How to Get to Tenerife from the UK: Flights, Airports & Ferries

Planning a trip to Tenerife? The most visited of Spain’s Canary Islands draws millions each year with its mild climate, varied landscapes, and excellent infrastructure. If you’re wondering how to get to Tenerife, this guide explains every way to reach the island — by air and by sea — with essential details on airports and ferry ports, plus practical tips for car hire on Tenerife.

Flights to Tenerife: Airports Overview

Tenerife has two international airports, each playing a key role in the island’s connectivity.

1. Tenerife South Airport (TFS / Reina Sofía)

• Overview and Location: Tenerife South Airport, also known as Reina Sofía Airport, is the island’s main gateway. Located in the south of Tenerife, around 20 km from the popular resort of Playa de las Américas and 60 km from the island’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it is a modern, well-equipped facility capable of handling a high volume of international flights.
• Main Operations: Tenerife South focuses on international and charter flights, welcoming the majority of holidaymakers arriving in Tenerife. It is a key hub for routes from across Europe, including the UK, Germany, the Nordic countries, and Eastern Europe.
• Facilities and Services: You’ll find multiple car hire desks, duty-free shopping, VIP lounges, ATMs, currency exchange, free Wi-Fi, a post office, and a wide choice of cafés and restaurants. There are ample parking and frequent bus connections to the island’s main resorts and towns (routes 111, 343, 450).
• Car hire at Tenerife South (on-airport providers): The airport offers a wide choice of car rental companies, including Autoreisen, CICAR, Goldcar, TopCar, Thrifty, Sixt, Keddy by Europcar, Hertz, Budget, Avis, Interrent GC UM, Voltencar, Tenerifecar, Gobycar, Dollar, Flizzr, KEYNGO MP, and Click and Rent.

Flights from the UK to Tenerife South Airport (TFS)

The UK is the largest source of visitors to Tenerife, and direct flights to Tenerife South (TFS) operate from all major British airports.

• Departure Cities and airports: London (Gatwick, Stansted, Luton), Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds, and others.
• Airlines: Ryanair, easyJet, TUI Airways, Jet2.com, British Airways, Wizz Air UK.
• Flight Frequency: From London and Manchester several times per day; from other major cities daily or several times a week. Frequencies are especially high in summer and during the peak winter-sun season.

Airline	Departure	Frequency (per week)	Typical Days of Operation	Approx. Flight Time
Ryanair	London (STN)	Up to 20	Daily	4h 30m
Ryanair	Manchester (MAN)	Up to 10	Daily	4h 35m
Ryanair	Liverpool (LPL)	3–5	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun	4h 20m
Ryanair	Birmingham (BHX)	3–5	Tue, Thu, Sat	4h 25m
easyJet	London (LGW)	Up to 20	Daily	4h 20m
easyJet	London (LTN)	Up to 7	Daily	4h 25m
easyJet	Manchester (MAN)	Up to 7	Daily	4h 30m
easyJet	Bristol (BRS)	3–5	Mon, Wed, Fri	4h 20m
TUI Airways	London (LGW)	Up to 14	Daily	4h 35m
TUI Airways	Manchester (MAN)	Up to 10	Daily	4h 40m
TUI Airways	Birmingham (BHX)	Up to 7	Daily	4h 25m
TUI Airways	Glasgow (GLA)	3–5	Tue, Fri, Sat	4h 50m
Jet2.com	Manchester (MAN)	Up to 7	Daily	4h 30m
Jet2.com	Leeds/Bradford (LBA)	3–5	Mon, Wed, Sat	4h 25m
Jet2.com	Birmingham (BHX)	3–5	Tue, Thu, Sun	4h 25m
British Airways	London (LGW)	Up to 7	Daily	4h 30m
Wizz Air UK	London (LGW)	2–3	Tue, Thu, Sat	4h 20m
Wizz Air UK	London (LTN)	2–3	Mon, Fri	4h 25m

Important note: Flight schedules can change. For the latest information, always check airline websites or trusted ticket aggregators shortly before travelling.

