look for them.

The easiest way to find cheap flights is to check/use an aggregator – or ‘screenscraper’ – such as the web link on the right. All these sites do is ‘scrape’ flight and pricing information from the direct airlines around the globe.

Definitely a great way to start out your search.

Next – you need to know how many airports there are in mainland Portugal and where they are. Currently there are three: Lisbon Airport, Faro Airport and Porto Airport. First Lisbon.

Its official name is Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS). It’s situated Northeast (within the city) and it’s a thriving, modern airport that has flights arriving and departing from destinations around the globe.

It’s easy to navigate to and from (on arrival/departure) and you will find the following services within the airport:

• Car hire – Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National/Alamo, Avis – to name a few
• Car Parking – short/long term
• Public transport – Aerobus (Carris) Nº91 runs to and from the airport
• Taxis – situated to the front of the building
• Cafés, restaurants, snack bars
• Shops – many, including duty free, Tie Rack, newsagents and so on
• Money – ATM’s situated within the airport building
• Communication – there is a post office as well as (to pay for) internet access
• Baby care, showers and a first aid office
• Left luggage facility
• Disabled access
• Help and Information desks
• Bureau de Change

Or, as it’s better known - Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport (OPO). Much like Lisbon and Faro, it’s dynamic and full of activity. Also accepts international flights from around the globe and you can expect it to feel as contemporary as any other modern-day airport.

It is in the North West of Portugal and situated in a Northern position on the perimeter of the city of Porto.

Within it’s terminal building it contains:

• Information and help desks
• ATM machines
• Various large shops, including duty free and gift stores
• A chemists/pharmacy
• Travel agents
• Several bars and restaurants
• Long term parking
• Car hire, including Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Alamo
• Taxis situated outside
• Disabled access
• Public toilets

Found in the south of the country, in the Algarve area of Portugal. Serviced by many airline companies, especially cheap flight services such as EasyJet, BMI and so on. Unlike Lisbon and Porto, it is simply called Faro Airport (FAO).

Not classed as a resort in itself, the airport is central to the Algarve area. There are shuttle buses and similar that will transport you to and from the airport – as well as a host of other transport services, including public transport and taxis.

The airport itself is very busy – the Algarve is a popular holiday choice for many. For one thing the Algarve is famous for its golfing resorts and it’s also well-known for its family and package holidays.

The airport is located on the coastline in Faro and is in a central position in relation to the Algarve area in general.

Within the airport you will find:

• Public toilets

• ATM machines

• Bars and restaurants

• Left luggage service

• Shops including duty-free, gift and fashion outlets

• Information and help desks

• Car hire – Avis, Hertz, Alamo, Europcar, Budget, Sixt and Rentauto

• Long stay parking

• Internet access

• Bureau de Change and Post Office

And so - how do you find your cheap flights to Portugal? You can either check out the cheap flights link or follow the following basic guidelines:

• Book early. This goes without saying

• Compare prices between package deals/ flight only – then book your accommodation

• Do use screen-scraper sites – but cross check between them and airline websites

• Definitely consider low-cost airlines as an alternative. The reduction in costs does not (and never will) reflect a reduction in safety

• Consider a mid-week flight. Fridays and Saturdays will always throw out higher prices

• Portugal has a very temperate climate and can become very hot in the summer. Consider a late spring/early autumn holiday

• The time of your flight will affect the price. Afternoon/early evening flights will generally be cheaper than early morning departures

• Book standard seats. Luxury costs more – simple

• If you have flexibility regarding dates – use them

Once you’ve found a good price – don’t waste too much time looking for something that’s cheap as chips. You should aim for the right price – as opposed to the cheapest. Sometimes too much dithering means you end up paying more rather than less. Once something feels reasonable, book it – don’t lose it!

Finally – enjoy Portugal. It really is a beautiful country and it's worthy of being considered as a potential holiday destination, whether you choose the cultural North (Porto/Lisbon) or the family friendly and fun Algarve down in the South. Plus it's one of the safest European countries (in general) on the continent - not to mention great on the pocket in terms of eating out and enjoying the sights.

If you do find some cheap flights to Portugal and venture to this beautiful country - have a great holiday!