The airport is surrounded by the municipalities of Matosinhos and Vila do Conde and Maia. It covers the parishes of Santa Cruz do Bispo, Perafita and Lavra ; Aveleda and Vilar do Pinheiro ; and Vila Nova da Telha and Moreira. It includes an area of between in the extreme south and in the north. The southern portion of the airport intersects the hydrographic watershed of the Leça River, while the north is crossed by effluents of Onda River.
History
The airport around Porto opened in 1945 and was initially known as Pedras Rubras Airport, after the name for the locality where the airport is located: Pedras Rubras. It is still known by this name in the region. The land on which the airport was built was originally agricultural, characterised by rich soils that permitted the cultivation of various cereals. It was renamed in 1990 after former Portuguese prime minister, Francisco de Sá Carneiro, who died in a plane crash when he was traveling to this airport on 4 December 1980. Along with the airports in Lisbon, Faro, Ponta Delgada, Santa Maria, Horta, Flores, Madeira, and Porto Santo, the airport's concessions to provide support to civil aviation were conceded to ANA Aeroportos de Portugal on 18 December 1998, under provisions of decree 404/98. With this concession, ANA became responsible for the planning, development and construction of future infrastructure. A new terminal building, designed by Portuguese firm ICQ, was built between 2003 and 2006, and became operational in the last quarter of 2006. Porto Airport reached ten million passenger per year for the first time on 6 December 2017.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following airlines operate regular scheduled direct passenger flights at Porto Airport:
The airport is served by Line E of the Porto Metro. The station has three platforms and the trains leave the arrival platform and reverse into one of the departure platforms. The service links the airport to Porto city center and by transfer in Trindade station to high-speed trains at Campanhã, and other urban centres of Greater Porto: in Verdes station to Vila do Conde and Póvoa de Varzim, Fonte do Cuco station to Maia, Senhora da Hora station to Matosinhos, and Trindade station to V.N.Gaia and to Rio Tinto/Fânzeres.
Car
Sá Carneiro airport is accessible via the A41 and A28 motorways, but also the EN13 highway. These roadways lead to drop-off and pick-up areas and short and long-stay car parks. It can also be reached by the A4 motorway through the VRI accessway.
Bus
buses also link the airport and the city. There is also a bus that operates all night from Porto city centre to the airport. Also there is a bus service to/from Vigo twice a day on weekdays, and once a day during the weekend.
Shuttle
The shuttle provides 50 min direct connections to the towns of Braga and Guimarães. Tickets can be bought in advance on the shuttle's website.
Accolades
Airport Service Quality Awards voted the airport Best Airport in Europe in 2007. Additionally, it has placed in the top three of Best Airport in Europe a further nine times – winning second place in 2010, and third place in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