👉 Before you go, browse our full Tenerife travel guide for practical tips on when to go, where to stay and getting around, and check our curated list of must-see Tenerife attractions to plan your days.

Flights to Tenerife South Airport (TFS) from Spain

National and low-cost carriers provide frequent, convenient connections between Tenerife and mainland Spain — useful for both visitors and residents.

• Departure Cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Bilbao, Málaga, Santiago de Compostela, and others.
• Airlines: Iberia, Vueling, Air Europa, Ryanair.
• Flight Frequency: From Madrid and Barcelona there are multiple daily services; from other cities, flights operate several times a week.

Airline	Departure	Frequency (per week)	Typical Days of Operation	Approx. Flight Time
Iberia	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 20	Daily	3h 00m
Vueling Airlines	Barcelona (BCN)	Up to 14	Daily	3h 10m
Vueling Airlines	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 05m
Vueling Airlines	Seville (SVQ)	3–5	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun	2h 40m
Vueling Airlines	Bilbao (BIO)	2–3	Mon, Wed, Fri	3h 15m
Vueling Airlines	Málaga (AGP)	2–3	Tue, Thu, Sat	2h 45m
Air Europa	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 10	Daily	3h 00m
Ryanair	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 05m
Ryanair	Barcelona (BCN)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 15m
Ryanair	Seville (SVQ)	2–3	Wed, Sun	2h 40m
Ryanair	Valencia (VLC)	2–3	Tue, Sat	2h 50m
Ryanair	Santiago de Compostela (SCQ)	2–3	Mon, Thu	2h 55m

Important note: Flight schedules can change. For the latest information, always check airline websites or trusted ticket aggregators shortly before travelling.

👉 How to get from Tenerife South Airport (TFS) to the island’s most popular destinations — read our guide.

2. Tenerife North Airport (TFN / Los Rodeos)

• Overview and Location: Tenerife North Airport, also known as Los Rodeos,
  is located in the north-east of the island, in the municipality of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, approximately 25 km from Puerto de la Cruz. Smaller than the southern airport, it nevertheless plays a key role in regional and domestic connectivity.
• Main Operations: The airport primarily handles inter-island flights (linking Tenerife with the other Canary Islands), as well as services connecting to mainland Spain.
• Facilities and Services: The airport offers a range of services, including shops, duty-free shop, cafés, ATMs, free Wi-Fi, a VIP lounge, and car rental desks.
• Car hire at Tenerife North (on-airport providers): Car rental companies available at Tenerife North Airport include CICAR, TopCar, Thrifty, Goldcar, Keddy By Europcar, Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Budget, InterrentGC, Europcar, Key’n Go, Canarias.com, Flizzr, Alamo, Enterprise, National, Dollar, and Ok Mobility.

Flights to Tenerife North Airport (TFN) from Spain

Tenerife North (TFN) is a key gateway to mainland Spain, with frequent, convenient direct flights from many major cities.

• Departure Cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Bilbao, Málaga, Santiago de Compostela, Alicante.
• Airlines: Iberia, Vueling, Air Europa, Ryanair, Binter Canarias (primarily for inter-island services, but also with some mainland connections).
• Flight Frequency: Multiple daily flights from Madrid and Barcelona; from other cities, services operate several times a week. Flight timetables are generally stable between May and October.

