Sal Airport

Not Verified | Almost a shambles. Wait an hour a half for boarding pass / to check in luggage, a further hour through customs. 6 flights going out only two desks open, then a further 20 minutes in passport control. So badly managed and very badly understaffed.

✅ Trip Verified | Visiting the island for the first time, I was impressed on how modern and functional the airport was. First they send you to the "Egates" which does not make sense as you will line up again for them to check the "airport tax". The officer will ask you how long are you going to stay and stamp you in, if you do not have bags, you're outside the airport in seconds! Taxis will ask you 20 euros, if you have time and a tight budget, outside on the main highway there is a bus stop, but do not count on when a bus will show up, it depends on your luck. On the way out the lines move quick, security is also quick, immigration will snap your photo again and stamp you out. The sole complaint is about the annoucements volume, it is ridiculous. Overall Sal island is to be visited once in a lifetime I would say.

❎ Not Verified | This airport is good but there is no wifi and check in desk is one. There air two shops and one cafe. The best thing is that there is an outdoor square and a fountain after passport control. There are 8 international gates. The gates area is modern.

Sal is a great small airport which is easy to use, lots of signs and decent food options. Good taxi services and shuttle buses to hotels. Clean and airy and bright. Would recommend. Aeroplanes park very close and many airlines fly to Sal which is useful. Friendly staff.

It's a very small airport which is both a good and a bad thing. There are no terminals as such and so it can be relatively quick to get from check in to departure gate that's if the luggage belts aren't broken. As it stands it's quite a pain free experience but the airport won't be able to cope with many more flights. Usually there are about 3/4 international flights a day carrying 150 - 300 customers per flight and then the 2/3 internal flights which carry around 70 pax. You can smoke after check in and there's a small bar each side offering mainly light snacks. Sometimes security check passports before check in sometimes they don't but I don't really understand their purpose in the main hall way which most airports would allow anyone access to.

By developing nation standards not a terrible airport but not a great one either. Check-in is slow food options are almost non-existent and security screening is on the lax side. There aren't close to enough seats in the departure lounge if there are two planes leaving and smoking is allowed inside the terminal. There are no real departure gates and planes are very close to the door but you must still be bussed to the plane instead of walking about 100 meters. On the up side the taxi drivers aren't pushy and give honest prices.