Santa Cruz De La Palma

La Palma airport is a modern international airport handling over 1 million passengers a year, which is rather a lot of people for an airport with only five boarding gates. It lies in the east of the island within 3 kilometres of Los Cancajos, 20 kilometres of the Princess hotel, and 6 kilometres from the capital of Santa Cruz.

Since the airport was getting crowded, they're building a completely new terminal which will be much bigger. The old terminal will stay in use until April 2011, and at present (January 2011) everybody has to walk around the building site to get from the terminal to the new car park. Once you get there, the new car park has plenty of spaces, and is free for the first half hour. Hire cars have a separate parking area to the south of both terminals, and buses, and taxis park close to the current terminal. There's also a drop-off zone. Luggage trolleys are free and easy to find everywhere.

If the weather's nice, you can enjoy the sun in two outside seating areas. Kids can burn off energy in the small play area upstairs before they're strapped into a plane seat. Also upstairs, you can wander around the small art gallery.

Facilities
   Non-smoking throughout.
   Access for disabled throughout with clearly identified staff on hand to assist with needs and information request points.
   There's no bank or exchange, but there are two cash dispensers.
   There's no post office, but there is a post box.
   Car hire from Avis, Ancar, Cicar, Europcar, Hertz and Tui, in arrivals hall.
   Public payphones.
   Electronic arrivals and departures boards throughout.
   Flights are not called.
   Health and Safety announcements are in English as well as Spanish.
   Several lots of toilets in arrivals, check-in and departures lounges.

Shopping
In the check-in lounge are a well stocked pharmacy; gifts and craft shops; and a duty free shop which also sells Canarian food produce, sweets, perfume and cigarettes. Upstairs, you'll find a small newsagents with some newspapers, magazines and books in English. Once through check-in, there's very little: a bar, toilets, and a collection area for your duty free purchases. (I suspect that if you asked for, say, a bottle of rum at that point, they'd oblige, but I wouldn't rely on it.)

Eating
There's a big self-service restaurant upstairs, and a small café/bar downstairs.

Getting to and from La Palma Airport
Taxi ranks outside arrivals hall. You'll normally find taxis waiting, but the phone number is (0034) 922 440 825. *Fares to:

Barlovento  45km  €49 - €56
Breña Alta  10km  €12 - €14
Breña Baja  9km  €11 - €13
El Paso  29km  €32 - €39
Fuencaliente   22km  €25 - €27
Garafía  78km  €85 - €97
Los Cancajos  4km  €6 - €7
Los Llanos  36km  €40 - €50
Los Sauces  34km  €38 - €43
Puerto Naos  42km  €47 - €53
Puntagorda  65km  €72 - €81
Puntallana  19km  €22 - €25
Roque de los Muchachos   49km  €53 - €62
S/C de la Palma  9km  €12 - €13
Tazacorte  40km  €45 - €51
Tijarafe  55km  €60 - €69
Villa de Mazo  9km  €12 - €13

(* Fares are approximate. The lowest fare is between 6am and 10pm weekdays and the highest is for public holidays; current at December 2010) More details at http://www.taxilapalma.com (in English and Spanish).

Buses from outside arrivals hall:
Line 8 to Santa Cruz via Los Cancajos every 30 minutes (change in Santa Cruz for everywhere else) (see http://www.transporteslapalma.com/transportes/Ingles/index.htm for timetables)

Overview
Smallish, but bright and well run airport with shops and eating places to pass the time. Don't wait until you get to the airport to buy your duty free cigarettes and booze though, you'll find them cheaper at your resort if you shop around.

La Palma Airport Resorts