Airline	Departure	Frequency (per week)	Typical Days of Operation	Approx. Flight Time
Iberia	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 20	Daily	3h 00m
Vueling Airlines	Barcelona (BCN)	Up to 14	Daily	3h 10m
Vueling Airlines	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 05m
Vueling Airlines	Seville (SVQ)	3–5	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun	2h 40m
Vueling Airlines	Bilbao (BIO)	2–3	Mon, Wed, Fri	3h 15m
Vueling Airlines	Málaga (AGP)	2–3	Tue, Thu, Sat	2h 45m
Air Europa	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 10	Daily	3h 00m
Ryanair	Madrid (MAD)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 05m
Ryanair	Barcelona (BCN)	Up to 7	Daily	3h 15m
Ryanair	Seville (SVQ)	2–3	Wed, Sun	2h 40m
Ryanair	Valencia (VLC)	2–3	Tue, Sat	2h 50m
Ryanair	Santiago de Compostela (SCQ)	2–3	Mon, Thu	2h 55m

Important note: Flight schedules can change. For the latest information, always check airline websites or trusted ticket aggregators shortly before travelling.

👉 How to get from Tenerife North Airport (TFN) to Tenerife’s main resorts and towns — read our guide.

Ferries to Tenerife: Ports and Routes

Tenerife has a well-developed port network with regular ferries both to the other Canary Islands and to mainland Spain.

1. Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

• Description and Location: The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island’s largest and most important harbour. It is located in the capital, Santa Cruz, on the north-east coast. This is a multi-purpose port handling cruise ships, passenger ferries, and cargo and fishing vessels.
• Main Operations: Santa Cruz is the main hub for ferries to mainland Spain (notably Huelva and Cádiz) and to the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma).
• Additional Services: Ferry companies offer comfortable ships equipped with restaurants, bars, Wi-Fi, and cabins. Vehicles can be transported, and there are car rental facilities both within the port and nearby.
• Car hire at or near the port: CICAR, Keddy By Europcar, Europcar, TopCar, Alamo, Amigo Rent A Car, Fox, Easycar, Hertz, Sixt, Ace, Enterprise, Surprice Car Rental, Orlando Rent A Car, Inter Rent.

The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has regular and significant ferry links with mainland Spain. The main routes connect Tenerife with the ports of Huelva and Cádiz.

• Destinations: Huelva, Cádiz.
• Operators: Naviera Armas, Fred. Olsen Express, Trasmediterránea.
• Frequency: Several sailings per week. Journey time is long — typically over 24 hours.

Operator	Destination (port)	Frequency (per week)	Typical days of operation	Approx. journey time
Naviera Armas	Huelva	2–3	Tue, Thu, Sat	31h 30m
Fred. Olsen Express	Huelva	2	Wed, Sun	32–34h
Trasmediterránea	Cádiz	1–2	Mon, Fri	39–43h

Important Notes:

• Ferry services between mainland Spain and Tenerife cater for both passengers and cargo/vehicle transport.
• Travel times are considerable, and many travellers choose to fly instead, even for routes to and from mainland Spain.
• Timetables and frequencies may vary slightly depending on the season and demand. We recommend checking the latest information directly on ferry operators’ websites before your trip.

👉 How to get from the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to key destinations around the island — read our guide.

2. Port of Los Cristianos

• Description and Location: The Port of Los Cristianos is the second-largest port on Tenerife, located in the south of Tenerife in a popular tourist area.
• Main Operations: This port serves as a key hub for inter-island ferries to the western Canary Islands: La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro.
• Additional Services: Similar to the Port of Santa Cruz, ferries offer onboard amenities, including the option to transport vehicles. Car hire services are also available in and around the port.
• Car hire near the port: CICAR, BVCar Tenerife, Localrent, DiscoverCars, Economybookings, GetRentacar, RENTME.TF Car Rental Agency, VIP Cars.

Los Cristianos is an inter-island ferry hub only. It has no direct, regular passenger ferries to mainland Spain or to other European countries (e.g., the UK, Germany, Poland). All services between mainland Spain and Tenerife operate via the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Travellers coming from the mainland and heading to Los Cristianos should arrive in Santa Cruz de Tenerife first, then continue by road or connect via inter-island ferries if travelling on to neighbouring islands.

👉 Before you go, browse our full Tenerife travel guide for practical tips on when to go, where to stay and getting around, and check our curated list of must-see Tenerife attractions to plan your days.