Flights to Las Palmas from Bristol

Flights to Las Palmas > Bristol to Las Palmas

Gran Canaria Airport (informally known as Las Palmas Airport, and formerly known as Gando Airport), (in Spanish Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria), is the fifth busiest airport in Spain. It is an airport located on Gran Canaria Island. In 2009 it handled 9,155,665 passengers, a 10.3% reduction compared with 2008.

The airport is located in the eastern part of Gran Canaria on the Bay of Gando (Bahía de Gando), 19 km (12 miles) south of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and 25 km (16 miles) from the popular tourist areas in the south. The lengthy runways make the airport an alternative landing site for the NASA Space Shuttle.

History: The airport opened on 7 April 1930, after King Alfonso XIII signed a royal order announcing that the military air force installations on the Bay of Gando would become a civilian airfield. In its existence, the airport has become the largest gateway into the Canary Islands, as well as the largest in terms of passenger and cargo operations.

Terminals: The airport has two terminals: one for European Union and Mainland Domestic flights (Terminal A), and the other for non-EU and interisland flights (Terminal B-C).

Transport: The airport is accessible by several island roadways leading from all points in the island, as well as special bus service available from most towns within Gran Canaria. Taxi service is considered the most efficient way since the island has its own taxi services, and low fares. Furthermore, Gran Canaria's main motorway GC1 runs directly past the airport providing fast transport links to Las Palmas in the North and to the popular tourist resorts in the South. The motorway has been upgraded and widened many times, particularly towards the South since the 1980's to cope with the increased levels of traffic caused by tourism.

Las Palmas airport on a map of Spain